Feel Good with Erica Quillen

Send us a text

Unlock the secrets to breaking the cycle of yo-yo dieting and creating a lasting healthy lifestyle with our special guest, Erica Quillen. In this episode of Krystel Clear, Erica, a dedicated health coach, shares her transformative journey from her own wedding prep to motherhood and her mission to foster positive relationships with food for women across various life stages. Her business, Feel Good with Erica, aims to educate women on the science of nutrition, helping them to build sustainable, healthy eating habits that create generational change.

We dive deep into the nuances of nutritional health, with a spotlight on postpartum recovery and the importance of macronutrient balance. Erica highlights the pitfalls of traditional dieting and shares practical tips on mindful eating and consuming adequate nutrients. Through personal stories and expert advice, we unravel the complexities of maintaining a balanced and fulfilling life amidst modern-day challenges.

From managing the constant influx of technology to setting boundaries for self-care, Erica provides a comprehensive guide to achieving wellness. We discuss the benefits of being part of a supportive community, the power of proper nutrition, and the significance of genuine human connections. Tune in to gain practical advice on balancing self-care, social interactions, and rediscovering joy in your daily routines. Join us for an episode brimming with wisdom and heartfelt conversations, all aimed at making healthy living accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Thank you for joining me today. Please know that this podcast and the information shared is not to replace or supplement any mental health or personal wellness modalities provided by practitioners. It’s simply me, sharing my personal experiences and I appreciate you respecting and honoring my story and my guests. If something touched your heart please feel free to like, share and subscribe. Have a beautiful day full of gratitude, compassion and unconditional love.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, welcome to this episode of Crystal Clear.
Today we have a special guest,erika Quillen.
Thank you, erika, for beinghere.
She's one of my health andfitness peers, turned mind, body
, spirit, soul sister-esque.
So welcome, erika.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Thank you, crystal.
I'm so excited to be here and Ifeel like this has been like a
long time coming in a way, andbut it's always perfect time.
So thank you awesome.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
I know I feel like we've serendipitously met and
kind of been in similar flowsthroughout periods.
What we met at Lululemonseveral years ago and then ran
into you at Pure Bar and I don'tknow.
I always felt like there waslike an instant connection there
, and now I see you kind of atthe gym all the time.
So, like you said, time coming.
I'm glad we're here and in thisspace and I feel like more so

(00:50):
not just in this space on thepodcast, but in this space in
life, and that's kind of whatwe're going to unravel for
everyone today.
And if you'd like to just tellus a little bit about what you
have going on in your world now,and then we might back it up
and push it forward, and all thethings.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yes, 100%.
I am a health coach, which iswhat we're going to talk about
today, a lot through Feel Goodwith Erica.
That is my business.
But more importantly, I am amom of a two-year-old little
girl and a wife.
My husband and I have beentogether for 13 years, so we've
been together for all of our 20sand now, you know, into our

(01:29):
early 30s and it has been kindof like we were talking about
the podcast before the podcastlike just such a journey of you
know, change in differentseasons and even, you know,
really going through that tolike personally and through my
business as a mom now and whatmy body may be needed before and

(01:50):
what it needs now and justdifferent you know seasons of
life, and so that is through mybusiness as well.
Kind of how I started wasgetting ready for my own wedding
and what I needed to do toprepare for that big day, and
lots of backstory there that I'msure we'll dive into.
But the trajectory of mybusiness has ebbed and flowed as

(02:14):
my life has ebbed and flowed.
So I really started seeing alot of bridal clients focusing
on, yes, getting to the goalweight, the goal body to fit in
the dress on your big day but,more importantly, really
changing the way you think aboutfood and the why you know
behind that reasoning and reallyeducating people on the science

(02:37):
of food.
And you know, for me, when Ireally started to learn about
food and how it worked in ourbody, why I was maybe craving
things or why I maybe wasn'tfeeling like I could get through
workouts, that was what reallyunlocked so many of the problems
I personally faced throughyo-yo dieting over the years.
And so it really startedthrough those bridal clients and

(02:59):
then it was kind of this crazything where it was like this
person, you know, saw thesuccess and then told her sister
and then her sister's mom andthen I was working with, you
know, all these differentfamilies of all different ages.
And then we kind of got, youknow, okay, we get all the
brides married and then we getready for pregnancy and then
really supporting a healthypregnancy and then postpartum,

(03:20):
and so that has been primarily,you know, the last few years of
my life and what has also beentranspiring through my business,
and so I really help women.
That's primarily who I'm workingwith.
I do have a few males that I'vehelped throughout my years as
well, but I'm really just so, sopassionate about helping women

(03:42):
realize that healthy doesn'thave to be so hard, that it is
so much more than just food.
But as long as you can reallykind of understand the basics
and I like to really dumb downscience because I am someone who
it takes me a long time tolearn things I really have to
apply myself.
Things don't just naturallycome easy to me, and so really

(04:06):
being able to have this problemthat I solved for myself and
solving that through otherpeople has just been, I think,
so life changing.
And now you know, I say like mybiggest goal is that.
You know, a little girl in theplayground is going to say to
Zamora one day, like your mommychanged my mommy's life you know
and like because I know, likethat it's generational, you know

(04:30):
, and like it, it, it our, ourparents did the best that they
could.
And now, like I know that I havea responsibility, especially
having a daughter first, like Ithink God makes no mistakes and
that it is so much.
It's not about me, you know,it's about how can I help these
other women change the way theirdaughters look at food and then

(04:53):
the way that theirgrandchildren look at food,
because, no matter what I liketo say, it's the one thing that
you literally cannot escape inyour life.
You never have to.
You know, we think aboutalcohol, we think about drugs,
we think about, you know, allthese problems that people have.
You cannot run away from food,and so that has really been my
specialty the last fifth year ofmy business now, but I've been

(05:17):
dealing with this since I was 15.
I just turned 32, you know.
And so when we think about howlong something has lasted in our
life, it's like, you know,let's get good at the thing
we're going to have to doforever.
So right yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:33):
I love you and thank you so much for such an in-depth
explanation because it can beso complex, but, as you said, it
can be.
It can be very basic as well,totally, and I think that
especially right now, with somuch out there, there's so many
resources pulling you this wayand that way and this is good

(05:53):
for you and that's good for you,but honestly, it's so
individual and it's such aunique experience for each
person.
I know for myself, especiallypostpartum with Brody, I had to
set a goal and set something formyself.
I wasn't feeling myself in mybody.
I wasn't.
I didn't have the lifestyle Ihad prior to thank goodness,

(06:18):
like I was always kind of had inmy mind that I needed to just
like go hard, go home, work hardperson and depriving myself of
what nutrients I really needed,even throughout college,
understanding like I educatedmyself through exercise, science
, nutrition, but honestly, thenutrition classes I took in
college are not what my bodyneeded.

(06:38):
It's just so complex and soI've learned over time what's
good for me and I love thatyou're putting your energy and
your effort and your time intothat, because it is generational
and let's face it.
I mean we live in a world whereit's it's from, like we're all
over the place but we don't.

(06:59):
It doesn't mean we have to bethat way.
It doesn't mean we have to eatfast food if we're on the run.
It doesn't mean that we can'tmake healthier choices.
I think there's a lot morecomponents that go to it, like
our adrenals, our hormones andall the things, and
understanding that, putting theright nutrients in your body and

(07:19):
the right amount of food inyour body.
Remember the first time I everwent on a macronutrient counting
program?
I was eating twice as much as Ihad ever eaten in my whole life
and I was in the best shape Ihad ever been in, because I grew
up seeing women dieting andwithholding food.

(07:40):
And what does that do?
That really lowers your basalmetabolic rate.
It really lowers your set pointmetabolism.
So then when you do starteating normally, you're going to
gain weight because there'sthat fluctuation there.
Our body is burned so much bydoing nothing, right.

Speaker 2 (07:58):
Right, and that is when I break that down for
people and just for the audience.
Basal metabolic rate isessentially the amount of
calories that your body needs atrest for your heart to beat,
your eyes to blink, your body tojust get through the day, right
?
And so you know, when I tellpeople like, listen you not

(08:18):
eating, you know you, eating aslittle as possible doesn't
impress me, like when I'mlooking at your food log, like
I'm not looking for that.
In fact, I want you to add more.
You know, and going through that, people are, of course, scared
because most often, clients arecoming to me to lose weight, to,
you know, really specialize infat loss, and so when we talk

(08:41):
about that, it feels reallyscary.
Because it is scary, right.
Like, it's like, okay, I hiredthis girl and now she's telling
me to eat more, but what reallywe need to focus on is eating
more of the good stuff, right,because when we think about that
macronutrient profile, a lot ofthe times you know we're under
eating, the things that actuallyhelp us really feel those
satiety cues which I was like tosay under the number one reason

(09:04):
for overeating is under eating,right, and so that's where we
get that yo-yo dieting.
That's where we get that bingecycle, you know all of the
cravings you know, and then notto mention, you know, the
anxiety that can come with that,the energy dips just not being
able to get through the day youknow, sugar dysregulation a
hundred percent, yeah, and soblood sugar is really what I

(09:25):
start with with all the clients,because learning to balance my
blood sugar is the the thingthat changed my life when it
came to food, because I triedmacros, you know, over 10 years
ago, and I had no real likeunderstanding of what needed to
be on the plate.
It was like, okay, I can havethis amount of carbs, this
amount of protein and thisamount of fat.

