8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep

Whether you’re going to catch some Z’s, crash, hit the hay, get some shut-eye, hit the sack, go nod off for a spell, snooze a bit, turn in, or . . . just catch forty winks, all you want, is just to sleep!

Whatever it is that you like to say when you are about to go to bed, it all means the same thing, and that thing often doesn’t happen for a lot of people, at least not in the way they want it to!

There are a lot of reasons some of us can’t fall asleep, or wake up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back to sleep. It can be a busy mind, medication, work, kids, stress, health, etc. But I’m going to give you just a few tips that I hope can help you improve your quality of sleep!

REGULARITY

As annoying or uncool as it may seem, our bodies are actually extremely responsive to habits and regularity. When these get all messed up, it throws off our circadian rhythm.

when we follow a regular schedule, our bodies become accustom to it and our quality of sleep tends to be much better.

In a Neuroscience and Biobehavioral review done by Zelinski El, he says, “Health problems can result from a disturbance to the circadian rhythm.”

The circadian rhythm is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours.

Although the circadian rhythm is built-in, it is adjusted to the local environment by external cues, which include light, temperature and redox (chemical reaction) cycles. This is why we are able to adjust when we start staying up later, working nights, travel, etc.

Symptoms of depression, high blood pressure, migraines, and other health issues and diseases, worsen, when our sleep cycle is interrupted. Even one night of missed sleep can create a prediabetic state in an otherwise healthy person.

CAFFEINE

It takes 4-6 hours for the body to metabolize caffeine, which is a stimulant that can disturb a good nights rest. Just 1 cup of coffee (even early in the day) can still effect quality sleep.

If you’ve decided to quit drinking caffeine altogether, it can take 2 weeks and up to 2 months of being off of caffeine, before the detox process is complete. During this phase, you may find it very difficult to sleep, even though you’re not consuming caffeine at all.

ALCOHOL

Initially, a drink helps most people fall right to sleep. But did you know that, even though you fall asleep quicker and sleep sounder right away, it actually reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. And the more you drink before bed, the more pronounced these effects. REM sleep happens about 90 minutes after we fall asleep. REM sleep is when you dream. It is also the part of your sleep that strengthens your immune system. Deep sleep is “for your body” and REM sleep is “for your brain”.

Because alcohol messes up the natural sleep patterns in our bodies, the quality of sleep is compromised.

WATER

Dehydration causes your mouth and nasal passages to become dry, setting you up for sleep-disruptive snoring and a dry throat. A lack of water can also lead to night time leg cramps that can keep you awake.

On the flip side, drinking water too close to going to bed can keep you up at night visiting the bathroom. So be sure to get those 96oz out of the way, starting when you wake up, tapering off later on in the day so that you’re not super thirsty right before bedtime!

DIET

An investigation showed that a diet containing fresh fruits and vegetables, low saturated fat, and whole grains may be optimal for people wanting to improve sleep quality.

EXERCISE

Physical activity improves sleep quality and increases sleep duration. Exercise also reduces stress and tires you out, making sleep sweeter.

FRESH AIR

Fresh air can actually increase your immunity levels, preventing from a lot of common sicknesses, and of course if you’re well, you’re going to sleep much better. It can also reduces stress, and I don’t know about you, but stress makes my nights awful!

BE THANKFUL

A positive thought pattern promotes better sleep because your mind is more accustom to peace and gratitude. When we worry and focus on the negative things in life, sleep becomes harder to achieve because the mind is too busy worrying. Practice positive thinking and gratefulness before bedtime to put your mind in a worry-free state.

If you have any thoughts or questions, I’d love to hear them! Please reach out to me anytime! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

September 25, 2019June 16, 2020

How to Organize Your Day with Sticky Notes

How to Organize Your Day With Sticky Notes

How about a little sticky notes fun?

Organizing your day shouldn’t be that difficult, but it seems to be a daunting task sometimes, therefore, it doesn’t get done. But funny thing, when I don’t take the time to make those little to-do lists and organize my day, it always ends up with a touch of pacing, a little of this and a little of that. At the end of my day, I really don’t see what I did, which is, to say the least, a total let down.

So I invented (I think?) a new system now that cuts the clutter and makes it easy and simple really. It’s quite effortless and genius if I do say so myself! I have a large stack of fun sticky notes next to my bed. At the end of the day, I write 3-4 things on one sticky note and stick it on my extra large calendar.

This is going to be a relatively short blog, but I wanted to share this with you because it is one of my favorite ways of doing the do, if you know what I mean! And I actually feel super accomplished with this little system. It works with meal planning, workout planning, chores, and all of those things that have to get done.

NUMBER ZERO

This system has to be easy, that’s the whole point. Keeping sticky notes in an easy place, (mine are on my night stand along with a pen) keeps it easy.

NUMBER ONE

Start with a master list. Or not. If it’s in your head, fine. Start jotting. If you have a large master to-do list on your phone or on paper, use that. Pick the top most important tasks and that is where you start.

NUMBER TWO

Sticky notes are a great way not to overload your day. Pick 2-4 tasks and that’s it. A sticky note can’t hold much more than that and neither can one day.

NUMBER THREE

Stick them in a good location, where you won’t miss them. I have a large, old-fashioned desk calendar tacked up on my wall, and I look at it daily. That’s where I stick my notes, because I know I won’t miss them!

NUMBER FOUR

If you like to visually watch your chores disappear, use more than one sticky note and put one to-do item on one note, that way you can easily toss it once that task is complete. If you do this, just remember 3-6 tasks max. (That is, if you’re me. But I realize you aren’t, so maybe you’re like superman’s cousin and can accomplish – and fit – 12 tasks in a day and on one sticky note!) Point is – be real with yourself and the other point is . . . don’t overload!

