May 21, 2019 • 21 mins
This is Amy’s ‘5th Thing’ (a bonus episode) where she answers your questions every Tuesday! ‘4 Things With Amy Brown’ comes out every Thursday, but on Tuesdays Amy answers questions you’ve emailed in.On today's episode Amy will address questions about: her non-negotiables when starting on your health journey, tip for cleaning out your closet, what Amy cooks to please picky kids while still focusing on nutrition, and the difference between The Shop Forward and Espwa. You can send in questions directly to Amy here: 4thingswithAmybrown@gmail.com...maybe one week your question will be shared!!
(Episode 39)
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Q and a episode for the Four
Things podcast. I am Amy Brown, and we call this
the Fifth Thing because well it happens after each Four
Things episode. So every Thursday of four Things episode goes up,
and then every Tuesday I come on here and answer
questions that all submitted to four Things with Amy Brown
and gmail dot com. So big thank you to everyone
(00:22):
that submitted questions. Full disclosure right now, if you hear
a lot of banging or chainsaws, well maybe not chainsaws,
but like drills and sawing and stuff, um uh, it's
the construction zone here at the radio station the Bobby
Bones Shows getting a brand new studio, So construction is
going down until about like July or so, and it's
(00:44):
just a little crazy up in here. So you may
hear some noises. Um maybe it feels louder to me
because I'm right next to it. It may not be
coming through the microphone, but I just wanted to give
you all the heads up that that's what that might
be if you hear it. The first question is from Melanie. Hey, Amy,
I love all your tips and tricks. I'm currently finding
(01:05):
the amount of information regarding healthy living everywhere A little
overwhelming though, So I was wondering, if you were just
starting out on your healthy journey, what would you consider
non negotiable ingredients to incorporate into your diet and recipes.
Same with exercise. So yeah, Melanie, I definitely have non negotiables.
(01:26):
And the first one movie dark leafy greens, Like I
have vegetables every day. If I don't or i'm traveling,
I travel with these little packets called green Vibrants and
I have them love on my Amazon page and go
to radio amy dot com to access those. But I
dumped that in about eight ounces of water. Shake it up.
It doesn't taste the best. I don't care. But I
chuged that bad boy down and I know I'm getting
(01:48):
some sort of greens. Or if i'm if I'm by
a juice shop or something, I'll pop in and be like,
GI have a wheat grass shot, or I'll drink a
straight green juice. Just some way to find greens. Now,
I like to actually eat and like eat greens, like
in a smoothie form or an actual salad. So that
way I'm getting the fiber because it's another thing I
(02:08):
try to have every day, is some sort of fiber uh,
which you can get with dark leafy greens, or even avocado,
which is another great fat, but it's also a fiber.
Or I sprinkle some ground up flax on my salad
or something. So I would say there's two non negotiables
for you, greens fiber. Also, I eat a lot more
(02:29):
protein than I used to because I'm getting older, but
I'm also working out and I know that my body
needs it, but I don't always get it in animal form. Uh.
You know, there's plenty of days where I go by
where I don't eat anything animal form, although I do
have vital proteins, which is collagen peptides that comes from
a cow. So I mean I am consuming that bit's
(02:50):
a powder form. I'm just saying I'm not sitting down
eating like a big oldhunka chicken or hunk of meat
or something. But vital proteins is another thing I have
every day that's also on my Amazon page. Um, I
have my green tea or my machetti for caffeine. I
drink tons of water. That's a non negotiable. I try
to get a hundred ounces a day, but that's also
(03:11):
because I work out, and you know, when it comes Oh,
another thing that I was going to talk to you
about protein, which maybe I need to make this more
of a thing. But there's like a lot of plants
have some quality protein in there for you. So don't
think just because you know you're trying to increase protein
that that means it has to come from an animal,
because it doesn't. There's a lot of protein and nutrients
(03:33):
um or things that you can add to smoothies like
spiarlina or I put that even in my oatmeal. That
adds you know, a different kind of protein for your body,
and it's good to switch it up variety. So when
I say dark leafy greens, I don't try to eat
like the same type of lettuce all the time. I
really try to switch it up. Like if if I
(03:53):
go to the store one day, I'll buy a box
of like spring mix or something, and the next day,
or not the next day, the next few days, if
I go back to the store for more, I'll get
some arugula with spinach, and the next time I'll get
some dinosaur kale. Which I know what it's like to
be overwhelmed, because I didn't start getting this way until
about two thousand and eleven. And my poor husband. We've
been married like five years at that point, and I
(04:17):
did a one E D on my eating and he
would like come home from working all day at the
Air Force base and he'd be like, uh, what is
for dinner? And I'd be like this and he'd be
like this is kale and sweet potatoes and I'd be like, yep,
eat up. But you know, I'm not as drastic as
I was back then, but I was making a big shift.
Like I cut out all dairy, I cut out all meat,
(04:37):
I cut out all gluten. Um, I was trying to
get pregnant, so I had a reason for my madness.
But um, I felt so much better. And now I'm
still not as I'm not as strict as I used
to be, but I'm still health conscious and very healthy.