(09:45):
That's what makes up our, youknow, macronutrient profile.
And, of course, the carbs arealways going to be more fun you
know, and so I'd end up witheating like all my carbs, like
this, having no energy and thenbeing like, okay, well, what do
I do?
Eat all this protein now.
And it wasn't until I reallylearned what goes into balancing
blood sugar and then feelingthe effects energetically,

(10:08):
emotionally, physically, likethat really changed the game for
me.
You know and that's animportant thing for people to
know too is our metabolisms areincredible and when you start
feeding your body, you know yourbody will respond well and you
were in the best shape of yourlife because you were giving
your body enough energy to dowhat you were asking it to do.

(10:31):
You know, and so I worked withyou know clients with eating
disorders, clients you had lotsof different, you know,
disordered eating, even right,two different things but similar
trajectories and it is such amind mess.
But it is truly life-changingwhen you're able to really like
dissect what it is that ishappening.

(10:52):
And I think that you know it's.
It's something that if youreally allow yourself to learn,
you will feel the difference.
You know, long-term and it'sand it's.
You know it's crazy becauseit's different than everything
we've ever been taught orwatched, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (11:12):
And there's so much out there that can be missed,
like you're not going to learneverything you need to know
about your body on a 15-secondTikTok.
So my biggest, biggest push forpeople is like invest in
yourself, whether it's like yourmental health or your physical
health, but they go hand in handand that's what people don't

(11:33):
understand.
So if you can find somethingthat is all encompassing, which
is exactly like what you'redoing for people and you have
that accountability and that'sessentially what mine was it was
like 16 weeks straight.
I did my macros and you know mehaving the background, I knew
what type of macros eat.
So, just for the audience,macronutrients, carbohydrates,

(11:54):
fats, proteins.

Speaker 2 (11:55):
So no matter what you eat, it gets broken down into
those three things, right yeah.

Speaker 1 (12:01):
And knowing which ones to eat.
You know carbohydrates can bethings like sandwiches and bread
and pasta and but depending onwhat, or and fruit, but it could
be greens and vegetables, andso it really just depends.
And, like you said, you knowyou could do a macro diet but if
you're eating all bread, carbsand then so it's, your body

(12:23):
responds so differently to allthe things.
So if you could kind of give uslike a sample plan, just so
people kind of understand.
You know what we're talkingabout here.

Speaker 2 (12:35):
A hundred percent.
So you know when we think aboutthat too, like backtrack for a
second of like it being, youknow, a full 360 approach, in a
way, is that is really what I dowith my clients and the girls
in my group program is we're notjust talking about food,
because oftentimes everythingthat's happening in our life

(12:56):
will dictate, like the choiceswe're making when it comes to
what we're grabbing, whetherthat's going through Chick-fil-A
or finishing, you know, thebottle of wine or doing like.
What's going on in our life istruly, at the end of the day, so
much more important than justwhat's on your plate, because

(13:18):
they go so hand in hand and so alot of the times.
Now I just hit my three yearanniversary with three of my
clients in September and it'sbecause now you know it's so
much more than just like, okay,I want to drop a few pounds is.
You know I've walked through somany different seasons of these
people's lives with them.
You know we the good things,the, the marriage and the this,

(13:38):
and then maybe you know a deathand then a miscarriage or a
divorce or really like hard timeat work and like how that's
affecting you know what they're,what's happening in their body,
and so when we're going througha big stress time, it's not
going to be the time to like goto Orange Theory hardcore doing.

(13:58):
I don't need to know how fastyou're running, like I don't.
I don't actually want you to berunning at all, because your
body has so much.
You should go and put your feetin the grass and just close your
eyes, Literally like I actuallyneed you to like go do that, or
go to the beach and go for awalk and like chill out, because
our bodies are not meant tohandle everything, even the

(14:19):
information that's coming at us.
Like that.
We can go on TikTok and learnso much at one time.
Go on Instagram, listen to thispodcast, while you know you're
doing a million other things.
It's information overload,right.
And so what I really have, youknow, figured out, works for
people over time is to focusing.
Focus on the good stuff, youknow, and so this is feel good

(14:40):
with Erica.
That came from wanting to feelgood in my body and in my life,
because I found that the twowere so deeply intertwined.
And so, when we think aboutback to those macronutrients, we
have our proteins, we have ourfat and we have our
carbohydrates.
What I really like to do, nomatter kind of where you're
starting with, is focusing onthe good stuff.

(15:01):
So we really want to start withprotein.
That is a pillar of my foodphilosophy.
So protein, these are thethings, like you know, for
thinking in the morning, a scoopof protein powder that doesn't
have a million ingredients in it.
You know, I am a fan of, youknow, greek yogurt and cottage
cheese, if you can handle dairy,you know these are things like

(15:21):
chicken, lean beef, salmon,shrimp, even sprinkling in, you
know, even though they're morecarbohydrate, right, but like
things like lentils, like I justhad some lentils on my salad,
black beans, like they haveprotein in them but they're more
carby, right.
So, really focusing on, do youhave protein on your plate first

(15:42):
, right.
And you know, using your hand,like I think macros are a great
tool for people, I have, youknow, a lot of, like I go back
and forth of like, okay, youknow, are macros going to be the
thing for everyone and we'reeating macros, no matter what,
but the numbers really do get topeople.

(16:03):
And so this were Time consumingand overwhelming.

Speaker 1 (16:05):
Right, you can be obsessive with it.

Speaker 2 (16:07):
A hundred percent, yeah, and so that's where it's
like okay, let's make it simple,Utilize your palm.

Speaker 1 (16:11):
Palm of your hand.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
If you can really start to be like okay, like my
hand is perfect for the portionsize that I need, that's going
to be, you know, on average, Ireally like to have 25, 30 grams
of protein per meal, and that'sjust from your protein source,
right, and so for clientslistening too, it's important to
realize that you know protein.

(16:34):
There's a little bit of proteinin peanut butter.
Right, right, but peanut butteris what we do at fat source,
right.
And so thinking of, when youlook at that nutrition label,
what does it say?
It is mostly, and then reallypulling that as your protein.
So you know, again, chicken, weknow that chicken's going to,
it's going to have zero carbs,maybe a couple grams of fat, but
that number that's highest onthe nutrition label is going to

(16:57):
be chicken.
So it's going to be yourprotein source.
And then you know we go intofat and fat is, you know, super
important for making sure thatwe stay full you know.
So these are the things likeolive oil, avocado, olives
thinking of those yummy,delicious, flavorful things that
keep things fun and again, useyour thumb so top of the thumb.

(17:20):
That's going to be about oneserving Right.
That's going to be about oneserving right.
So you want to have that inthere.
And, granted, depending on howyou know what meat you choose,
you may need a little bit more,I may need a little bit less.
You know, everyone's a littlebit different, but we're just
talking in general like as wesay, it's personalized.
And then we've got our greensand our veggies, and so I think

(17:40):
that those again focusing on theaddition, you know opening up
that palm, so nice big palm andreally trying to, you know, can
you add a handful of arugula,can you add a handful of spinach
in your smoothie?
Can you add, you know, a sideof broccoli if you're out to
dinner, you know, and justreally focusing on that addition
, because that's where we'regoing to get the stretch of your

(18:01):
stomach, which is reallyimportant for that gut brain
access in our, you know, in ourbody to signal that we're full.
And so I really encouragepeople listen, add these things
to your plate first, the rest isgoing to fall into place.
This isn't a no carb approach.
This isn't a don't eat carbs.

(18:22):
I had to go through like a wholeI'm sure get back to that just
about, you know, you beingpregnant and me being pregnant.
You know my thyroid wasaffected postpartum A because
postpartum, but B because I justwas so used to eating low carb
that I didn't even realize Ijust needed more to support what
my body now needed in thatseason.

(18:44):
Right, and so what I alwayslike to say, though, is no one's
ever coming to me like, hey,I'm, I'm over, I'm I'm not
comfortable in my body and I'meating these things.

Speaker 1 (18:57):
Right.