NUMBER FIVE

Prep for tomorrow. Cross off the items you accomplished today, (off of your master list) and make tomorrows tasks, stick ‘em an’ leave ‘em!

Happy planning ya’ll! If you have any cool adds to this little system, by all means! I’d love to hear them! If you have any questions, please reach out to me! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

September 18, 2019October 14, 2020

Why is the Vegan Diet one of the Best Diets?

There are all sorts of diets that claim many, many things. So why is the vegan diet one of the best diets for you?

Many fad diets do what they claim. The problem with fad diets is, they’re not balanced and are very unhealthy and cannot be maintained. For example, many weight loss “diets” are labeled “the 30-day diet”, etc.

So, what happens after you’ve followed one of these fad diets for 30-60 days, got results, but the diet has timed out? Where do you go after that? This is where people often end up gaining back their weight and feeling defeated. They don’t know what to do after the diet ends.

My goal is to help you find a balanced diet that lasts for life, maintaining your results, and makes you feel amazing!

The vegan diet is, not only healthy for life, but also balanced and can provide you with all the nutrients your body requires, to be healthy.

One of the reasons the vegan diet is one of the best, is because you can reach any goals on this diet, and do it healthfully.

Bodybuilding, powerlifting, weight loss, weight gain, muscle building, and competitions can be done on a vegan diet. Also, pre-wedding body contouring, modeling, pregnancy and breastfeeding are also attainable on a vegan diet. Simply maintaining a healthy, normal, weight, can be achieved on a vegan diet.

The vegan diet is not an extreme diet that cuts out or adds anything in access to gain quick results. It is a diet that puts the balance in your daily menu and can help you gain results at a healthy pace.

As I talked about in, What is a Vegan, I briefly went over ways to grocery shop, the importance of reading labels, and gave a list of what to eat. But I didn’t say why it was such a good diet.

Vegan eating cuts out all animal products, which immediately cuts out the disease that is so prevalent in meat and dairy products.

There’s no guaranteed way to prevent or cure diseases. There are, however, ways we can prevent and cure common diseases, and the vegan lifestyle is that.

Some diseases that can be prevented and/or cured on a vegan diet. To name a few: diabetes, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, menstrual difficulties, UTI, bowl irritability, heart burn, obesity, bad breath, acne, fatigue, and high cholesterol, etc.

The vegan lifestyle is the ideal way to be in the best place you can be, to maintain optimal health.

I have been a vegan for 39 years. For me, the benefits have really become apparent once I hit my 30’s. I have aged slower, started my period later as a teen, I never had acne, and don’t have stretch marks from my pregnancies. I’ve never had heartburn, digestion problems, food poisoning, kidney stones, weight problems, and have never been on medication. I also have a lot of energy and and sleep great.

Unfortunately, I did inherit high cholesterol, but by cleaning up my dairy intake and adding cardio to my workouts, I haven’t had to be on medicine. (I say “clean up my dairy intake” because I did start eating dairy for a short amount of time).

The trick to being a healthy vegan is to maintain balance in what foods you put on your plate and how much you eat.

I have known vegans who eat large amounts of fried foods, sugars, simple carbs, and very little to no rabbit food, that have struggles with their health.

Raw foods are very important for a balanced diet, regardless of dietary preference. You can be unhealthy on a vegan diet just as any other diets, so maintaining that balance between fresh and cooked foods, less sugar, more veggies and fruits, and less pre-packaged foods, is very important.

A balanced, vegan diet consists of:

Nuts and seeds (healthy fats)
Veggies (calcium, vitamins and minerals)
Fruits (healthy sugars)
Legumes (protein)
and whole grains (fiber, protein).

These foods offer way more than what I stated in the parentheses, but that just gives you an idea of what these foods offer.

I hope this helps, if you have questions, please ask!

And of course as always, please enjoy my blog by sharing it with your friends and family! If you have any questions, please reach out to me! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

September 11, 2019October 14, 2020

What is a Vegan?

The vegan diet is one of the best diets out there, but what is a vegan, and how would one do a vegan diet? Some of you don’t even know what being a vegan means, so I am going to briefly tell you what it means, what you can eat, then I’m going to show you what to look for when shopping for groceries, and how to manage going out to eat!

What does it mean to be a vegan?

WHAT IT MEANS:

Veganism is a way of living that excludes all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, from food, clothing or for any other purpose.

In the diet alone, vegans refrain from dairy, eggs, or any other animal product, in addition to meat.

Vegan’s choose to live this lifestyle either for ethical, environmental or health reasons, or possibly for all reasons combined.

WHAT TO EAT:

Fruit
vegetables
nuts
seeds
whole grains
legumes
herbs

These foods used in recipes can give you everything you need for fun, nutritious, delicious meals!

When you cook at home, which is the best thing to do if you’re truly wanting to be a vegan that doesn’t starve, you can use the above items to make pizza, casserole, burgers, meat substitutes, bread, salads, muffins, cakes, cookies, pies, cheese, sauces, mayonnaise, etc.

Being a vegan doesn’t mean you are giving up your life of yummy food experiences. It just means you are putting something better in the place of something unhealthy. The something better will have less unhealthy fat, zero cholesterol, a ton more vitamins and minerals, just the right amount of protein, fiber, calcium and deliciousness to satisfy your cravings.

GROCERY SHOPPING:

Always read labels to everything when grocery shopping!

I just want to say real quick, that I choose veganism primarily for health reasons. This is why I personally don’t include honey in my “don’t eat” list, but a lot of vegans won’t eat honey, either! I use honey a lot, in place of traditional sugar, though sugar itself is vegan.

It isn’t always easy to be a strict vegan, but it is possible, and it gets easier over time. It becomes second nature. If you’re not used to paying attention to labels, you’d be surprised by how many “natural foods” actually have animal products in them.