I've just sort of do more information than just that plan,
or I've taken in more information than just that vegan
(04:58):
lifestyle I was living and now and corporate a variety
of things, and that's that's what works best for me.
So that's what I encourage for y'all. Um. Some other
non negotiables for me health wise would be sleep. Like
I definitely try to put an emphasis on sleep like
seven to eight hours if I can go back to food.
I didn't mention dark chocolate. I probably have dark chocolate
(05:20):
every day. Um. I love Tazza. It's a brand t
a z a dark chocolate. They have a wicked dark
one that's nine percent dark chocolate. It's intense. Like if
you don't like dark chocolate, you probably won't like it.
But if you do, I say, go for it, and
you know, a few little squares and you're good to go.
And there's like barely any sugar in it at all
whatsoever because it's so dark. But a tip for dark
(05:42):
chocolate is I would say if you could at least
make sure that it's seventy two or higher, then you're
gonna avoid, you know, having dairy in there or being
too sugar filled or something like that. So make sure
you find um dark chocolate that's seventy or higher. And
I keep it in the freezer and I nibble on
it every day. I travel with it. I always have
(06:03):
a barbed dark chocolate in my four things to or
like if I'm at the airport. One thing you can
always find with me and my tote when I'm traveling,
as lemons a little packets of vital proteins and dark chocolate.
That's the green vibrants things. I always have a little
baggy full of that inside my tote. Um. Another quick, uh,
(06:24):
non negotiable for me is I do take a probiotic
every day. I do the hot lemon water in the
morning and then I also take a good probiotic, so
hopefully that that helps exercise wise. Um, you know, I
think you just got to figure out what's best for you.
There are so many different things out there. Yeah, Like
there's running, there's yoga, there's weights, there's tobota, there's bar
(06:46):
there's cardio, there's all the things. But squeezing what you can.
Just make sure you're getting your heart rate up, you
know that you're challenging yourself and you feel good about it.
And also give your body recovery days. Make sure that
you're resting as well. Um, but yeah, I wouldn't don't
really focus on oh how many calories did I eat today,
how many calories did I burn today. I try to
feel my body properly, not skip any meals um if
(07:08):
I can help it, and make sure I'm getting enough,
and then also just making sure I'm having like some
good workouts like weight train three days a week, getting
in some cardio. I've recently started running, which is crazy.
I haven't been a runner in years, but the last
two weeks, y'all, I have started running, and I gotta
admit I kind of like it. I thought I was
gonna hate it. I thought I was going to literally
(07:30):
hate it, but I knew I needed to be I
just it was. It was me listening to my body
and Aaron Opria, she's my trainer, she actually was encouraging me.
She's like, I think you need to up your cardio.
I think we're kind of seeing some things happen with
your body. Let's let's see if the cardio will help it.
And it has. I feel so much better. And I
was just kind of holding on to some weight for
some reason. And I don't know how much because I
(07:52):
don't weigh myself, but I just felt my clothes fitting differently.
And ever since I've started running, my clothes are fitting better.
So I guess that was a solution. My body just
needed like some running to help shake off some stuff
it was holding onto. So I just listen to my body.
I definitely incorporate yoga walking with girlfriends. You know, dancing
(08:12):
in the kitchen with my kids. I count that as exercise,
Like we'll turn on music and we just dance around
and sometimes for like ten minutes and I'm like, boom,
I just got ten minutes of cardio in next question
is from Alison. Hey, Amy, I know you've talked on
your podcast about specific clothing items or styles, and you've
mentioned having help from Kelly with Velvet's Edge. Myself, being
(08:32):
active duty military and being a mother, I have some
serious wardrobe struggles since I'm mostly in uniform and I'm
still trying to find my new mom style. I also
need to clear some space in my closet, like big time.
But I don't know how to decide whether or not
I should hold onto something, So Alison, I get it. Yeah,
it's hard to find yourself, especially. I mean I kind
(08:54):
of like, oh, lucky you you're in the military. You
have a uniform to where to work every day. I
kind of wish the Bobby Bone Joe how to uniform
to wear to work every day, Like getting dressed would
be so much easier. But also it's probably fun to
be able. You probably grass is greener where you're like, oh,
I wish I got to wear whatever I want to
to work every day. So I know it's hard to
find your style. But um, Kelly from Velvet's Edge, she's
(09:17):
amazing and she does do my styling um and for events,
which is great. I don't always have an event, but
I do feel super awesome whenever she dresses me, because, um,
I know I would never pick some of that stuff
out on my own, and but I never thought i'd
be someone that has a stylist and I get it,
like that just seems so weird to me to even
(09:38):
say that. So not everybody can have that. But she
does have Velvet's Edge dot com where there's tips up there,
and she has an episode on her podcast. It's actually
episode two called Bringing Sexy Back with Annie Saltires and
she's justin Timberlake stylist and Dirk Smiley's and she talks
about how just having like a great pair of jeans
and some awesome T shirts and boom, that's your wardrobe.