Speaker 2 (18:58):
Because we know that the chips at the Mexican
restaurant are going to happen,or the bread at the table, or
the glass of wine, or, you know,the mac and cheese.
Right Like those carbier.
Things are always going to bearound, right Like whatever.
Maybe your kid or yourhusband's eating.
You know like my husband lovesAnnie's mac and cheese.
And I mean it's just like Ican't blame him, Right, and so

(19:20):
it's like we know that thosecarbier things are going to be
around.
So what I really like to say is, like, just focus on the good
stuff first.
Right, We'll sort that stuffout later.
But what often happens isyou're actually able to get full
from the feel good formulabecause those things work to
your satiety automatically.

(19:40):
Maybe when you used to overeatwhether it be bread, french
fries, you know too many of theextras, as I like to call them
is you're able to actually eatthem in the proper portion size
because the things that yourbody actually needs.
We need those amino acids fromour protein to regulate half of

(20:01):
our hunger hormones and todigest properly, 100%, and to
also support that basalmetabolic rate.
So that's what's so problematictoo about these people who are
doing the yo-yo dieting is, ifyou're not eating enough protein
, you're losing muscle mass, andif you're not doing anything
once you hit like 35 to increaseyour muscle mass, you're

(20:23):
automatically losing it.
So anyone listening who's maybenot strength training and
they're eating, maybe you knowthey look at that palm and
they're like, maybe I'm eatingthat once-ish, twice-ish a day,
Same, but like then they beatthemselves up at night thinking
that something's wrong with them.
And that's where I just saylisten, everything that you're

(20:43):
eating has led you here as itshould.
It's not a you prop Like, thisisn't your fault, this is just.
We have to shift thosemacronutrient levels.
So I really again focus on thataddition of like what can we
add to your plate?
And then that naturally justcrowds out the things where
clients will be like oh my God,like I didn't really even crave,
like my sour candies that Icrave after dinner, or that

(21:06):
sweet treat that I always have,Like it was actually a choice to
have ice cream with my kidsthat I didn't feel guilty about.
And that's what I'm about.

Speaker 1 (21:15):
Like woke up in the morning and I didn't feel
inflamed and I didn't.
And that's the big thing.
Yes, that I've realized overthe years because I I've gotten
like.
I did have the eating disorderwhen I was a kid.
I went through different levelsof that and not only did I, did
I withhold food, but I also had, like what they call exercise
bulimia, which is I did it.

(21:35):
Yes, like I didn't have my.
I didn't purge my food, but Iwould exercise if I ate
something, like I almost had to.
I conditioned my brain to haveto work for food, right, right,
I mean.
And no wonder I have adrenalfatigue.
Okay, here, and almost I'll be40 next year.
And so really conditioningmyself to understand like your

(21:59):
body and I this is the way Iexplain it even to my kids, my
teenagers.
They go to school so early,they have lunch at 10.
Like it's hard for them to evenhave an appetite until they're
finished with school at two.
And I'm like okay, I know thatyou're not hungry, but I'm going
to pack you something anyway.
Just try, try to drink theprotein shake, try to get
something down.
Because what happens?
Yes, there's intermittentfasting and there's all of that.

Speaker 2 (22:23):
There's a lot of stuff out there going on, which
I am a fan of fasting Again verypersonalized on where you're at
in life, what you're doing, whyyou're doing it and what you're
eating in that fasting window.

Speaker 1 (22:38):
Right, but it really directly affects your brain
performance and that wassomething that I've known about
myself.
I remember they diagnosed mewith ADHD and I'm like I didn't
have ADHD.
I think a lot of it was likePTSD and some symptoms from that
.
But I just was not nurturing mybody appropriately during
certain times of my life andthen when I started to, the more

(22:59):
fats and proteins you eat, thebetter you think your mind is
sharp and I'm not one to likecut out a ton of stuff Like I've
.
I've never really had an issuewith dairy, Um, but I I kind of
go through phases witheverything, Like I just kind of
honor, like what my body feelslike it needs.

Speaker 2 (23:16):
Wait, you mean you listen to your body.

Speaker 1 (23:18):
I listen to my body now.
Now, I listen to my body.

Speaker 2 (23:21):
Isn't that crazy that , like that, the journey that it
took for you to actually justbe like oh my God, like my body
is telling me what it feels.

Speaker 1 (23:33):
Right, I'm going to listen to it and honoring making
healthy choices along the way.
So if I am like, oh wow, Icould really eat some ice cream
now, I'll do Greek yogurt with alittle sprinkle of honey, mix
it up.
It's fine.
So just making sure that Ihonor what it might need.
So if I'm craving dairy orsomething like that, maybe I
need more calcium that day,maybe I need the nutrients that

(23:56):
are in the foods you're craving.
It's kind of where your bloodsugar is just dysregulated and
you just need a lot of water,and sometimes that's just it too
is I didn't drink enough waterfor 25 years of my life.

Speaker 2 (24:08):
Yeah, yeah, you, and literally that's the first first
week homework assignment.
Is we get water?
You know right where it needsto be and it's just.
It's so common and again,that's what I just like to
really like.
Listeners hear that as likeit's not a you thing.

Speaker 1 (24:25):
It is a.

Speaker 2 (24:25):
This is just what happens when we're not being
mindful of what our body reallyneeds, Right, you know?
And oftentimes too, it's likeokay, craving ice cream at night
, Like as I talk about with withclients, is okay If we know
that you hit your protein goals,because we know that a lack of
protein will literally stimulatecarbohydrate cravings in the
form of yeah, maybe like myfavorite croissants and you know

(24:47):
like those types of things, butalso sweet treats at night,
like that where it kind of likecomes up and gets you but also
what's going on in your life.
Did you have a stressful day andit was your one time to
yourself.
Like the kids are to bed, youknow you have a minute to just
kind of like sit and you're justlike I don't want to feel what
I'm feeling.

(25:07):
So I'm just going to feel whatwas comforting to me as a kid,
right.

Speaker 1 (25:11):
Right.

Speaker 2 (25:11):
And so that's another huge component of the work that
I've really done.
And you know, how do we?
When we, when we grew up, itwas like OK, you know, great, we
have a pizza party.
You know, at school we all didgood on the test, or then you
had a bad day.

Speaker 1 (25:27):
We get you know Sweet ice cream.
Let's reward ourselves withfood, because we're animals,
right?

Speaker 2 (25:33):
No, and it's like I really try not to.
And that's what, like I say,like I love all the health and
wellness-y things, but I alsolove the fun, life-y things.
Like I'm not here to never eatice cream again or to never,
like you know, have pizza.

(25:53):
Like, like, count me out ifpizza's out.

Speaker 1 (25:57):
Oh no, pizza's a non-negotiable.

Speaker 2 (25:58):
For me, it's a not the same, and so I really had to
figure out listen,no-transcript, you skip school

(26:34):
and everyone goes to breakfastbecause I was like, oh my God,
well, I can only have a cup ofliquid egg whites and I know
that they're going to be usingtoo much oil than what's on my
plan.
And then you know that.
And then having another, youknow, few years later, where I
was weighing in with thenutritionist and squash kicked
me out of ketosis and so Ididn't drop weight for the year,

(26:55):
for that week, right, and it'slike I have been through it and
I don't ever want to have to notbe able to go make a memory
because I'm so worried about mymacros, or not be able to eat
squash because I'm worried aboutlike being, like my body being

(27:17):
some science experiment, youknow.

Speaker 1 (27:20):
And it's like that created my body, my entire life.
As a science experiment, Istill kind of do, but in a
different way.
It's from a different way.

Speaker 2 (27:29):
You know, there's days I can fast 16 hours, no
problem, and then there's daysI'm like yep 12, I'm good right
because, I again, though I'mpaying attention, right, and you
, you use those things to yourbenefit, the more you know.
But like it's been a journeyand I think, like for me, I
thought this was such a meproblem for.
But like it's been a journeyand I think, like for me, I
thought this was such a meproblem for so many years.

Speaker 1 (27:48):
It's so isolating.

Speaker 2 (27:49):
And then, you know, once I really kind of got to the
root and I really startedemerging myself into, like this
health and wellness world andthen kind of spoke out about a
few things.
And it's hard, like even stillto this day.
When I talk about you know,it's like you have to go to that
vulnerable place to like makesure the right person ends up in
your inbox, right.
But it has not been easy to gethere.

(28:14):
And like I just think, though,there's something to be said
about.
You know, I now know hundredsof women who have thought the
same exact thoughts that I have.
We're now in tears on the otherphone, and I'm like, oh, you're
not crazy to me, like there'snothing at this point that I
haven't seen, heard or donemyself.

Speaker 1 (28:33):
Same, and like my oldest client is 58 years old,
you know, and that makes methink too, especially with women
, like your hormones and whereyou are in your month makes a
big difference and impact on howyou should be utilizing your
body, when you should rest yourbody, how you should eat.