Most grocery stores have healthy alternatives, but look online for health food stores near you. Whole Foods, small health food shops, and Amazon all have great alternatives if you’re looking for meat, cheese and milk substitutes.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR:

The following items often have dairy and animal products in them when you wouldn’t expect them to!

Bread (milk and or eggs)
Beans and rice at Mexican restaurants (cooked in animal fat and chicken broth)
Natural, herbal supplements (often encased on capsule made of gelatin which is ground up animal bone)
Peanut butter (has mono and diglycerides in it, which is an emulsifier that helps blend oil and water, generally made from animal fat, but also can be made from vegetable fat as well. I prefer to buy natural peanut butter because it is simply peanuts and salt.
Crackers (mono and diglycerides)
Soups (creamy has milk, vegetable has chicken, or animal fat)
Boxed cereals (milk)
Pre-packaged oatmeal (milk)
Trail mix (yogurt covered raisins or m&m’s)
Spices (ground beef, etc.)
Ramen noodles and other pre-packaged soups (ground meat)
Vegetarian meat substitutes (egg whites)
Canned vegetables (meat chunks or broth)
Desserts (eggs, milk)
Drinks (milk)

And there are a lot more. If you notice, the common pattern here is “pre-made” not “homemade”.

Making your food at home is the key ingredient to ensuring that your food is 100% vegan!

The number one most important habit to get into, regardless of dietary preference, is reading labels! If you don’t understand what a word is, either leave the product on the shelf, or Google it to be safe.

GOING OUT TO EAT:

Depending on where you live, going out to eat can range from being super easy to being impossible!

When I visited California and the UK, vegan options were abundant while places in Texas and Louisiana are lost in time and don’t seem to understand the word vegan. Sadly, even a salad can be difficult to come by in these areas, and the best thing to do is do your research way before you go out to eat.

Ask your server. I used to be a server, and we don’t get offended or upset when you alter and modify your order. Ask as soon as you sit down, what options there are for vegetarian or vegan foods. Some servers know exactly what you mean and are very accommodating, others may not know and can find someone else to help.

As a vegan going out to eat, you have to get in the habit of modifying your food!

If your server doesn’t know much about the menu or what vegan means, my first go to is burgers. A lot of places now carry veggie burgers. Second is pasta dishes. Most of the time meat can be taken off of any salad or pasta dish. Next is pizza. Pizza is an easy fix if it’s not pre-made. Ask for marinara sauce. . . extra! And lots of veggies, with no cheese. Lastly are sides and salads because they’re not as filling, so I try to find something a little more filling than salad and a side.

Also, add-ons are great for vegans who have to take meat off. Sometimes it costs extra, but a salad with extra tomatoes or cucumbers, mushrooms and avocado really makes all the difference, and typically doesn’t cost extra if it already comes with it.

I am not allergic to dairy, I have made the decision to be a vegan for health reasons. So, if I am out to eat (which is rare – I make my food from scratch every day!) at times I will bend the rules and just make sure to ask that no cheese be added to my food, and of course I leave off the meat. Always. This way, it’s “mostly vegan” and I don’t have to nit-pick the heck out of my food. I feel at this point, it’s an okay compromise. But again, I rarely go out to eat. If I went out regularly, I’d suggest finding true vegan restaurants and making it a regular in rotation during the week.

Fast food: Know your fast food options. There are four main fast food restaurants I pick from: Subway, Taco Bell, Burger King and Moes. All of these have vegetarian options and leaving the cheese, sour cream and other dairy items off, is an easy fix.

COOK AT HOME:

The best option for saving money and following a true, healthy, vegan, lifestyle, is learning how to cook at home, from scratch.

I make my own granola, muffins and pancakes for breakfast, I make beans and rice, burritos, casserole, burgers, pizza, lasagna, etc. for lunches, and I also make crackers, soups, salads and parfaits, etc. for light dinners.

I was married to a meat and potatoes guy who hated vegan food, so I had to rise to the challenge of imitating the taste of regular foods in my vegan cooking.

The trick to vegan cooking is to utilize herbs, spices, natural oils and nuts for flavor!

Food has to taste good! The biggest mistake most people make when they go vegan is, they cook super bland. Also, they tend to leave out the legumes, nuts and seeds, which makes it like leaving the meat out of the meal. These foods are what gives your meals density and filler! Without them, you’ll be starving all the time.

Balance out your food groups, find good cookbooks, start pinning vegan recipes on Pinterest, gather your grub and make it happen! I have managed to fool many meat and potato eaters with the right use of ingredients. They didn’t even know they were eating vegan food!

I know you will probably have more questions about why a vegan diet is better than all the rest. That’ll be for another blog, and I’ll get there, I promise! In the mean time, check out my FREE list of 8 healthy snacks (below)! They’re vegan!

Please enjoy my blog by sharing it with your friends and family! You (and they) can explore balance8life anywhere! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

September 4, 2019

Balance Happens When We Let Go

Have you ever tried to balance on one foot while holding onto a chair? Are you truly balancing? Balance doesn’t happen until we let go. I didn’t say balancing means you will never fall or that it is perfect the first time. But balance can’t be learned while holding onto a chair and never letting go.

Every day, we are subconsciously, and consciously, fed with things that are either overly perfect, or dramatically devastating. When comparing real every day life to either of these, real life becomes very weighty, and starts feeling out of control. It’s difficult to maintain balance in our minds!

The things we have to do, the lists we have to check off, and the deadlines we have to make, are physically easy to see, to touch, and to organize. But what about our inner peace, our minds?

Blogging about health and fitness keeps my mind focused on my own health and fitness. It makes my weakness super, glaringly clear, and in my face, all the time.

I know how to juggle mom life, follow a routine, change it up when I get board, workout at home, eat healthy, and drink plenty of water. I know how to make sure I am getting the right amount of sunlight for my vitamin-D and fresh air to calm my soul. I know how to meditate and “clear my mind of the clutter”, but. . .