(10:00):
Like that could be your that could be that could
be your mom style. I mean, I love that I
found some good jeans that I love, which I've done
a whole you know episode before and a four Things
podcast about my favorite jeans, and you know, a good
vintage T shirt or maybe like just a plain white
T shirt or something cute and comfy, or maybe like
a cute little Espoire Pimp and Joy T shirt or
(10:21):
something that you know, we try to make those that
stuff cute for you guys. But um, you know, throw
that on with some broken stocks or some sneakers and boom,
you're good to go. And as for clearing out your closet,
that is so hard. I know it's hard to let
go of stuff. But you know there's that Netflix show,
The Marine Condo Show, which I watched a few of
those episodes, and what she does with her clients is
(10:42):
when they're cleaning out their closet, you know, she has
them go item by item and hold each thing up
and be like does this piece of clothing spark joy?
And if it doesn't, then they donate it, and if
it does, then they keep it. So oh, also quickly
before you donate it, you think that i'd of clothing
for its time with you and that it no longer
(11:03):
serves you, and then you donate it. So maybe that
will help you get rid of stuff like why am
I holding onto this is this bringing me any joy?
When is the last time I honestly wore it? And
then make a decision based on that. That way, you
can have like a clear inventory of what you have
once you clear out your closet, and maybe some key
items that you need to buy. One of my friends,
(11:24):
Madison Nelson, has some of the cutest clothing style tips
and like a really like affordable price point. Um. She
shares a lot of stuff on her Instagram and it
is at Hey Maddie Nelson so h E y M
A D I in E L S O in So
that's her Instagram. I highly recommend you'll check her out.
(11:45):
She's just the cutest and she's a mom. She's got
a baby, she's got one on the way, so she's
pregnant right now. But I love her style and also
to like the price point of it as well. So
(12:06):
next question is from Laura Lee. I'm the mom of
a three and a half year old and an eight
month old, and now that the baby is eating, I'm
trying to be more mindful about what we're all eating.
I want to make being healthy and feeling good a priority,
but it is difficult to please everyone, which leads me
to my next question of what you do with your children.
I'm sure that they had different tastes being raised an
(12:26):
orphanage in Haiti. So do you all eat the same
thing or do you make separate meals? And do you
have any go to dinners? Quickly, I'll say the go
to dinner for me and my husband is I always
have a baked spaghetti squash in the fridge, like ready
to go, because I feel like that goes with so
much or cauliflower rice, so that's like a veggie that
I know that I can whip up with any sort
of meat for my husband or fish that will taste good.
(12:48):
And you can also change like the sauce or the
toppings or whatever you put on it to like mix
the meal up. So that is a big go to
dinner for us. But my kids they love them some
rice and beans, like stra it up. We have more
rice and beans than probably anybody, but again that's because
that's what they had at the orphanage and that's what
they love. They also love like a crop pot chicken
(13:08):
noodle soup that's so easy, hamburger patties with sweet potatoes,
and um like roasted sweet potatoes. They love that. They
love just eating an avocado. I cut it in half
and they share it, and that's sort of something I
have to encourage them to eat. But once they do
eat it, they're like, oh, that was actually good. Mom.
We do a lot of eggs for breakfast because I
(13:28):
talked to them about how it helps their brain be smart.
I try to avoid being like, here, eat this because
it's healthy. I try to explain what it's doing to
their body and why it's good. Like my son is
obsessed with growing taller and getting muscles, and my daughter
too wants to like feel good. So I explained to her, well,
if you want to eat all the junks that you
(13:49):
like to eat like you're that's ultimately not going to
make you feel as good. Like this is why Mom
eats this way because I just feel better and I
function better and I'm in a better mood, and you know,
I'll grow healthy muscles. Maybe I say healthy muscles, I
just don't. I don't put the food is like, oh,
this is healthy, eat your vegetables. So my son is like, oh, yeah,
(14:12):
I want to grow tall and I want to have muscles.
So he likes straight up eats salad all the time.
And then my daughter is obsessed with making these smoothies
and she now adds spinach to the smoothies. And if
y'all know my daughter this, that's huge, Like it's a big,
big deal now like she it's I'm so proud of her.
And that's a decision that I nudged her to make,
but I wasn't forceful with it. But I do feel
(14:34):
like as parents, we have a responsibility to make sure
that our kids are getting nutritious foods. And then I
went to, um, oh, another tip to that I do
when you know, I was saying, like I eliminate. I
don't try to say this is healthy. I try to
say why it's good for you? Um, but I also
say this is yummy, Like I'll just be like, oh no,
eat this, it's yummy like instead of being like, hmm,
(14:56):
it's so healthy. Because in a kid's brain, if they
hear something as me, this was a tip I learned
a while ago that they're more likely to want to
give it a try than if they hear the word healthy.
So just heads up on that. And then I went
to parents dot com and found a couple of things
that they had as tips, which this could just be
good in general, So I'll run through it quickly. Be
(15:18):
a role model when it comes to food. So if
you're constantly on a diet or having erratic eating behaviors,
then your children are going to grow up thinking that
this sort of behavior is normal. To be honest with
yourself about the kinds of food messages that you're sending.