(28:53):
I mean I just started cyclesyncing like the past three
years or so.
Yeah, a huge difference,interesting difference.
Interesting Like before I wouldgo crazy in the gym for like
the two weeks before my cyclestarted and I'm like those are
the two weeks you're supposed tobe resting, like literally
doing that Like the week of.
It's like okay, napping isappropriate.

(29:15):
And so when I understood that,it's like wow, my body responded
like immediately to justunderstanding.
And that also has to do withlike what's going on in your
head, why you could be moreprone to more environmental
stress during those times of themonth and and the cycles that
you go through.
And I mean a woman's body is socomplex Like it takes us like a

(29:39):
whole month to get through whatguys do in like 24 hours, a
hundred percent.

Speaker 2 (29:42):
I would say I like I'll look at my husband like you
really love me, don't you?
Just like all the differentthings you know, because that
was a thing too, like I actuallyafter I had some more and I
even kind of forgot about this,where I run on the low side of
progesterone, yeah, and so likeI had estrogen dominance before

(30:04):
I got pregnant with her, that Iwas like working with a
functional medicine doctor andreally getting that.
And then, you know, even afterI was just like not feeling
again, like obviously I wasn'tgoing to feel like myself, right
, like you said, after Brody youdidn't feel like yourself, like
we just gave birth, right, likewe literally just grew a human.

Speaker 1 (30:22):
You.
You're not yourself.
Yeah, you're like, you'redifferent.
You're never going to be.
Yeah, but you're just a newversion of you.

Speaker 2 (30:27):
Exactly, and that's okay, exactly and like.
I remember being like, I knowthat I don't have postpartum
depression or postpartum anxiety, but I just don't feel right,
like I'm like manic.
And then you know, I wastalking to this to my OB and we
got back on the progesteronewhere days 10 through 28 of my

(30:47):
cycle I put it on before I go tobed and it really is made such
a difference.

Speaker 1 (30:52):
And.

Speaker 2 (30:52):
I think that you know again.
Just no one taught us thisstuff in school.
And that's what is infuriatingto me, especially now as a mom,
and like it's just like no onetaught us these things and it
requires our parents or theladies before them, or like
women, don't?

Speaker 1 (31:12):
we don't learn these things.

Speaker 2 (31:13):
No, I should be learning these things, and like
sixth, seventh grade, a hundredpercent like your period isn't
just okay, you're bleeding, nowhere's a tampon or a pad, like
and then it'll come again in amonth, like your cycle is so
much more than that, and that'swhat's been just so interesting
too of.
Like you know, I got my IUDtaken out a year before getting
pregnant with Zamora and reallybalancing.

(31:35):
You know just everything in mysystem and you know learning
about ovulation and learningabout okay, great, learning
about ovulation and learningabout okay, great.
Same thing where you know Itell a client, like okay, you
stepped on the scale for usingscale as a measurement, where
were you at in your cycle?
Because there is such thing aswater retention before ovulation
.
So you can look four poundsheavier than you were simply

(31:55):
because where you were in yourcycle, your clothes fit
differently, just know, and sojust having that.

Speaker 1 (32:00):
There's a couple apps that I've used.
One is MyFlow.

Speaker 2 (32:04):
Yeah, that's what I have too.
Yeah, and then.

Speaker 1 (32:05):
I do.
I forget the other one, no, butthere's a couple apps you can
use if people are interested inwhat we're talking about.
Or you could just Google likebest app for cycle syncing or
regulating and understandingwhat's going on, because also
even the way your brainfunctions, and so this is too oh
, we could go on like a wholenew.

(32:26):
We could go, we could have awhole series about this, but
going to your point that wedon't learn these things in
school, so not only do does likethe time of the month when you
should be eating, when youshould be exercising, but also
like creativity, or when to takemental breaks, or the fact that
we even need to take mentalbreaks.

(32:47):
Seeing this generation of so Ihave three kids in high school.
You could not pay me anyinfinite amount of money or time
to go into this world right now.
As a teenager, like I felt likeI was overstimulated as a
teenager and my daughter is evensuch.
She's like I just want to goback to like the way you grew up
.

(33:07):
You guys had the best generation.
Like it was chill.
You still had a cell phone, youcould call or text, but you
hung out with your friends.
I think she's like no one couldtrack you down.

Speaker 2 (33:18):
She doesn't say that, but we could get away with so
much away but it wasn't theconstant over stimulation.

Speaker 1 (33:24):
We actually just had this conversation the other day.
It's now they can have theirphones in high school and I'm
glad I couldn't, because I meaneven just I have to put mine
away when I do things and I haveto like really discipline
myself.
Yeah, so not only are theysitting, and trying to reach me.

Speaker 2 (33:42):
I was like my phone's on do not disturb when I'm at
the gym because otherwise I'mgoing in all yeah and you're not
in the place that you're in.

Speaker 1 (33:50):
So not only are they receiving information from what
they're supposed to be learning,but it's like constant
notifications, and constant likeit's listening to your AirPods
and so and I think a big kind ofepidemic we have right now is
we are just so overstimulatedall the time and doing something
like this, prioritizing yourhealth whether it be with an

(34:12):
accountability coach, anempowerment coach, a health and
wellness program or all of theabove or just turning all your
notifications off on your phone.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
Oh, that's part of my program.
We do social setup.

Speaker 1 (34:24):
Yes, that's perfect.

Speaker 2 (34:25):
All notifications are like, unless you're getting
texts or phone calls or you knowemails.
Even like you know you're notgetting Instagram notifications,
you're not getting Facebooknotifications, you're not
getting someone every timesomeone likes your whatever,
because it's just too much.

Speaker 1 (34:42):
And that's what like.

Speaker 2 (34:49):
I even think you know postpartum, especially when
you're learning so much about.
You know, like I, grew up anonly child, really small family.
Like you know, it was all sonew to me.
And so it was like all soamazing, you know, but it was
very new and so that overwhelmof all the newness and then even
just all the things coming atyou at one time you like I've
recently still to is more justturned to in at the end of June

(35:12):
and it's like this summer Iliterally I just started
listening to a podcast againthis week where I've just been
listening to music and I've justbeen like being a human being
because we have so much comingat us all the time.
We're like we have gotten sofar away of like being a human

(35:33):
and being grounded and rooted inour bodies, where we're not
meant to handle this.

Speaker 1 (35:38):
Right, we're not made for this.

Speaker 2 (35:39):
We're really not and like I feel so bad for these
kids, especially because I'msitting here at 32 years old and
I feel like overwhelmed with,even if it's the good stuff
right.
Like it's like I call itpositive overwhelm, where it's
just so much.
And then I'm like, oh my God, Ihave to literally text like
four people back and I have todo this and I have to do that,
and it's not.
It just is so much at one timesometimes.

(36:02):
And I read I saw this thingtoday on Instagram where it was
like we are the last generationthat knows what life was like
without social media, right.
And like I wouldn't change itfor the world, no me either, and
that's what I feel like I don'tknow.

Speaker 1 (36:15):
I feel like something will come along, though I feel
like things always workthemselves out.
The way they're supposed to, myhusband's convinced.
The power grid is going out, somaybe it's something not quite
as extreme yeah.
But Nothing would surprise me,no, yeah, and surrendering to
the flow, yeah, but alsoprioritizing what works for you.
And, like you said, you justgot back to just listening to

(36:37):
stuff.
I took a six-week break Yep,very intentional time with my
family over the summer, reallydown time for the kids and just
try not to overschedule a lot.
We did take a big trip toEurope and that was like our
first time doing that as afamily and it was really great.
But that also has its ups anddowns and all around and
realizing and that's okay.

Speaker 2 (36:57):
Though, yeah, like, like that's okay, like it's okay
that, like I think too, it'sinteresting being, you know, on
social media, whether it'spersonal or professional, but,
like, not everything has to beInstagram worthy, no.

Speaker 1 (37:13):
Right, not everything has to be put out there.
There's something to have anintimate life, life.

Speaker 2 (37:18):
And I really leaned into that.
I've taken kind of a big littlesocial siesta, as I call it,
where I'm still on, but I'm justnot posting Right Because, like
yes, there's power and like youknow, on days when you want to
take a walk and you want to putyou know, and like I love that.
But we have gotten, I think, tothis place where we're so busy

(37:38):
like looking at other people'slives that we get so confused
about our own.

Speaker 1 (37:42):
Well, in the comparison, it's not healthy and
it forces you into this likeegoic mentality that is so not
authentic.

Speaker 2 (37:50):
Right, it's just not.
It's just not necessary.

Speaker 1 (37:52):
And it's like how?

Speaker 2 (37:53):
of course you're.
Of course you're going to haveups and downs on a trip with
kids and a husband and acrossthe across the world, in a
different time zone, differentlike every like, of course, but
the way that you avoid gettingcaught up in that, for me, was
not setting expectations for it,right, just going and being
like we're going to have slowmornings, yeah, and whoever

(38:15):
wants to get up and go tobreakfast, we'll get up and go
to breakfast.