. . . knowing, and doing are two different things!

It also reminds me that, no matter what I say, or what I do, real life is real life. It is easy to skip things when nobody is watching. But it’s also not that hard for me to do the do. What is hard for me though, is chillin’. (My boyfriend told me this yesterday).

I’ve had a rough past 5-6 weeks. I’ll just be honest. Even doing the do has been more difficult than usual for me . . . the mind clutter has been hefty!

The lack of balance between work and play.

That’s my problem.

Yesterday my boyfriend freed me of my chores and motherly duties and told me to go do something for me.

I decided to go hiking, but I was really upset when I walked out in nature and couldn’t quiet my mind. I needed to meditate, clear my mind, and let go of the tension, but it just would not happen. I ended up driving home early, frustrated and disappointed.

When I walked in the door, the house smelled glorious. Dinner had been made, the floor had been vacuumed and the dishes had been done. There wasn’t anything that I had to do. Suddenly, all the tension left, and clarity came. I thought how strange it was that it happened at home, once I returned. Not in the woods, not on my drive, not while I was alone.

Balance happens when we let go.

I expected and tried to create balance at a certain time, in a certain place, and in a specific way. When it didn’t happen, I thought, well this isn’t working. The fact that I was upset that it didn’t work made it even more frustrating. But when I got home and quit trying, it happened.

Now I’m not saying to quit trying. I’m saying, let go. Let go of the crutch that keeps you from gaining that strength, that inner peace, that center focus. We have to let go of what we lean on, of what we are holding onto that is keeping us back, before we can grow stronger in the next phase of our life, of our strength…

BALANCE

Please enjoy my blog by sharing it with your friends and family! You (and they) can explore balance8life anywhere! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

August 14, 2019October 14, 2020

How to Get Gains When Gains are Hard to Get

Have you ever wondered how to get gains when gains are hard to get? Do you go to the gym and no matter how hard you try you just can’t get the gains that you want?

My dad is 6”4’ and 135-40Lbs. He’s like, super skinny. My brothers are also both thin (not as tall) but have had a difficult time getting gains in the gym. It has been extremely frustrating. I have watched them work hard on their fitness goals and gain little. Since I’ve been a trainer, they’ve come to me several times for help and I aways had the same answer, “Hmm…I don’t know”.

Sooo . . . I decided to do a ton of research and find out why, exactly, skinny peeps can’t seem to gain bulk like they want to!

I think I figured it out. *Big grin*

Some people are just skinny and envied (or judged) by many, but our bodies are all unique and so are our genetics. Sometimes, no matter how hard these skinny people try, they just can’t see muscle growth in the gym, or if they do, it’s very minimal.

The questions is always . . .

. . . how come I just can’t achieve my goals in the gym!?

First of all, it is important to understand your body type and genetics before you get too frustrated in the gym.

If your father and his father, or mother, or several relatives in your direct family, are tall, thin and almost unhealthy looking, it could be more than just the fact that they’re starving themselves or malnourished.

They could be an Ectomorph alien. Okay maybe not an alien, but . . .

There are three different body types: ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph.

Today I’m just going to talk about the ectomorph.

This body type is long and lean, has a hard time gaining muscle (and fat), and has a fast metabolism. When you have the ectomorph body type your nutrition and fitness program have to be very deliberate and focused on your goals.

I am going to break this down for you into 4 groups:

Nutrition
Training
Rest
Supplements

1. NUTRITION:

For the ectomorph, it can be super tempting to eat whatever you want, whenever you want, as much as you want and as often as you want, in hopes of maybe seeing something. But let me tell you a little secret; that’s not a good idea.

Understanding carbohydrates is important because ectomorphs need a LOT of complex carbs, which are different from simple carbs.

Complex carbs are dense, packed with nutrients and keep you full longer, which is what you need.

SIMPLE CARBS

Simple carbs are very low in nutrients, and trick the brain into thinking you’re full before you’ve actually received much nutrients at all. Therefore, you’re not actually “feeding” your body anything more than a feeling, annnd stuff that can make you sick. (Artery-clogging fat, diabetes-boosting sugar, etc., etc.) And just because you aren’t carrying around a tire in the mid-section doesn’t mean you’re healthy.

Here’s an example of what a simple carb looks like: A slice of angel cake will definitely take away your hunger fast. But your calorie content is 129 per slice, with 256% sodium, 15 grams of sugar, potassium 1%, fiber 0%, (empty) carbs 9%, protein 3 grams, calcium 4%, and all your vitamins and minerals are listed at 0%.

All body types need to stay away from simple carbs, but especially the ectomorph. These evil little carbs should never enter your mouths!

Simple carbs are:

White (table) sugar
Corn syrup
Candy
Ice cream
Cake
All baked goods with white flour
Bread with white flour (you should eat a lot of 100% whole wheat/grain bread!)
Pasta made with white flour
(Most) packaged cereals
ALL sodas
etc.

COMPLEX CARBS

Now a sample of a complex carb: Vegan lentil casserole. This will also fill you up fast, but it will keep you full longer because complex carbs take longer to digest.

It has 240.1 calories in one serving, which is fine because, watch where all of your nutrients are coming from: Potassium 566 mg, 9.9 grams of fiber, 29.8 grams (complex) carbs, 15.5% protein, vitamins A, B-6 & B-12, C & D range from 3-30%, 16% calcium, plus 12 other minerals that run between 6-50%. This is power packed with all sorts of bone and muscle building material that will actually feed your body more than just a good feeling for an hour.

The denser your food and the more healthy complex carbs, the less you have to eat to maintain “fullness” and total nutrients, and as a result, the healthier you will be, and the easier it will be to gain bulk.