And I think this is so important, Like keep this
one in your back pocket, even if you don't have
kids yet that are eating, Like, just remember this. They
(15:39):
are watching you and they see your relationship with food.
And I feel like I started dieting too young because
some dieting was brought into my household at a young age,
and then I started dieting way too young, and I
I truly believe that is what led to even though
I had emotional stuff going on that counselors told me
led to my eating disorder, like my dad leaving blah
blah blah. But now as an adult and I've really
(16:00):
worked through it, I think it was like dieting at
a really young age that then sent me to having
an eating disorder because I was depriving my body and
it didn't really know what to do. So it started
freaking out and then my relationship with food got all
out of whack, and um, so just remember that, like
if you want to be on a diet and do
(16:21):
your own thing, and I have to I have to
hold myself accountable to this too, because I know there
are sometimes I've been like, oh, no, I'm not going
to eat that, and then my kids will be like, why, Mom,
isn't going to make you fat? And I'll be like, well, yeah,
I mean I can't just eat a bunch of ice
cream like like kids can and stay skinny. But then
now that's in their head, Like I don't want them
to think, oh I can't be a kid and maybe
(16:42):
enjoy some ice cream because it might make me fat.
Like I just have to have to watch that. So
we have to be aware, Like you can be on
your own plan, but don't obsess about it in front
of your kids and make it like a big deal. Um,
bite your tongue as hard as it may be trying
not to comment on what or how much your kids
are eating. So try to be as neutral as possible
and remember that you've done your job as a parent
(17:03):
by trying to serve balanced meals and your kids are
responsible for eating them. So if you play food enforcer
saying things like you have to eat your vegetables, your
child will only resist. So again, find ways to encourage
them to eat the vegetables, like give them reasons why
they're amazing, or find ways to just make them in. Also,
(17:24):
cut back on the junk that's brought into the home,
because it's you, not your kids, that are in charge
of the foods that enter the house, So having fewer
junk foods around will force your kids to make smarter choices.
I keep a huge fruit bowl in the middle of
my kitchen counter, and my kids grab from it more
often than you would think, Like there's oranges and apples
and mangoes and grapefruit and bananas, and it's all right there,
(17:47):
and I keep it full all the time because I
would much rather than if they're hungry, like go to
that fruit both first, then try to go to the
pantry and eat something processed that's not going to be
as good for them. So maybe consider doing something like
that if you don't already have a big fruit bowl
on your counter. Next question is from Rebecca hey Amy.
(18:08):
I'm wondering what the difference between the shot Forward and
Shop a squaw is. I've heard you mentioned both, and
notice they each have their own Instagram account, but they
feature many of the same products. So uh, quickly, Rebecca, well,
I guess you have a part two to your question.
Also in regards to internet fasting, our coffee and vitamins
allowed in the fasting stage. So I'll quickly answer that, yes,
coffee and vitamins are allowed. To take your vitamins with
(18:30):
water and keep your coffee like with no sugar or
milk or anything. And yes, you are still fasting if
you're doing intermin fasting, at least from what I've experienced
and read and listened to and all that. So if
you happen to be an internet fastening expert and you disagree,
I'm sorry, but I have heard that coffee and vitamins
are good to go. So, Rebecca, as for the Shot
(18:51):
Forward in the shops Spla, they are different, but they
are also the same. So the Shop Forward is kind
of the big umbrella of a lot of different brands
that they collaborate with, and Mary runs that and that's
her baby, and so she works with a lot of
different things that support various causes all over. Then there's
also shop Spua or a Spua, but on Instagram it's
(19:15):
at shop a Spa and I run that Instagram, So
if you're ever on there, if y'all guys want to
go follow that, that's me running that account and Mary
runs the Shop Forward. But the reason why you see
SPA stuff on the Shop Forward is she promotes all
of the brands that they work with everything. And then
SPLA is something that her and I started together that's
under the Shop Forward umbrella that supports Haiti. So a
(19:35):
squaw means hope in Haitian creole, and we have a
certain line of stuff that supports the causes that we
work with there, and so that's hopefully that's like a
quick way of me answering it and hopefully that makes sense.
And I feel like they are sawing out of control
next to her right now. So while I was talking,
all I could hear was I have no idea if
y'all can really hear that or if it's super annoying,
But um, yeah, that's kind of the that's to answer
(20:00):
your question. The difference is Mary and I we founded
a Spua together, but she founded the Shot Forward by
herself and then Pimp and Joy is under the shot
Forward brand, so I know it's kind of all over
the place, but um, if you ever are confused, like
if you ever click on items at the shop Forward,
you can scroll down to each item and see exactly
(20:23):
what cause that's going towards. Like she has a Choose
Joy line that goes it's that also goes towards cancer stuff.
Pimp and Joy doesn't always go towards cancer stuff, even
though it started with it. Um, because we've helped tons
like a variety of causes and military stuff. So yeah,
if you go to the shop forward dot com, anything
you click on you can do research on about what
(20:45):
it's supporting. But anything under a squaw is going to
be HAITI related hopefully that makes sense. And again the
Instagram handle that I run that I would love if
you all went to follow would be at shop a Spa.