Speaker 1 (38:18):
I plan a couple of things each day, but just being
realistic with myself and thetime period that we had and
everything that we did, and justand also really trying to honor
where everyone was.
I mean, our kids are 17 to four, so there's a lot of different
aspects going on there and aslong as we balanced it well,

(38:41):
which was good but coming back,I wanted it to just be slow and
intentional.
And even my daughter was likemom, I don't want to do surf
camp because she had this IMGvolleyball camp that she did and
we had Switzerland.
She's like I think I don't wantto do that this year.
I'm like, okay, then don't.
And I was so proud of her forhonoring that I would have never
at her age.
I would have been like about tosay how awesome that she could

(39:02):
say that.

Speaker 2 (39:03):
Yes, like that, just a testament to you.
Well, thank you Seriously,because I think that we are
allowed to change our minds Ahundred percent.
And, like you, doing that forher at her age shows her that,
like, hey, like, maybe I wasinto this idea a few months ago.

Speaker 1 (39:23):
Or did it a couple years in a row and it was fun.
However, this season it'sdifferent.

Speaker 2 (39:28):
It's different and that I think, too like for me
and my journey, it's like it'sbeen hard to allow myself to
evolve because it well, this iswhat worked, or this is what I
am comfortable being, or this iswhat everyone else loved me as
Right is what I am comfortablebeing, or this is what everyone
else loved me as right I andlike it has been like literally

(39:48):
brought me to my knees.
I think the biggest thing thatgot me into therapy last year
was because I was like I'm like,so I'm so me and I'm finally
like I think okay with all theparts of me.
Is every like what's that goingto be like for everyone else?
Right and like you?
Just something so simple aslike surf camp, not doing surf

(40:11):
camp, like that is so awesomefor her, you know, and her
having that and I think itreally comes from her seeing me
being like no, I just I don't.

Speaker 1 (40:20):
I used to be very heavily involved in philanthropy
and I still am, but indifferent capacity.
Like I choose my couple thingsand I do that, like I don't have
to do everything all the timefor everyone.
And when you just and when Iown it and I just say you know
I'm not attending that this year, they're like oh, we'll miss
you, thank you.
No one cares, no one, literallyno one cares.

(40:44):
I told a friend this the otherday because she sent me a text.
She sent it by accident, butshe sent me this long
explanation and I'm like, whatare you talking about?
And I was like we're not goingthis because, blah, blah, blah.
I'm like just cut to the chase.
No one wants to hear the fluffJust say, hey, we can't make it.
And people are like, okay, good.
I was like, especially if it'son a weekend, most people are
happy that you cannot make itbecause they get a free time,

(41:05):
right, right, I don't know aboutyou, but I try.
Like everyone's like, oh, youhave anything fun going on this
weekend.
I was like we have nothing atall, yeah, which I'm so excited
about, because there's so muchthat gets packed into our weeks,
a hundred percent that veg daysare okay.
Because I found myself that,because the weeks are busy, I
have to make sure I keep myselfin check on the weekends and I'm

(41:27):
not creating too much busy,because I know I need those days
of rest.
And I think it goes back to someof the stuff that we were
talking about earlier, likehabitual reactivity is the thing
.
Am I doing something because itfuels myself and my soul, and

(41:47):
is it what I need right now?
Or am I doing something becauseI've always done it, or I
expect that that's what I'msupposed to do, and I think that
, going through my journey, I'vehad to break a lot of habits.
Essentially, I used to get upand go to a HIIT class or a
cycle class at 5.45 in themorning.
Now I'm like I think I'lleither sleep in or maybe I go

(42:08):
for just a nature walk and getoutside.

Speaker 2 (42:11):
Literally same.

Speaker 1 (42:13):
Yeah, and it's like guess what?
My body feels better and looksbetter than it did when I was
doing the crazy HIIT classes.
I'm like you have all day long,why do you have to do it at
five in the morning?
But I was realizing, and justbecause of all of the stuff I've
done with my functionalmedicine doctor, my cortisol was
spiked in the morning.
So I was waking up in survivalmode, feeling like I needed to

(42:34):
run from tigers.
But it was like a false senseof energy for me.
So I've conditioned myself nowto sleep in and I feel better
sleeping and I don't wake up at4.30 and I'm like, okay, I gotta
go do something.
And I'm like, wow, that meansI'm nurturing my adrenals, that
means my body is in balance.
So that's something too, thatjust being aware.

(42:55):
And I always encourage myclients to keep more of like a
how are you feeling?
Journal, like how do you feelwhen you first wake up?
How are you feeling about 10 am?
How are you feeling about noon?
Like kind of keep a mental notefor yourself or text yourself
during the day, like I wake up,I'm up and ready to go, or I'm

(43:16):
really groggy until noon and Ihave to have three cups of
coffee Like that's.
That means that there'ssomething else going on inside.

Speaker 2 (43:22):
And that's exactly like when I'm starting with the
client and we start, you know,our food log is, I literally say
this is like treat it like yourjournal, like how do you feel
when you're waking up?
You know what is what ishappening, because, again,
that's where we're able to seewhat it is that you're reaching
for, or how you know let'sfigure out your wind down
routine the night before andlike really kind of set some

(43:43):
boundaries around there, which Iknow is difficult, right, and
like for years I didn't evensleep with my phone next to me.
Yeah, it was in the bathroom oreven downstairs and I had, you
know, our hatch alarm, but thenwith the baby, you know, and
then the Nana and everything,the monitored seasons change.

Speaker 1 (43:59):
Right.

Speaker 2 (43:59):
But like it's also like I know, when I need to call
myself out for scrolling, youknow late, and then I'm, you
know, it's just, it's the wholething and that's to me, I think,
at the end of the day, to we associety, like we are trying,
we've lost the sense of justvegging out, we've lost the
sense of allowing that to beokay and I mean I'm coming off

(44:22):
of it because I you know I have.
I didn't even see that I wasbeing just so like intense with
myself.
Yeah Right, Because thatintensity is also like I like
the.
I like being scheduled.
I think we, as humans, we dolike knowing what's coming and

(44:44):
we know the things that make usfeel good, and so being able to
pack those in can be reallyhelpful.
But, like we also have to makesure that we're scheduling that
time of downtime, of like, hey,like I am just going to watch
some Netflix or I am going toread a book, Like I'm reading a
book right now that has nothingto do with health and wellness.
That has nothing to do withbettering myself.

(45:04):
That has nothing to do withmotherhood or, you know,
relationships or anything likethat.
It is literally about nothing,Do?

Speaker 1 (45:12):
you know what I mean and I am loving it.
Yes, right, and I actually hada photo shoot.
I think it was Monday orTuesday and the photographer is
63 years old and I'm like youlook fantastic, like you are
just super fit, you seem healthy, you have so much energy,
you're so fun and spunky.
She's like I just play.
She's like I don't scheduleworkouts for myself, I just I

(45:35):
eat balance, as she was saying,like I just I know what my body
needs as far as nourishment goesand I make sure that I am
active and I play daily,literally play, and I love that
because I think we forget andit's like and playing doesn't
mean you have to get down andbuild blocks with your kids.
That's also great and verybeneficial and healthy.
But finding something that youenjoy, reading a book that has

(45:57):
nothing to do because you canoverdo it Like I've been through
this whole healing journey youcan very much overdo it with it
can become an addiction, justlike drugs or alcohol, healing
or health and fit.
I mean I've had an exerciseaddiction for probably 20 years,
if not longer.

Speaker 2 (46:14):
Well, and that's anything too much of a good
thing can become a bad thing.

Speaker 1 (46:17):
Exactly.

Speaker 2 (46:18):
So I think it's like also, like this year, a big
thing that came through for mewas like how many more times do
I have to learn something untilI accept it?

Speaker 1 (46:28):
Right.

Speaker 2 (46:30):
Right and how when?

Speaker 1 (46:31):
am I willing to see it for what it is?

Speaker 2 (46:32):
and not judge it and not judge it.

Speaker 1 (46:34):
Just observe it and not judge myself for it.

Speaker 2 (46:37):
A hundred percent, where, like I will say to my
girls I'm like, stop being judge, judy, with yourself and just
observe what's happening, like Idon't care if you get off this
call and you eat a box ofCheez-Its.
It's like my kryptonite you know, and that's I said, I'm like I
just need you to write it down,like I just need you to write
down what's happening.
But it's like just like, getaway from this Almost.