Complex carbs are:

Fruit
Veggies
Whole Grains (All grains that are not white)
Legumes (beans)
etc. (read on for more examples below)

Nutrition after workout:

Within the first 3-20 minutes after working out, you should have a protein shake. Homemade is best.

I personally have tried a lot of protein powders over the course of about 9 years. Since I’m vegan I really tried to stick with vegan protein powders, but I struggled, so I tried whey, too. But I noticed the whey proteins left a nasty sweet (not a pleasant sweet) coating in my mouth and the back of my throat for hours. So I switched back to vegan protein. I finally found one that I absolutely love. The texture isn’t grainy and the flavor is delicious. The brand is Love & Peas and it is sugar free, vegan certified, and allergen free. You can buy it here!

Here is a list of foods you need to make sure you’re eating regularly:

**Add these to your shakes*:**

Berries
Honey
Almond milk
Coconut milk
Avocado
Nuts
Seeds (hemp and flax are my fave)
Coconut oil
Moringa powder
Peanut or other nut butters

Add these to your meals:

(All of the above listed for shakes can also be added to meals if you’re not into shakes)
Bagels (fix them with some vegan butter or vegan cream cheese)
100% whole wheat/grain bread
Homemade granola (recipe coming soon!)
BEANS AND BROWN RICE – all day every day!
Vegan butter (my fave is the Smart Balance brand, if you’re adventurous, there are great homemade butter options as well.)
Sweet potatoes
Quinoa
Nuts
Olive oil
Dried fruits
Pumpkin seeds (these and the following 3 items are filled with plant-based BCAA’s which ectomorphs need more than any other body type.)
Cashews
Buckwheat
Brown rice

Items to eat small amounts of:

*update: I have had some questions in regards to why I listed “salad” (below) as a food not to eat. I have re-worded this for clarity. This article was written specifically for people who are trying to bulk up and put on fat and muscle. This is not a generalized suggestion of all body types and weight loss or gain goals. It is a targeted article for thin body types who want to gain weight and have a difficult time doing so. Please feel free to reach out to me with any more questions! Links to contact me are at the end of this article.

Celery
Popcorn
Salads
Soups
Watermelon
etc.

Note: It’s not that these things (above listed foods) are bad for you, in fact, they are very good; they’re just not very dense, so they don’t add to the bulking process. If you want to eat these items, eat them as a side with your meal, in addition to your other denser foods.

Track calories

I hate tracking calories, and don’t typically recommend it, but when you’re trying to add on muscle (and fat) you need to watch your calorie intake and eat higher calorie foods.

How many meals should you eat?

3 meals a day are best, with 2 shakes before the last meal of the day. These can be with your meals, or before or after breakfast and again before or after lunch. Keep your third meal smaller and make sure it is your lowest calorie meal, and never go to bed full!

Even though you are trying to gain weight, you still need at least 3 hours between the last time you eat and when you go to bed.

2. TRAINING

Compound weight training is a must for ectomorphs! Also, you should spend less time in the gym than you might think:

45 minutes is all you need to have a great workout! Train heavy and hard 5 days a week. Stay away from any type of cardio based workouts.

Cardio is good for everybody, and is how we keep our heart healthy and strong. For the ectomorph looking to build muscle and gain weight, definitely leave that out for now, unless you specifically need it for other reasons. If that’s the case, you just have to realize that weight gain will be nearly impossible to attain. (Sorry).

3. REST

Get sleep and lots of it. Ectomorphs need their sleep! This is when your body is building the muscle that you broke down in the gym. 8-9 hours of sleep is ideal for muscle building.

For more on rest, go read my article The Rest in Your Story!

4. SUPPLEMENTS

Homemade shakes with protein powder, nuts, oats, seeds, coconut oil, nut butters, nut milk, avocado, banana, etc. Naturally calorie dense foods with higher healthy fat content.
Moringa powder has 92 nutrients and 46 antioxidants and no additional supplements are needed when consuming moringa daily. Moringa is natural and there are no side effects it can be taken while on medication and is 100% safe. Add the powder to your shakes, mix it in a glass or water or get capsules to swallow, whatever way you prefer, it’s available. Right now I am using (this) by Micro Ingredients. In shakes, you can’t really taste it but alone it is a bit much.
BCAA’s. The Branched-chain amino acids – Luecine, isoleucine and valine – are essential. They differ from the other amino acids because they can be used for energy directly in the muscle without having to go to the liver to be broken down during exercise.
- Lucas Guimaraes-Ferreira L, Coordinator of the Muscle Physiology and Human Performance Research Group and Bachelor in Physical Education and Sports, MSc and PhD in Human Physiology, says: “It has been suggested that ingesting BCAA’s before and/or during long duration activity may help the late fatigue, but studies have not strongly supported this theory. However the BCAAs, especially leucine may play a critical role in recovering from exercise by preventing muscle breakdown.”
Plant-based sources of BCAAs include: pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, brown rice and cashews. You can also choose a plant-based protein supplement that contains BCAAs, such as Vega Sport® Premium Protein, which has 5 grams of BCAAs per scoop. I have tried some Vega Sport proteins and they weren’t my favorite. I just use cashew milk for my shakes, add my fave protein powder, toss in raw unsalted pumpkin seeds and a fourth cup of quick oats to my shakes. And then eat beans and rice. This does the trick.
Creatine powder helps your muscles produce energy during heavy lifting (which is what you need as an ectomorph) and helps with muscle gain, enhances strength and improves performance. This one is my favorite and it is pretty inexpensive.

My brother lives with me, and he is very thin when he isn’t working out and eating right. He wanted to start working out with my boyfriend and I, so I did this research specifically for him. I made a meal plan and started making him shakes to take to work. He has followed this training and nutritional plan now for over a month and has gained almost 10 pounds. It is working!