But no pressure, no pressure. Okay, Well that's the end
of today. A s Q and a thank you to
everybody that sent in questions and I will see y'all
(21:05):
here Thursday. Um for the four things, Okay, alright, bye,
Welcome to the Q and a episode for the Four
Things podcast. I am Amy Brown, and we call this
the Fifth Thing because well it happens after each Four
Things episode. So every Thursday of four Things episode goes up,
and then every Tuesday I come on here and answer
questions that all submitted to four Things with Amy Brown
and gmail dot com. So big thank you to everyone
(00:22):
that submitted questions. Full disclosure right now, if you hear
a lot of banging or chainsaws, well maybe not chainsaws,
but like drills and sawing and stuff, um uh, it's
the construction zone here at the radio station the Bobby
Bones Shows getting a brand new studio, So construction is
going down until about like July or so, and it's
(00:44):
just a little crazy up in here. So you may
hear some noises. Um maybe it feels louder to me
because I'm right next to it. It may not be
coming through the microphone, but I just wanted to give
you all the heads up that that's what that might
be if you hear it. The first question is from Melanie. Hey, Amy,
I love all your tips and tricks. I'm currently finding
(01:05):
the amount of information regarding healthy living everywhere A little
overwhelming though, So I was wondering, if you were just
starting out on your healthy journey, what would you consider
non negotiable ingredients to incorporate into your diet and recipes.
Same with exercise. So yeah, Melanie, I definitely have non negotiables.
(01:26):
And the first one movie dark leafy greens, Like I
have vegetables every day. If I don't or i'm traveling,
I travel with these little packets called green Vibrants and
I have them love on my Amazon page and go
to radio amy dot com to access those. But I
dumped that in about eight ounces of water. Shake it up.
It doesn't taste the best. I don't care. But I
chuged that bad boy down and I know I'm getting
(01:48):
some sort of greens. Or if i'm if I'm by
a juice shop or something, I'll pop in and be like,
GI have a wheat grass shot, or I'll drink a
straight green juice. Just some way to find greens. Now,
I like to actually eat and like eat greens, like
in a smoothie form or an actual salad. So that
way I'm getting the fiber because it's another thing I
(02:08):
try to have every day, is some sort of fiber uh,
which you can get with dark leafy greens, or even avocado,
which is another great fat, but it's also a fiber.
Or I sprinkle some ground up flax on my salad
or something. So I would say there's two non negotiables
for you, greens fiber. Also, I eat a lot more
(02:29):
protein than I used to because I'm getting older, but
I'm also working out and I know that my body
needs it, but I don't always get it in animal form. Uh.
You know, there's plenty of days where I go by
where I don't eat anything animal form, although I do
have vital proteins, which is collagen peptides that comes from
a cow. So I mean I am consuming that bit's
(02:50):
a powder form. I'm just saying I'm not sitting down
eating like a big oldhunka chicken or hunk of meat
or something. But vital proteins is another thing I have
every day that's also on my Amazon page. Um, I
have my green tea or my machetti for caffeine. I
drink tons of water. That's a non negotiable. I try
to get a hundred ounces a day, but that's also
(03:11):
because I work out, and you know, when it comes Oh,
another thing that I was going to talk to you
about protein, which maybe I need to make this more
of a thing. But there's like a lot of plants
have some quality protein in there for you. So don't
think just because you know you're trying to increase protein
that that means it has to come from an animal,
because it doesn't. There's a lot of protein and nutrients
(03:33):
um or things that you can add to smoothies like
spiarlina or I put that even in my oatmeal. That
adds you know, a different kind of protein for your body,
and it's good to switch it up variety. So when
I say dark leafy greens, I don't try to eat
like the same type of lettuce all the time. I
really try to switch it up. Like if if I
(03:53):
go to the store one day, I'll buy a box
of like spring mix or something, and the next day,
or not the next day, the next few days, if
I go back to the store for more, I'll get
some arugula with spinach, and the next time I'll get
some dinosaur kale. Which I know what it's like to
be overwhelmed, because I didn't start getting this way until
about two thousand and eleven. And my poor husband. We've
been married like five years at that point, and I
(04:17):
did a one E D on my eating and he
would like come home from working all day at the
Air Force base and he'd be like, uh, what is
for dinner? And I'd be like this and he'd be
like this is kale and sweet potatoes and I'd be like, yep,
eat up. But you know, I'm not as drastic as
I was back then, but I was making a big shift.
Like I cut out all dairy, I cut out all meat,
(04:37):
I cut out all gluten. Um, I was trying to
get pregnant, so I had a reason for my madness.
But um, I felt so much better. And now I'm
still not as I'm not as strict as I used
to be, but I'm still health conscious and very healthy.
I've just sort of do more information than just that plan,
or I've taken in more information than just that vegan
(04:58):
lifestyle I was living and now and corporate a variety
of things, and that's that's what works best for me.
So that's what I encourage for y'all. Um. Some other
non negotiables for me health wise would be sleep. Like
I definitely try to put an emphasis on sleep like
seven to eight hours if I can go back to food.