(47:05):
Like.
It's like I love being astudent, but sometimes a student
being that forever student hasalso perpetuated, just wasted
time in a way, because it's alsolike, hey, what if I just
accept this about myself and Itake that acceptance and I just
try to change the trajectory.
Like you're talking aboutwaking up at 545.
You know I bring some more.
I was bringing some more to thegym, you know, monday through
Friday, monday through Thursday,monday through Friday,

(47:25):
depending on the week.
And she kind of hit this spotwhere she was just like mommy,
no gym.
And I'm like, oh, my God, okay.
Like you know like but you'vegot your friends.
What do you mean?
Like we go through roll callwhere we've got, you know, all
her friends at the gym, cause weall go at the same time.
And so I was like, okay, well,I'll go back old school where
I'll go early morning.
You know, I used to do thatbefore, even all throughout my

(47:47):
pregnancy.
I would go, you know, and thenI'd do my sunrise walks and
whole thing.
And you know I was doing thatand it was tough.
It was really tough to do that,but I did it because I really
prioritized that time for myself.
And my husband was just like,listen, I'm never going to not
tell you to go do that, but he'slike I just can't go back to

(48:08):
bed after, even when you ninjaout of the room.
I've got my clothes laid out andI brush my teeth downstairs and
you know he's like I just can'tgo to back to bed.
And this is back to what wetalked about before we started.
Filming was like now what we'vebeen doing the past few weeks
is I go to the gym when he getshome from work.
And so, you know, depending onthe day, is it's we kind of like

(48:29):
high five out, great, okay,you've got the baby and you know
, and it's just like asking forthat help and just accepting
that like, hey, what once workedfor you maybe just isn't
working anymore, or maybe youjust got to get creative and
maybe you just got to accept theseason that you're in now,
knowing that in a couple monthsfrom now it's probably going to
change again and it's okay, likecozy up to the chaos.

(48:51):
That's one of the coreprinciples, core concepts that I
really talk about in my workwith clients is because it's
like chaos is going to happen,it's just going to happen.
And so who are you going to bein those chaotic times and like,
how are you going to let all ofthese other things happen,

(49:12):
either support you or, you know,break you down, and like you
know it.
It's a, it's a journey.
Each time it becomes different,because you become different,
you know.

Speaker 1 (49:23):
Right and it's really about, for me, surrendering to
the flow of what that new season, that new chapter looks like,
totally Like we could fight it.
But what is that going to do?
It's going to create anxiety.
It's going to create or dosomething that's not honoring
what we need.
And I think, as a parentespecially, you have to learn to

(49:44):
pivot and you have thingsscheduled and your kids sick.
Well, what do we do?
We automatically clear thecalendar and we're just there,
we're present.
Why can't we do that forourselves?
That's the question.
Why can't we do that forourselves?
That's the question.
Why can't we do that forourselves?
Because we start to judgeourselves and we start to feel
like we're missing out onsomething.
But give yourself permission tohonor what you need and if

(50:05):
you're not sure of what you need, get a coach, have an
accountability partner, have atalk therapist, have a friend,
have someone in your network.

Speaker 2 (50:14):
Just get it out of your head.
Get it out of your head.
Talk to someone.
Yeah, talk to someone.

Speaker 1 (50:18):
Write it down Talk to yourself out loud, take a walk,
just something to bring youback.
So, getting to that, what arethe things?
And I've explained this onmillions of podcasts, I feel
like, but what is?
How do you bring yourself backto kind of rooting yourself back
into your body when you are aproduct of that chaos that we

(50:39):
were talking about?

Speaker 2 (50:40):
Yeah, I mean I think a few things and again it's
really dependent on, like, whereit is that I'm at.
But for me I really noticed Iprocess through movement.
That was a really big thing forme.
I grew up an athlete and so forme I almost always shows too,

(51:16):
we activate that parasympatheticnervous system and we show our
bodies that we're not in thatfight or flight mode and that
everything is okay.
But for me, like I really haveto make sure I'm getting that
movement in and I also I reallyrecharge on that alone time.
I'm an only child and so, likefor me sometimes I have to kind

(51:38):
of just take a beat and like geta coffee and like, even if it's
just simple, like I think thatthat really helps me, and then
also to like having that timethough connecting, like it's
connecting to myself and thenreally connecting to others,
where I this was like a newerthing, where part of my social
siesta was, because I finallyhit that point and I did a

(52:00):
little one last year, lastsummer too, and then I feel like
I'm just almost coming out ofit this year but I really hit
that like Zoom fatigue, where Ilike seeing you in person or
like when I see you at the gymor I see, like you know all like

(52:23):
people in real life, that likeI need to see, like the wrinkles
on someone's face and like theway someone smiles and like I'm
such a people person that youknow, when the world shut down,
my business took off, and then Iwas so zoomed back to back to
back to back to back to back,like most people.
And then I got pregnant and thenI was in baby world.
And then I was so zoom back toback to back to back to back to
back like most people, and thenI got pregnant and then I was in
baby world and then it's likeokay, cool, I'm coming out of
that postpartum like awesome,I'm craving connections.

(52:45):
So that is where, like, I willliterally look at my husband.
I'm like, can we go on a datenight?
and like just go, you know, gosee live music, go get a drink,
drink, go eat a meal and likechat and like really
prioritizing my friend time likeI have not.

(53:06):
Like this past year has beensuch a transformative year for
me, but like my girlfriends arelegitimately everything to me
and so we're scattered all over,but like really doing my due
diligence to like voice textlike a like seven minute long
thing If I can't get with themor do girls and either grab
coffee or you know really makingsure that I am prioritizing
that time and like through thosethings of like a walk and you

(53:28):
know I do have a workout, youknow having some me time and
then having that connection,whether it's with my husband,
whether it's my mom or mygirlfriends, like that all in
all will somehow piece me backtogether.
But it's when I do too much ofsomething where I end up
isolating and then I end upgetting in my own head and then

(53:49):
we're like the world feels likeit's crumbling down.
And so I think it's again reallylearning that about yourself,
though, too, where it'scrumbling down.
And so I think it's againreally learning that about
yourself, though, too, whereit's like too much of anything
is not good anymore, you know,and really accepting that and
and asking for help, like I mean, like I said, like it was no
big deal for me to just, youknow, be like, hey, what do you

(54:10):
think about this?
If, if we like high five andyou take the baby and I just go
to the gym and then come back dodinner, whatever it is, you
know, it was no big deal for mymom to help me with certain
things.
It was not like people in yourlife want to help you, but it's
you that's actually getting inthe way yeah, we have to get out
of our own way.
Yeah, a lot yeah, and I thinkthe last thing is Netflix.

(54:30):
Like I love me some Netflix.
Like when suits Suits ended.
Like when I finished Suits, Iwas like questioning my identity
.

Speaker 1 (54:38):
I'm like what am I?

Speaker 2 (54:39):
going to do with myself, you know.
So like I'll get really into ashow, but those things and I
think that that's it right, likewe're multifaceted, we're not
just this one.
Like our identity has manydifferent parts, you know 100%.
And I think, figuring out thosethings and that's you know, I
have all my girls do that samething.

(54:59):
Like what makes you feel good.
Start a running list of likewhen you feel your best, what's
happening?
What are you listening to?
Like I've always got John MayerDave Matthews band in the
background, or when I'm cooking,it's Frank Sinatra like
elevating, romanticizing yourown life and like being being
mindful of, like, what makes mefeel good, right, and and just

(55:22):
doing those simple things youdon't need to, and like I think
it's funny too, like Instagramis a funny place.
It's not that I don't love thered light masks and the sauna
blanket Like I recommend thesauna blankets and the this and
that, like all those things.
But I we see these nightlyroutines and these daily, these
morning routines and the thisand the that, and then you kind
of question yourself like, okay,well, what happens?

(55:43):
When the baby woke up early, Imissed my workout, I didn't get
to the grocery store and allthose things.
Like, who are you without allthose things?
Right?

Speaker 1 (55:53):
Or who are you when your routine, like you said day
is broken?
Right, what do you do?
Right, how do you handle that?
Yes, and going back to the,observe it like OK, this is my
day, just from a very factualpoint, this is the time that I
have, but not judging yourselfbecause you haven't done all
those other things 100 percent,and just being like, ok, well, I
have time to take a bath bymyself, and that's okay.

(56:15):
Yes, like I got to the pointwhere Brody was first born when
he was little, no TV at all,just because, like he's not one
to watch it.
But now that he's four I'm likeit's not going to kill him to
watch a half hour show so I cando something, or have it like a
few minutes to journal and sitout on the porch, or have like a
few minutes to journal and sitout on the porch or have that

(56:36):
time.
And again, because why was Iresisting in the first place?
Because I was judging myself,thinking like okay, 30 minutes,
like he's the most active kid,like he is all over the place
all the time, it's not going tohurt him, and like where was
that coming?
I was judging myself.