I hope this helps, I’d love to hear your story, see your before and after pics, and answer your questions! You can message me anywhere you’d like. I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to communicate best, you can reach me!

*Bulking and muscle building protein shake recipe

July 31, 2019September 9, 2019

Why Shouldn’t You go Gluten Free? Part 1

Why Shouldn’t You Go Gluten Free?

Gluten free dieting is the thing. Why shouldn’t you go gluten free, too? All “health nuts” are doing it. It’s all over social media and the stars are doing it, so it must be legit, right?

Gluten free diets have helped a lot of people feel better. And a lot of people think that going gluten free is a good idea without talking to their doctor first.

Fact is, some of these people may not even be feeling better because of the gluten omission. It could be a wheat allergy or sensitivity, the salt in the bread, a completely different ingredient altogether. Or, it could be the day, hormones, or even a physiological or emotional association.

Unless you are properly diagnosed by a doctor for gluten intolerance specifically, there is absolutely no reason to go on a gluten-free diet.

Gluten doesn’t make you fat. And gluten is good for you if you’re not allergic to it. Gluten is a protein found in some grains, primarily wheat. It is not a fat. (If you’re truly allergic, gluten can cause inflammation and damage, affecting your intestines mainly, but also other parts of your body. )

Gluten is a protein you need for muscle gains in the gym!

As a server, I witnessed the gluten free diet preference all the time. We even had a special gluten free menu because so many people were “gluten free”.

For those who aren’t aware of much that goes along with this diet, they just characterize gluten free as being healthy, and do it out of a desire to do better with their weight control and overall health.

But why? Do you really know what gluten free means?

Going gluten free is simply eliminating a protein from your diet. Gluten free dieting should be considered for managing signs and symptoms of celiac disease and other medical conditions associated with gluten.

Celiac disease is when the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten, leading to difficulty in digesting food.

While waitressing, I always asked my gluten free diners, “Is this a preference or an allergy?” (For safety reasons, of course). After working at this restaurant for over a year, out of however many people I asked over this period of time, (and this was a daily thing), I can only specifically remember less than 5 diners saying it was a legitimate allergy.

The gluten free statement comes up a lot in conversations I have when people talk with me about health, dieting and losing weight. Often I find that the term is thrown out there just because they heard it somewhere and want to sound knowledgeable on health and dieting for health.

Sadly, our health is not a common taught subject, and in order to truly be healthy, we have to really dig for the truth if we want it.

What social media determines is healthy isn’t always healthy.

I encourage you to go find out for yourself, talk to health professionals, talk to your doctor, find scientifically proven studies, on what “fad” diets promise to accomplish. Make sure it’s aligning with your specific goals, as well as your complete health, before jumping in with both feet. You need to find out the what and the why for new, emerging fad diets. Because not all diets are fit for all people.

It’s time to stop believing everything you hear and actually educate yourself on what good healthy eating really means.

There are so many “diets” circulating through social media and the internet. If you hear it more than once, unless you go research and read up about it yourself, you’ll probably just assume it’s good!

What does good healthy eating look like? Is it the Keto diet? DASH? Nordic? Ketogenic? Mediterranean Diet? Vegan? GFD (Gluten free diet)? (Didn’t yo momma teach you not to believe everything you see on TV?)

An article published in 2018 by Benjamin Niland, MD, and Brooks D. Cash, MD, said that, gluten-related diseases such as celiac disease and gluten ataxia are rare conditions, affecting less than 1% of the population in the United States.

So why would everybody go gluten free if only less than 1% of the population is actually allergic to gluten?

WHY? Because it is popular!

I’m going to continue this article next week, and I’ll warn you ahead of time, the next article about gluten free eating and why you shouldn’t do it, is going to be more “text book-like” in read-style because I’ll be including a lot of research and clips from studies done by educated people that actually know what they’re talking about!

I’ll be answering the real question on why gluten free dieting isn’t good for everybody.

Stay tuned NEXT WEDNESDAY for the rest of why you shouldn’t go gluten free… for health’s sake. (Unless, of course, you are truly diagnosed by your doctor with a gluten allergy!)

Part 2 here

If you have comments or questions on this topic, reach out! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to hang, you can reach me!

July 25, 2019October 14, 2020

8 Best Protein Sources for Vegans

Protein sources for vegans can be easier to find than most people would think.

When I tell people that I am a vegan, the first thing they seem to freak out about is protein; can you even get protein on a vegan diet? Sure you can! In this article, I’m going to show you the 8 best protein sources for vegans.

Most people equate health and defined muscles to a large intake of protein. It is also common for people to think they aren’t getting enough protein.

First, lets look at protein. How important is it, really? And do you have to have an abundance of it to be healthy? Is “enough” difficult to come by, and can you get enough, or can you even get any protein if you are a vegan?

The short answer is, protein is important, but not in abundance. And yes, you can get more than enough protein on a vegan diet.

The average American consumes too much protein already. Add a liquid, high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, and you could be in serious trouble.

A high protein diet is toxic to our bodies.

Doctor Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. of Preventive Medicine, and founder of Uchee Pines Natural Health Lifestyle Institute, states that,“A high protein diet puts a tax on the liver, breaks down protein tissues, triggers a loss of calcium from bones, and leaves toxic residues which must be eliminated. Before elimination of these toxic residues, however, the body is often damaged so that it is more susceptible to a variety of diseases, including cancer and arthritis.”

So how do we know when we’re getting too much or not enough protein?

Well, the dietary reference intake for protein is 0.8 grams per kilograms of body weight per day (USDA, 2010). When expressed as a percentage of total calories, the recommendation is that 10-35% of an individual’s daily calories should come from protein.