I didn't mention dark chocolate. I probably have dark chocolate
(05:20):
every day. Um. I love Tazza. It's a brand t
a z a dark chocolate. They have a wicked dark
one that's nine percent dark chocolate. It's intense. Like if
you don't like dark chocolate, you probably won't like it.
But if you do, I say, go for it, and
you know, a few little squares and you're good to go.
And there's like barely any sugar in it at all
whatsoever because it's so dark. But a tip for dark
(05:42):
chocolate is I would say if you could at least
make sure that it's seventy two or higher, then you're
gonna avoid, you know, having dairy in there or being
too sugar filled or something like that. So make sure
you find um dark chocolate that's seventy or higher. And
I keep it in the freezer and I nibble on
it every day. I travel with it. I always have
(06:03):
a barbed dark chocolate in my four things to or
like if I'm at the airport. One thing you can
always find with me and my tote when I'm traveling,
as lemons a little packets of vital proteins and dark chocolate.
That's the green vibrants things. I always have a little
baggy full of that inside my tote. Um. Another quick, uh,
(06:24):
non negotiable for me is I do take a probiotic
every day. I do the hot lemon water in the
morning and then I also take a good probiotic, so
hopefully that that helps exercise wise. Um, you know, I
think you just got to figure out what's best for you.
There are so many different things out there. Yeah, Like
there's running, there's yoga, there's weights, there's tobota, there's bar
(06:46):
there's cardio, there's all the things. But squeezing what you can.
Just make sure you're getting your heart rate up, you
know that you're challenging yourself and you feel good about it.
And also give your body recovery days. Make sure that
you're resting as well. Um, but yeah, I wouldn't don't
really focus on oh how many calories did I eat today,
how many calories did I burn today. I try to
feel my body properly, not skip any meals um if
(07:08):
I can help it, and make sure I'm getting enough,
and then also just making sure I'm having like some
good workouts like weight train three days a week, getting
in some cardio. I've recently started running, which is crazy.
I haven't been a runner in years, but the last
two weeks, y'all, I have started running, and I gotta
admit I kind of like it. I thought I was
gonna hate it. I thought I was going to literally
(07:30):
hate it, but I knew I needed to be I
just it was. It was me listening to my body
and Aaron Opria, she's my trainer, she actually was encouraging me.
She's like, I think you need to up your cardio.
I think we're kind of seeing some things happen with
your body. Let's let's see if the cardio will help it.
And it has. I feel so much better. And I
was just kind of holding on to some weight for
some reason. And I don't know how much because I
(07:52):
don't weigh myself, but I just felt my clothes fitting differently.
And ever since I've started running, my clothes are fitting better.
So I guess that was a solution. My body just
needed like some running to help shake off some stuff
it was holding onto. So I just listen to my body.
I definitely incorporate yoga walking with girlfriends. You know, dancing
(08:12):
in the kitchen with my kids. I count that as exercise,
Like we'll turn on music and we just dance around
and sometimes for like ten minutes and I'm like, boom,
I just got ten minutes of cardio in next question
is from Alison. Hey, Amy, I know you've talked on
your podcast about specific clothing items or styles, and you've
mentioned having help from Kelly with Velvet's Edge. Myself, being
(08:32):
active duty military and being a mother, I have some
serious wardrobe struggles since I'm mostly in uniform and I'm
still trying to find my new mom style. I also
need to clear some space in my closet, like big time.
But I don't know how to decide whether or not
I should hold onto something, So Alison, I get it. Yeah,
it's hard to find yourself, especially. I mean I kind
(08:54):
of like, oh, lucky you you're in the military. You
have a uniform to where to work every day. I
kind of wish the Bobby Bone Joe how to uniform
to wear to work every day, Like getting dressed would
be so much easier. But also it's probably fun to
be able. You probably grass is greener where you're like, oh,
I wish I got to wear whatever I want to
to work every day. So I know it's hard to
find your style. But um, Kelly from Velvet's Edge, she's
(09:17):
amazing and she does do my styling um and for events,
which is great. I don't always have an event, but
I do feel super awesome whenever she dresses me, because, um,
I know I would never pick some of that stuff
out on my own, and but I never thought i'd
be someone that has a stylist and I get it,
like that just seems so weird to me to even
(09:38):
say that. So not everybody can have that. But she
does have Velvet's Edge dot com where there's tips up there,
and she has an episode on her podcast. It's actually
episode two called Bringing Sexy Back with Annie Saltires and
she's justin Timberlake stylist and Dirk Smiley's and she talks
about how just having like a great pair of jeans
and some awesome T shirts and boom, that's your wardrobe.
(10:00):
Like that could be your that could be that could
be your mom style. I mean, I love that I
found some good jeans that I love, which I've done
a whole you know episode before and a four Things
podcast about my favorite jeans, and you know, a good
vintage T shirt or maybe like just a plain white
T shirt or something cute and comfy, or maybe like
a cute little Espoire Pimp and Joy T shirt or
(10:21):
something that you know, we try to make those that
stuff cute for you guys. But um, you know, throw
that on with some broken stocks or some sneakers and boom,
you're good to go. And as for clearing out your closet,
that is so hard. I know it's hard to let
go of stuff. But you know there's that Netflix show,
The Marine Condo Show, which I watched a few of
those episodes, and what she does with her clients is
(10:42):
when they're cleaning out their closet, you know, she has
them go item by item and hold each thing up
and be like does this piece of clothing spark joy?