Speaker 2 (56:53):
But, and that's where we can go, though, right, yeah,
and that's.
I found that same exact thingwhere I'm just like, hey, 30
minutes of you know, miss Rachel, is okay, because it is just
it's okay, and like reallyallowing yourself to not be this
like perfect, ideal version ofyou, 24, 7.

(57:14):
That doesn't exist.
Right, perfect, ideal version ofyou 24, seven.
That doesn't exist, right?
Or if it maybe does, you'regonna run like I was running
myself into a wall trying tochase the like one perfect day
where every single thinghappened and then feeling bad
about it.
It's like for what I like?
My mom, literally, she saidthat.
She said that this was like itliterally changed everything for

(57:35):
me.
I was having just like a reallyhard time and she said you know
, when I was younger her name isJill, my mom's name is Jill and
she said, when I was youngerand I was, you know, you're
trying to do everything like youshe was like I had a friend and
she said to me where did myfriend Jill go Right, jill, go

(58:01):
Right.

Speaker 1 (58:01):
And that hit me like a ton of bricks because we I, I
stopped having fun along the wayand I didn't even realize it.
So did I for a while.

Speaker 2 (58:04):
Because I just and that's like your, you know
photographer, 63 years old,she's playing.
She's so busy playing, as Isaid to my therapist.
I said I'm at my best when I'mhaving fun If you know me in
real life, like I got in troublefor school because I was
laughing when I wasn't supposedto and I was too loud and I was
this and I was that Like, if youknow me, like you know that
that's how I've always been, andlike somewhere along the way,

(58:28):
society or the becoming an adult, or the pressures or the this
or the trying or the hustleculture, whatever it is I
stopped having fun.
And then that can also come intomotherhood where it's like, no,
I'm never going to be the momthat's going to just plop her
kid and watch TV all day.
You're never going to be thatmom either.
We just stop who we are, right,right, but like it's OK.

(58:49):
Like it was actually the mostmagical moment when it was like
a thunderstorm basicallycategory her one hurricane last
week, randomly and, yes, me,lucas and zamora watched coco
and we were just like this isthe best ever.
I was like I forgot that I hadthis dream of like watching a
disney movie with my baby andlike, like we have to stop

(59:13):
letting this subconsciousthought, I think of perfect,
drive us into this directionthat you're never going to find
it, ever, ever, and so thatexternal.

Speaker 1 (59:24):
It's like seeking that external validation because
inside you're lacking somethingTotally and so really taking a
step back and going inward andbeing like what is it that I
need?
Is it the fun?
Is it the play?
Is it the nutrients that?
Is it the fun?
Is it the play?
Is it the nutrients that I needin my body?

Speaker 2 (59:38):
Is it more water?

Speaker 1 (59:39):
Is it like I go back to like when I talk to Brody do
you need a hug, do you need asnack or do you need a nap?
I have to ask myself do I needa hug?

Speaker 2 (59:48):
Do I need a?

Speaker 1 (59:49):
snack, or do I need a nap and it's that's okay, and
sometimes it's all of the above.

Speaker 2 (59:59):
Yes, we complicate it .
Yes, we complicate it so much,all of it you know, yes, 100.

Speaker 1 (01:00:03):
So back to the macros , to the food stuff.
Yeah, so I get asked very oftenand actually my husband is now
a vegetarian, okay, and I'vegone through my bouts when I was
regulating hormones and stufflike that and the time period we
were talking about prior to thepodcast, I lost so much weight
because, for the first time inmy life, I wasn't eating high
protein.
So I just felt very weak, Ifelt very vulnerable.

(01:00:23):
It was not for me.

Speaker 2 (01:00:24):
Yeah, you can check that off the list.
Like I tried, I tried it wasreally great.

Speaker 1 (01:00:29):
but my body does thrive and I do generally like
protein.
I'm kind of funky where I getit from, just because of our
food sources are scary, they'rescary A whole different podcast.
What would you recommend forour plant-based listeners, as
far as their protein goes, forgetting the adequate amount with

(01:00:50):
balancing those type of macros?
Obviously it's very individualfor each person, but just a
general.

Speaker 2 (01:00:56):
Yeah, I definitely.
I've had a few vegetarianclients and you know it's really
again looking at what thoseprotein options are.
Fish is phenomenal.
You know I really am a big fanof fish.
So, whether you know, pick yourfancy in that and, like really
try to make sure that you'reprioritizing wild caught if

(01:01:17):
possible.
Um, you know the sustainablechoices for you know, definitely
, like a dinner option, I feellike dinner can sometimes be
tricky, but especially whenwe're thinking about your day as
a whole, like really getting aquality protein powder that
isn't going to be, you know,grass-fed beef like the one that
I use.
So you know.

Speaker 1 (01:01:36):
We have a couple of good plant-based ones Epic
Protein that we get at CropJuice.
That's a really good one.
You can also get it on Amazon.
Truvia is pretty clean.

Speaker 2 (01:01:44):
The Truvani, or Truvani, yeah, truvani.

Speaker 1 (01:01:47):
Yeah, pretty clean.
There's also Koya shakes thatare pretty good macro.
They're not perfect as far asbeing super clean, but I think
that's something too, that justcheck the ingredients, like if
you've started something new inyour plan or you've been having
something and you find that youget a little bit more anxious or
your energy shifts when you'reeating certain foods, just check

(01:02:09):
the ingredients.
There might be something inthere.
Like I realized last year, I'mallergic to eggs.

Speaker 2 (01:02:14):
It's devastating.

Speaker 1 (01:02:15):
But I was getting so bloated.
I'm like, why am I getting sobloated all the time?
Do you get?

Speaker 2 (01:02:19):
a food test done, or do you do a elimination diet?

Speaker 1 (01:02:21):
Yeah, so through my functional medicine doctor I got
this whole.
Dr Stephanie McKay oh, I don'tknow her.
She's great, she actuallyspecializes in hormonal health
too.

Speaker 2 (01:02:31):
Okay, cool.

Speaker 1 (01:02:32):
So I started seeing her, I think like two and a half
years ago, three years ago,when I was in the thyroid after
pregnancy balancing the thyroid,which again is so common for
any mamas.
Postpartum thyroid issues arevery common.

Speaker 2 (01:02:45):
Oh, a hundred percent , I didn't know that.
Well, and just thyroid issuesin general are common because of
all the environmental stuff wehave in our body Again a whole
other thing.

Speaker 1 (01:02:54):
But I did a blood test, A blood test.

Speaker 2 (01:02:56):
Okay, cool.

Speaker 1 (01:02:56):
So I did a blood test and I'm allergic to nothing
other than eggs and egg whitesand I'm like, are you kidding?
And I was eating them everymeal.
I love eggs, so do I, and Imiss them.
But she had a good point.
So I've essentially eliminatedthem for the most part, because
I am like an omelet.
I mean I could like eat anomelet every meal of the day,

(01:03:23):
like every meal of the day.
I miss them, I love them andthe substitutes I just try not
to do substituting stuff becauseit's just never the same and I
feel like it's filled withingredients.
Yeah, but that, likeunderstanding what your body
tolerates I never knew that,yeah.
But she also made a good pointis it could be the way that eggs
are processed.
Believe it or not, eggs areprocessed.
So I started getting them froma local farm and every now and

(01:03:44):
then I'll eat it and I'm okay.
But it's not like I'm going toStarbucks and getting egg bites,
which would wreck my stomach,but there's other stuff in there
.
So that's one thing I reallywant to stress to people too is
just just pay attention to theingredients.

Speaker 2 (01:04:01):
That's like the, that's like we do pantry purge,
we do closet cleanse.
I mean we do the whole cat, youknow, clean out of your, your
cabinet, feel good fridge, feelgood pantry, like I mean freezer
, all of it.
Because if you I have it verysimple If you cannot pronounce
it, your body will have no ideawhat to do with it.

(01:04:21):
Well, and that's the thing.

Speaker 1 (01:04:22):
People don't realize.
Or like the sugar freeze or thelow this it's like you're
better off having whatever thenatural ingredient is Whole food
, real food, whole real food.
Maple syrup is not going tokill you.
The sugar-free, the light stuff, aspartame all the things your
body just doesn't know how toprocess it.
Have you heard of the book GoodEnergy?

Speaker 2 (01:04:41):
Yes, I'm Dr Casey Means, so she co-founded Levels,
which is a continuous glucosemonitor that I would wear and I
have my clients wear to learnabout food, and so the fact I've
been following her for years,um, and the fact that she's
blowing up right now literallymakes me so happy.

(01:05:04):
She is incredible and just forour readers, like our readers,
our listeners, she was a doctorand basically you know left
because she was like I am nothelping people get better.

Speaker 1 (01:05:18):
She wanted to get the root, to the root of the
inflammation and, as our Westernmedicine, they're trained to
just focus on certain areas, butour body is a whole, like it's.
It's.