Here is an example: 200 pounds is 90.7 kilograms. That is approximately 73 grams of protein needed for one single day. A meal that includes a bowl of beans (15gr protein) and brown rice (7grams), a side salad with spinach and quinoa (5 grams) and a few walnuts (4 grams), equals to an approximate amount of 31 grams of complete protein. This is a single meal. You only need that less than three times in your day to get more than enough protein for one day.*

Protein, in its purest form and within the boundaries of a balanced diet, is important. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. Protein gives you muscle mass, makes enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. It also is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.

PROTEIN NEED BY ACTIVITY LEVEL:

Activity Level No exercise:	Type of Exercise N/A	Protein Needs (g/kg body weight) 0.8 to 1.2
Light to Moderate	Cardiovascular Resistance	1.2 to 1.6 1.5 to 2.0
Moderate to Vigerous	Cardiovascular Resistance	1.5 to 2.0 1.7 to 2.2

But a little bit goes a long way.

As a fitness professional and a vegan, plus a gym rat, I have done years of studies, research and training to witness and experience first-hand, that meat is not necessary, needed or even healthy, for appropriate protein intake.

It is easy to get protein. Period. You don’t need as much as you think, nor is it as difficult to come by on a vegan diet, as one would assume. There is protein in almost everything, especially in legume, nut, seed and grain related foods. Accumulated over a day, it is likely to consume more than you thought, and more than your body requires.

Where do you get adequate protein on a vegan diet?

There are many foods that offer proteins, complete, and incomplete here are my top 8 picks.

1. Soy is a great source of protein for vegans

Soy products such as tofu, tempeh, and Edamame are among the richest sources of protein in a vegan diet with 27 grams of protein in one 14oz block of tofu. In Edamame there are 18 grams of protein in 1 single cup.

Soy is also a complete protein, which means that it provides all the essential amino acids that our body does not produce on its own, making it essential to acquire them from your diet.

protein sources for vegans — Lentils ~ 24 grams of protein

2. Lentils are a great source of protein for vegans

Lentils combined with a whole grain, (making this a “complete” protein) provides the same quality protein as meat, with 24 grams per 1 cup (cooked).

3. Quinoa is a great source of protein for vegans

Quinoa is also a complete protein source, with 4.4 grams of protein per half a cup cooked. It can be used as a hot cereal, in salads, in casseroles, used in place of rice, and much more. Pinterest has tons of great recipes using quinoa!

4. 100% whole wheat is a great source of protein for vegans

Wheat has 16 grams of protein per 1 cup.

In one slice of 100% whole grain bread, there is approximately 3.6 grams of protein per one slice of bread, depending, of course, on the size. Make that a sandwich and you’ve got about 7 grams.

A couple other grains that I often use are millet, which contains 6.1 g per cup and oats, containing 5.9 grams per cup.

5. Guava fruit is a great source of protein for vegans

Protein is mostly found in grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. But, some fruits also contain protein, guava being one of the highest, with 4.2 grams per one cup.

Other fruits that offer protein are Apricots (2.2 grams per cup), kiwi (2.1 grams per cup), blackberries (2 grams per cup), oranges (1.7 grams per cup), and bananas (1.3 grams per cup sliced).

6. Hemp seeds are a great source of protein for vegans

This is one seed considered to be a superfood, containing 9 grams of protein per ounce (about a tablespoon).

These seeds are a complete source of protein as well, delivering all nine essential amino acids.

Hemp is high in potassium and magnesium, which are minerals that can help reduce muscle cramping. Perfect for those of us who work out regularly! (I toss these little babies in my shakes allll the time!)

7. Peas are a great source of protein for vegans

Green peas contain 8.5 grams of protein per 1 cup.

In addition to protein, peas are great sources of vitamins, and soluble as well as insoluble fiber.

8. Mung beans are a great source of protein for vegans

1 cup of cooked mung beans has 14 grams or protein.

These beans also have several healthy antioxidants, also have anti-inflammatory properties, are known to lower high cholesterol, thought to aid in reducing high blood pressure, as well as lower blood sugar levels and many, many more amazing health benefits worth their consideration in a balanced, vegan diet.

BONUS. . . I couldn’t leave out Pumpkin seeds with 8.5 grams of protein per 1 ounce. (Plus BCAA’s! – I put a handful of theses in my shakes, too. Can’t even’t taste them.

So as you can see, protein is abundant in non-meat foods! I only listed 8 foods, but this list could be miles long, so I picked my faves and ones that are on the higher scale, but if you want more, shoot me an email here! I’m also on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, so wherever it is you like to hang out the most, follow and comment, ask and engage! I love talking about this stuff.

*The amount of protein in vegan meal mentioned above depends on types of legume eaten, and amount of each serving consumed.

If you have comments or questions on this topic, or anything else, reach out! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to hang, you can reach me!

April 16, 2019July 6, 2020

Fresh Air For Your Mood

Yesterday my son came home from school saying that a kid in his class threatened to hack his IEQ, internet and security and put his “mom and dad in jail”.

That’s some serious business. We got out the computer and Googled IEQ. We figured out that there was no such thing as an IEQ and that he meant ICQ. His threat was that he was going to hack our internet and get ahold of our SSN’s and do some damage. This coming from a 5^thgrader, I knew it was no serious threat, but as time crawled and the tears and worry and pure anxiety would not cease, I realized something major had to be done.

I went to great lengths to explain that this classmate could not hurt us. I explained that he didn’t even know our names, where we lived, or anything about us, and therefore couldn’t do anything even if he wanted to. I also explained what a SSN is and what an IQ is and that it takes a good bit of IQ to do such damage.

But alas, the anxiety grew and his thoughts kept going to darker and darker places.

It was time for some fresh air!

You might be wondering why fresh air is such an important element in the progression to complete balance in having a healthy lifestyle, and I get it.