And if it doesn't, then they donate it, and if
it does, then they keep it. So oh, also quickly
before you donate it, you think that i'd of clothing
for its time with you and that it no longer
(11:03):
serves you, and then you donate it. So maybe that
will help you get rid of stuff like why am
I holding onto this is this bringing me any joy?
When is the last time I honestly wore it? And
then make a decision based on that. That way, you
can have like a clear inventory of what you have
once you clear out your closet, and maybe some key
items that you need to buy. One of my friends,
(11:24):
Madison Nelson, has some of the cutest clothing style tips
and like a really like affordable price point. Um. She
shares a lot of stuff on her Instagram and it
is at Hey Maddie Nelson so h E y M
A D I in E L S O in So
that's her Instagram. I highly recommend you'll check her out.
(11:45):
She's just the cutest and she's a mom. She's got
a baby, she's got one on the way, so she's
pregnant right now. But I love her style and also
to like the price point of it as well. So
(12:06):
next question is from Laura Lee. I'm the mom of
a three and a half year old and an eight
month old, and now that the baby is eating, I'm
trying to be more mindful about what we're all eating.
I want to make being healthy and feeling good a priority,
but it is difficult to please everyone, which leads me
to my next question of what you do with your children.
I'm sure that they had different tastes being raised an
(12:26):
orphanage in Haiti. So do you all eat the same
thing or do you make separate meals? And do you
have any go to dinners? Quickly, I'll say the go
to dinner for me and my husband is I always
have a baked spaghetti squash in the fridge, like ready
to go, because I feel like that goes with so
much or cauliflower rice, so that's like a veggie that
I know that I can whip up with any sort
of meat for my husband or fish that will taste good.
(12:48):
And you can also change like the sauce or the
toppings or whatever you put on it to like mix
the meal up. So that is a big go to
dinner for us. But my kids they love them some
rice and beans, like stra it up. We have more
rice and beans than probably anybody, but again that's because
that's what they had at the orphanage and that's what
they love. They also love like a crop pot chicken
(13:08):
noodle soup that's so easy, hamburger patties with sweet potatoes,
and um like roasted sweet potatoes. They love that. They
love just eating an avocado. I cut it in half
and they share it, and that's sort of something I
have to encourage them to eat. But once they do
eat it, they're like, oh, that was actually good. Mom.
We do a lot of eggs for breakfast because I
(13:28):
talked to them about how it helps their brain be smart.
I try to avoid being like, here, eat this because
it's healthy. I try to explain what it's doing to
their body and why it's good. Like my son is
obsessed with growing taller and getting muscles, and my daughter
too wants to like feel good. So I explained to her, well,
if you want to eat all the junks that you
(13:49):
like to eat like you're that's ultimately not going to
make you feel as good. Like this is why Mom
eats this way because I just feel better and I
function better and I'm in a better mood, and you know,
I'll grow healthy muscles. Maybe I say healthy muscles, I
just don't. I don't put the food is like, oh,
this is healthy, eat your vegetables. So my son is like, oh, yeah,
(14:12):
I want to grow tall and I want to have muscles.
So he likes straight up eats salad all the time.
And then my daughter is obsessed with making these smoothies
and she now adds spinach to the smoothies. And if
y'all know my daughter this, that's huge, Like it's a big,
big deal now like she it's I'm so proud of her.
And that's a decision that I nudged her to make,
but I wasn't forceful with it. But I do feel
(14:34):
like as parents, we have a responsibility to make sure
that our kids are getting nutritious foods. And then I
went to, um, oh, another tip to that I do
when you know, I was saying, like I eliminate. I
don't try to say this is healthy. I try to
say why it's good for you? Um, but I also
say this is yummy, Like I'll just be like, oh no,
eat this, it's yummy like instead of being like, hmm,
(14:56):
it's so healthy. Because in a kid's brain, if they
hear something as me, this was a tip I learned
a while ago that they're more likely to want to
give it a try than if they hear the word healthy.
So just heads up on that. And then I went
to parents dot com and found a couple of things
that they had as tips, which this could just be
good in general, So I'll run through it quickly. Be
(15:18):
a role model when it comes to food. So if
you're constantly on a diet or having erratic eating behaviors,
then your children are going to grow up thinking that
this sort of behavior is normal. To be honest with
yourself about the kinds of food messages that you're sending.
And I think this is so important, Like keep this
one in your back pocket, even if you don't have
kids yet that are eating, Like, just remember this. They
(15:39):
are watching you and they see your relationship with food.