Speaker 2 (01:05:30):
I've literally worked with doctors before as clients,
pediatricians as clients,because they like she's like.
I took this for 12 hours.
I was taught 12 hours ofnutrition and I'm overweight.
I feel like crap.
I need help as a client youknow, and it's like it is that

(01:05:51):
that's their job is to treatsick people their job isn't to
make this, you know, get down tothat underlying root of the
issue.

Speaker 1 (01:06:00):
Which was the root, I think, of them wanting to be a
doctor is to truly help theall-encompassing human body.

Speaker 2 (01:06:07):
Yeah, so Dr Casey Means, she's amazing.
The Continuous Glucose MonitorLevels is, you know, a tech
company that it really kind ofshows you.
It allows people to learn howfoods affect you.
So when we talked about bloodsugar earlier on in the podcast.
When you eat carbohydrates,those carbohydrates get broken
down into glucose.
We all have a different type ofcarb ceiling, as I like to call

(01:06:30):
it, where we're able.
A different amount of carbs canbe tolerated for different
amount of people, depending onare you strength training?
Are you just working out?
How much muscle mass do youhave on your body?
How much are you movingthroughout the day?
All these types of things wherea continuous glucose monitor,
like levels, you put it on yourarm and it literally shows you
in real time how your foodimpacts you, how, when you were

(01:06:53):
waking up, we naturally havethat cortisol that's called the
dawn effect that wakes us up,and so, by you naturally waking
up around that time and then youalso going to super hardcore
HIIT classes, it's not thatHIIT's bad, but we only need it
sprinkled in we don't want thatto be the foundation of our
training and because it's justtoo much.
It's just too much, and soyou're really able to see,

(01:07:16):
through your blood, how thesechoices are affecting you, what
it's like for you even if youeat a late meal at night, what
it's like for you how your sleepgets affected and then what you
crave the next day.
And so she's incredible and I,like I said, I'm just so happy
her work has been blowing up foryears, because even my husband,
like you know he she was juston the Tucker Carlson podcast

(01:07:41):
and, um, that blew up and is oneof those things where he's like
you've been talking about herfor a long time.

Speaker 1 (01:07:47):
You know I was like, yeah, I figure you had, because
it really coincides withessentially like the
fundamentals of your approach,yeah, and so that's a really
good resource out there If youguys want to understand a little
bit more the good energy,amazing book.

Speaker 2 (01:08:02):
Yes, it'll change your like whole perspective.

Speaker 1 (01:08:06):
It really did and like what underlying causes
could be, like whether it'sblood coast, whether it's
autoimmune, and there's just somany different factors that go
into that.
I feel like at some point weshould gather and do like a
retreat on all this.
I think it would be amazing.

Speaker 2 (01:08:21):
A 1000% because it all just goes hand in hand and
like even like you know,vegetarian.
Just to finish that up too, ifit's like you know, no matter
where you're at, you have to eat.
So let's figure out how can wereally fill your plate with what
it is that we need, and we mayhave to get a little bit more
creative, you know.
And so, yes, clean proteinpowder, you know, can you do

(01:08:42):
cottage cheese, dairy to reallysupplement that out?
Even, you know, we do know thatplant-based sources like
lentils, black beans, quinoa, um, you know, legumes, those those
types of things do have proteinin them, even though they're
more carbohydrate heavy.
And so that's where, too, it'slike some of the training maybe
needed to be tweaked a littlebit more, where that person, you

(01:09:02):
know they totally should beworking out a little bit harder.
You know, like you definitelyhave, matt, be like babe, up
those weights a little bit, youknow, because you can handle it
when you are, because you have,the more carbohydrates in your
body.

Speaker 1 (01:09:14):
Totally.

Speaker 2 (01:09:15):
And your totally needs to use them.

Speaker 1 (01:09:16):
To use them, you don't overfill your car with gas
right right to drive it.
Yeah, because if you do, evenif it's clean like it's still a
surplus yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:09:26):
And so I think, too, it's just about really getting
clear about hey, where can I getthat protein from?
And also, you know, I do againfeel like all I tell my clients
is like I just need you to dothis one time, because if I can
have someone do it one time,they are able to reap the
benefits of what it feels like,and then that's how we create
the momentum of them reallybeing able to be like oh my God,
that felt good and it wasn't sohard, right.

(01:09:50):
And then that's where it's likeokay, cool, like.
Eventually we kind of there'sso many sessions that go on
where it's like oh, yeah, andthe food, food's great.
This week I had, you know onething you know, at my mom's
house, but you know it was fine,and then I just moved on.
I started the next day and it'slike we're talking about the
life stuff.
We're talking about great, likehow can we make you know like,

(01:10:12):
have that hard conversation withyour boss to bring in that
work-life balance more?
Or like, great, let's get you awalking pad so that you can get
your steps in, and then, allyou know, your boss can be like
oh my god, which one are yougoing to order because I want
that too.
Right, like, and that's areally kind of getting
comfortable with theseconversations, because people

(01:10:32):
are.
This is a very real problem andjust because people aren't
talking about it doesn't meanthey're not facing it Exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:10:41):
And that, like you said, it opens the opportunity
for other people to prioritizetheir own health as well.
So don't be scared to say youneed help or that you are
prioritizing your piece, or youare going to take an extra day
off, because it might inspirethat next person to be like, wow
, I should probably do that too,yeah, or cancel that meeting if
it doesn't serve you or thatevent if it doesn't serve you,

(01:11:01):
because those people might beinspired by that.

Speaker 2 (01:11:05):
Well, and that's like you know, even you with Tatum
of, just you know, being likeI'm going to lounge out, like
you're showing her lounging out,it's okay.

Speaker 1 (01:11:12):
Yeah, and it's important and it's okay to give
your brain rest.
We're not robots, right?

Speaker 2 (01:11:16):
That's why it's you know, even the babies that you
know.
I was just on the phone with mybest friend this morning.
She has a four month old.
She's like you know.
She didn't sleep last night.
She woke up at three 30 to eat,but I knew that she was hungry.
I was like we have to remindourselves of that, you know, and
it's like no matter what seasonyou're in, it's yes, we have

(01:11:40):
got all of these resources, wehave all of these people who
mean you know well, but there issuch thing as information
overload.
And there is such thing as likestriving for perfection when it
just doesn't exist, and have theautonomy to be like okay, is
this, does this make me feelgood, or does this just make me?

Speaker 1 (01:12:00):
feel worse.
So if our listeners and guestswant to find you, I will put the
link in.
But tell them, tell them alittle bit about, like your
overview of feelgoodwithericacom.

Speaker 2 (01:12:12):
Yes, feelgoodwithericacom.
And you can shoot me an email,hey E at feelgoodwithericacom
yes, feelgoodwithericacom.
And you can shoot me an email,hey e at feelgoodwithericacom If
you want to learn more.
I work primarily withone-on-one clients, and so that
was really how I started mybusiness and the work that I
really love to do again withthat connection.
And then last year I started mygroup coaching program, which

(01:12:33):
has been so, so, so fun, and Ihosted four rounds last year and
then I think I'm just going to,you know, I'm going to see
where this year takes us.
I can't believe it's been.
It's already, you know,september when we're filming
this.
I'm like, how did that happen?
And so I definitely would love,you know, if you are interested
in a group course, definitelyreach out.

(01:12:59):
The Feel Good Foundation isreally what the framework is
that I do with my one-on-oneclients, but it is in a group
coaching format where, when I'mworking with a one-on-one client
, I say, listen, I love, I know,if you can commit eight
sessions, I can teach youeverything that you need to know
and learn ideally.
And I've been able to condensethat into the six sessions, just
without it being sopersonalized, and so it's a six

(01:13:20):
week program and you know Iteetered on.
Okay, am I going to do it, youknow, live, am I going to do it
recorded?
And I have it all recorded.
But I will say there's nothinglike that live in person or in
Zoom even Do you know what Imean when you kind of feel like
you're together, where you'reable to ask questions and

(01:13:40):
connect and, you know, reallyjust get the help that you need,
have someone who knows what itis that you're up against, teach
you the things that you justdon't have time in your busy
life to go do all this research,you know.
And so, yeah, whether it's onelife to go do all this research,
you know, and so, yeah, whetherit's one-on-one work or group

(01:14:01):
coaching, you can reach out andfind me at feelgoodwithericacom
and I would just love to connect.

Speaker 1 (01:14:05):
So, thank you and I and tailing tagging onto that,
and it builds that sense ofcommunity and accountability
which is what we all need andall appreciate.
So thank you so much forjoining me today.

Speaker 2 (01:14:16):
I feel like we could do like three more hours but
we'll save it for a couple morepodcasts.
So thanks so much, thank you.

Speaker 1 (01:14:23):
Have a great day, guys.