The thing is, when you’re a mom with a kid, or a bunch of kids, locked up in your house with all of the windows closed and no fresh air circulating, the air gets stale, and so can your mood. It also affects the moods of our little ones, as I mentioned above. This applies to the working mom (or dad) as well.

Any time in doors with little to no fresh air is 
detrimental to the mental state as well as other things.

I know for myself that if I am indoors for too long, I start to think too much about all of the things I am doing wrong and all of the things I wish I could do, or do better, or even things I want (but don’t need) and I become unhappy. I feel lazy and get tired. I feel dull and my creativity plummets. I start to even feel down about life in general and down about myself, comparing myself to others. It can be a downward spiral to a place that’s not too fun to be in.

And this happens to our children as well.

Yesterday was one of those days. It has been raining non-stop these days and my kids have been inside way too much. But yesterday the sun was out! So we packed up two sets of light weight dumbbells, two Nalgene bottles of water, a rip stick and a skateboard, and hit the park. Just the mention of going to the park lightened the mood of all parties involved!

Within 10 minutes we had tears turned to smiles. Negativity had ceased and the bigger picture engulfed the worry and turned it into irrelevant apprehension.

Of course getting our minds off our troubles cannot happen that quickly and easily for all of us. But the importance of fresh air is significant for balance in our lives. And it’s rare that some free things really are that amazing! Wink.

Read more about how to Will Power Your Way Through a Bad Day here, and how to Be Real (Positive)!

We all need perspective and quiet time to let things go and focus some place else. Getting outside in the fresh air is a great place to start.

As we journey down this path to healthy habits and lifestyle, you’ll start to see how a little fresh air is not only a great, natural, mood enhancer, but is super easy to get! Add that with the fact that it’s FREE! Who can beat that!?

How have you managed to get your fresh air today? And did you feel a difference in yourself, or see a difference in your children? I’d love to hear from you! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

April 16, 2019November 4, 2020

How Much Water Should I Drink?

I am sure you’ve asked the question, “how much water should I drink?” And I assume you’ve probably received the same basic answer, you should drink eight 8oz glasses of water a day.

But, a grown man of 250 pounds needs more than a woman that is 100 pounds. Never mind the weight, men need more than women, and adults need more water than children.

Your activity level, weight goals, gender, age, and the climate you live in, all effect how much water your body needs to stay hydrated.

There are so many variables to figuring out the answer to the question, “how much water should I drink?”!

Some doctors say six to eight 8oz. cups of water a day is enough, others say up to twelve 8oz cups of water a day.

It is also advised that men drink about 13 cups of water a day, and 1-2 1/2 more if you’re working hard and sweating a lot.

Women are advised to drink about 9 cups a day and also add 1-2 1/2 cups if you’re exercising, or doing something that makes you sweat more than usual.

CELLULAR DEHYDRATION

My chiropractor has a body fat percentage scale that uses bioelectrical impedance. In my pursuit of reaching my ultimate body fat goals, I would jump on it periodically to measure my body fat. It seemed that no matter how much I exercised, I was consistently at a much higher body fat percentage than I thought I should be.

Just to give you some perspective, I am a 5’ tall, 100lb female who eats a (mostly) vegan diet and exercises at least 5-6 days a week.

I thought my body fat percentage would be around 12-18%, because that’s what I feel like I look like I should be. But I was so frustrated. My body fat percentage was sitting at 24%.

I asked my chiropractor why my body fat percentage always read so high. I assumed his machine was broken.

He explained to me that the bioelectrical scale gauges the amount of lean mass, water, and fat in your body by sending a current from the metal plates under your feet through your body.

He said that at the cellular level, I was probably dehydrated, which will throw the accuracy of my body fat numbers off.

I quickly countered with, “but I drink eight, 8oz cups of water a day! That isn’t possible!” (This is 64 ounces of total water).

He chuckled and told me that ideally, I should be drinking a minimum of 12, 8oz cups of water a day, (96 ounces).

Of course, he said this also depends on the amount of exercise I am doing, as well as other factors that play in, (as I mentioned above).

He said that if I am drinking water regularly, it’s probably cellular dehydration that is throwing me off.

Sigh.

So I went and bought myself a 32oz Nalgene water bottle. (My new best friend, I’ll have you know).

I was determined to get my ninety-six ounces of water in a day by drinking 3 of those bottles of water a day.

This is not easy, but it is possible. I am here to testify that it can be done.

What most people think is enough water, really isn’t enough.

When I am training clients, my number one piece of advice is always, drink your water. I usually get a reply like, “I’m doing so good! I drank two 16oz bottles of water yesterday!”

My proverbial flower petals just wilted and I smile weakly, but encouragingly nonetheless, and say, “good job! Lets make that 3 tomorrow!”

Many simple health problems can be reversed with an adequate, daily intake of water.

When you drink 8-12 cups of water a day, your risk of kidney stones and UTI’s go down significantly. So do troublesome things such as, digestive problems and weight gain. When you stay hydrated, you’re also less likely to feel tired and low in energy.

More water throughout your day also helps with bad breath, poor sleep, dry splotchy skin, lackluster hair, sore muscles, muscle cramps, and prolonged sickness, (i.e. flu and cold).

All of those pesky things can be less troublesome simply by drinking plenty of water. Preferably 92oz a day (I suggest this for man or woman. It’s a safe starting place).

If you’re not sure, always ask your doctor what he/she advises for your daily water recommendations.

Eight to 12 8oz cups of water a day won’t hurt you. This is a great starting point. I find that I feel better when I get twelve (12) 8oz cups per day.

In the blogs to come, I show you how to drink 96oz of water in a day.

I also talk about how to make water taste good. I personally love how refreshing water tastes. However, I have met some people who cannot stand the taste of plain water. So for those of you who hate the taste, this is for you.

How much water do you drink in a day? How do you make it happen? You can comment below, and, if you want to follow me on social media, come on over! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

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