And I feel like I started dieting too young because
some dieting was brought into my household at a young age,
and then I started dieting way too young, and I
I truly believe that is what led to even though
I had emotional stuff going on that counselors told me
led to my eating disorder, like my dad leaving blah
blah blah. But now as an adult and I've really
(16:00):
worked through it, I think it was like dieting at
a really young age that then sent me to having
an eating disorder because I was depriving my body and
it didn't really know what to do. So it started
freaking out and then my relationship with food got all
out of whack, and um, so just remember that, like
if you want to be on a diet and do
(16:21):
your own thing, and I have to I have to
hold myself accountable to this too, because I know there
are sometimes I've been like, oh, no, I'm not going
to eat that, and then my kids will be like, why, Mom,
isn't going to make you fat? And I'll be like, well, yeah,
I mean I can't just eat a bunch of ice
cream like like kids can and stay skinny. But then
now that's in their head, Like I don't want them
to think, oh I can't be a kid and maybe
(16:42):
enjoy some ice cream because it might make me fat.
Like I just have to have to watch that. So
we have to be aware, Like you can be on
your own plan, but don't obsess about it in front
of your kids and make it like a big deal. Um,
bite your tongue as hard as it may be trying
not to comment on what or how much your kids
are eating. So try to be as neutral as possible
and remember that you've done your job as a parent
(17:03):
by trying to serve balanced meals and your kids are
responsible for eating them. So if you play food enforcer
saying things like you have to eat your vegetables, your
child will only resist. So again, find ways to encourage
them to eat the vegetables, like give them reasons why
they're amazing, or find ways to just make them in. Also,
(17:24):
cut back on the junk that's brought into the home,
because it's you, not your kids, that are in charge
of the foods that enter the house, So having fewer
junk foods around will force your kids to make smarter choices.
I keep a huge fruit bowl in the middle of
my kitchen counter, and my kids grab from it more
often than you would think, Like there's oranges and apples
and mangoes and grapefruit and bananas, and it's all right there,
(17:47):
and I keep it full all the time because I
would much rather than if they're hungry, like go to
that fruit both first, then try to go to the
pantry and eat something processed that's not going to be
as good for them. So maybe consider doing something like
that if you don't already have a big fruit bowl
on your counter. Next question is from Rebecca hey Amy.
(18:08):
I'm wondering what the difference between the shot Forward and
Shop a squaw is. I've heard you mentioned both, and
notice they each have their own Instagram account, but they
feature many of the same products. So uh, quickly, Rebecca, well,
I guess you have a part two to your question.
Also in regards to internet fasting, our coffee and vitamins
allowed in the fasting stage. So I'll quickly answer that, yes,
coffee and vitamins are allowed. To take your vitamins with
(18:30):
water and keep your coffee like with no sugar or
milk or anything. And yes, you are still fasting if
you're doing intermin fasting, at least from what I've experienced
and read and listened to and all that. So if
you happen to be an internet fastening expert and you disagree,
I'm sorry, but I have heard that coffee and vitamins
are good to go. So, Rebecca, as for the Shot
(18:51):
Forward in the shops Spla, they are different, but they
are also the same. So the Shop Forward is kind
of the big umbrella of a lot of different brands
that they collaborate with, and Mary runs that and that's
her baby, and so she works with a lot of
different things that support various causes all over. Then there's
also shop Spua or a Spua, but on Instagram it's
(19:15):
at shop a Spa and I run that Instagram, So
if you're ever on there, if y'all guys want to
go follow that, that's me running that account and Mary
runs the Shop Forward. But the reason why you see
SPA stuff on the Shop Forward is she promotes all
of the brands that they work with everything. And then
SPLA is something that her and I started together that's
under the Shop Forward umbrella that supports Haiti. So a
(19:35):
squaw means hope in Haitian creole, and we have a
certain line of stuff that supports the causes that we
work with there, and so that's hopefully that's like a
quick way of me answering it and hopefully that makes sense.
And I feel like they are sawing out of control
next to her right now. So while I was talking,
all I could hear was I have no idea if
y'all can really hear that or if it's super annoying,
But um, yeah, that's kind of the that's to answer
(20:00):
your question. The difference is Mary and I we founded
a Spua together, but she founded the Shot Forward by
herself and then Pimp and Joy is under the shot
Forward brand, so I know it's kind of all over
the place, but um, if you ever are confused, like
if you ever click on items at the shop Forward,
you can scroll down to each item and see exactly
(20:23):
what cause that's going towards. Like she has a Choose
Joy line that goes it's that also goes towards cancer stuff.
Pimp and Joy doesn't always go towards cancer stuff, even
though it started with it. Um, because we've helped tons
like a variety of causes and military stuff. So yeah,
if you go to the shop forward dot com, anything
you click on you can do research on about what
(20:45):
it's supporting. But anything under a squaw is going to
be HAITI related hopefully that makes sense. And again the
Instagram handle that I run that I would love if
you all went to follow would be at shop a Spa.
But no pressure, no pressure. Okay, Well that's the end
of today. A s Q and a thank you to
everybody that sent in questions and I will see y'all
(21:05):
here Thursday. Um for the four things, Okay, alright, bye,
Feeling Things with Amy & Kat News
Host
Amy Brown
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