Fit + Fueled Life: Perimenopause, GLP-1s + Fat Loss Over 40

One of the biggest mistakes I see when women are trying to lose weight is hopping from diet to diet to diet. They cut their calories super low and stop seeing progress... because depriving your body of calories is veryyyy stressful on the body.

You need to earn the right to diet.

In fact, most of your life should be spent in maintenance and a cut should only happen about once or twice per year.

But when it's time to cut and your body (and overall health) is ready to cut, here are some factors to consider for your cut length:

8-WEEK CUT:

You have trouble with consistency

You hate restriction

You have a deadline/event/vacation coming up

You don’t like tracking your food

You don’t like cardio

You tend to be ‘all or nothing’ with your approach and mindset

You don’t mind changing your life temporarily to get results

Your life isn’t crazy-busy

You don’t have much weight to lose

You just finished a bulk phase

You spent a decent amount of time in maintenance

You tend to be someone who quits and loses motivation

16-WEEK CUT:

You don’t want a diet to interfere with your life too much

You don’t want a cut to affect your social life (i.e. upcoming girls’ weekend, your birthday)

You enjoy tracking your food, meal prep, etc.

You like the accountability and structure of tracking your food, having a plan, etc.

You want to be able to make tweaks to your cut

Your calories are high and you have plenty of room to cut

You don’t like to be hungry/you don’t like restriction

Your life is fairly busy and you know you can’t give 100% effort all the time

You want the cut to be easy

You have a significant amount of weight to lose

You understand that the slower you lose, the easier it is to maintain

Want to learn more about how to properly change your body composition and maintain your results? Find out more here: https://carrotsncake.lpages.co/coaching/

*****

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If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/lifestyle

Grab my macro cookbook on Amazon! https://rstyle.me/+UGeGlgcWbVZdkcObYJIfBQ

Can you relate to eating 1,200 – 1,400 calories and NOT seeing results?

If so, please know that you are not alone. We see it often with the women who come to us for nutrition coaching.

Eating below your energy needs is so common among women (thanks, diet culture) and oftentimes it prevents them from getting the results they want. In fact, chronically under-eating can lead to hormone imbalance, metabolism issues, and thyroid problems, all of which can actually cause weight gain.

When Renee came to me, she was under-eating and struggling to change her body composition. She was also dealing with thyroid issues and awful periods.

“I remember I was eating 1,200 calories…1,200 to 1,400 calories was my jam, and I thought I was doing everything right, but my hormones were jacked up.”

Changing your physique, metabolism, and overall health takes time, and Renee was patient with the process.

We worked together for an entire year, but as you'll hear in this episode, directly from Renee, it was worth it and even 'life-changing' with regard to how she now approaches her health and physique goals.

Responsibly changing your body composition takes time and patience, and the biggest mistake I see women make when trying to lose weight is embarking on diet after diet, which stresses out the body, lowers your metabolism, and leads to frustration.

Instead of working against your metabolism and doing further damage to your health (or, worse, gaining more weight), working with a coach (like me!) and committing to the process can finally get you the sustainable results you want once and for all!

Interested in working with a CNC coach? Find out more here: https://carrotsncake.lpages.co/coaching/

*****

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe so you never have to miss an episode!

Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected].

Follow me on Instagram @carrotsncake

Subscribe for the latest updates and free resources: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/free

If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/lifestyle

Grab my macro cookbook on Amazon! https://rstyle.me/+UGeGlgcWbVZdkcObYJIfBQ

A lot of women want a plan to follow. They want to know, “How much should I eat?” or "What macros should I follow?”

They feel like ‘nothing is working’ and they simply don’t have the time to sit around throwing spaghetti at the wall, struggling to figure it all out.

Sound familiar?

If so, you’re not alone!

Knowing your macros, how to adjust them according to your specific goals, incorporating the right exercises for you, and having support throughout the process are all essential pieces to your personal health puzzle.

Inside my exclusive 8-week group coaching program, Create Your Masterplan Method, you’ll learn everything you need to achieve sustainable fat loss while successfully mastering macro nutrition, nutrition periodization, and optimal fitness all while keeping your hormones, metabolism, thyroid, and more, in balance.

​Enrollment is open NOW!

With weekly live coaching calls and unlimited access to me via our group WhatsApp chat, this is the closest you can get to 1:1 coaching, for a truly affordable rate. And, unlike with most 1:1 coaching programs, you’ll learn exactly how to do it for yourself which means you can continue getting (and maintaining) incredible results for yourself, long after the program ends.

Win – Win!

Now is your time to finally create a personalized masterplan for your ultimate success.

Click the link below to learn more and register for the Create Your Masterplan Method, today before registration closes on Sunday, February 13th. (We officially start on Monday, February 14th!)

https://carrotsncake.lpages.co/mentorship/

Missed the FREE 5-day nutrition training?

You can sign up here: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/pl/2147557826

*****

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe so you never have to miss an episode!

Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected].

Follow me on Instagram @carrotsncake

Subscribe for the latest updates and free resources: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/free

If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/lifestyle

Grab my macro cookbook on Amazon! https://rstyle.me/+UGeGlgcWbVZdkcObYJIfBQ

Welcome to another episode of the Carrots ‘N’ Cake Podcast. A common conundrum we hear when working with clients is the challenge of how to deal with sugar cravings. Sugar cravings are super common and something most of us have experienced. Want to understand the why and learn what you can do to conquer them, listen in!

First, I revisit my personal story in dealing with my sweet tooth. I share:

- I was eating little real food and in between meals, I ate cookies, muffins, & chocolate.

- 80% of my diet was sugar and carbs with only 20% being healthy, real food.

- I was in a counting calories mindset vs quality of food approach.

- I felt out of control around food. I couldn’t stop eating plates of cookies and whole batches of muffins.

- I woke up craving sugar and even binged on it.

- I was training for a marathon and not properly fueling myself.

Next up, I dive into why sugar is addictive. The highlights include:

- When we consume sugar, we get a natural elevation in our neurotransmitters, aka it makes us feel.

- It triggers dopamine, which is the reward center of our brain.

- It also impacts serotonin, which makes us feel good.

But this boost in all those feel good hormones is short-lived. It quickly dissipates and leaves us with less than desirable consequences, such as:

- Excess sugar can cause inflammation in the body.

- It is a stressor on the body.

There are general 3 common themes that I see with clients when it comes to sugar cravings:

- Eating the wrong foods/not a great macro balance: Not enough protein and fiber, tons of carbs. Blood sugar rollercoaster. Highs and lows, hypoglycemia reaction.

- HPA-axis dysfunction aka adrenal fatigue: We are burned out, stressed, doing too much, exhausted, tired and wired, fueled by a sugar (and caffeine addiction), makes us crave more.

- Emotional component of sugar: Eating for comfort & to relieve stress.

You’ve probably heard the usual tactics suggested to combat sugar cravings:

- Drink more water

- Brush your teeth

- Get tempting foods out of the house

The goal? To create awareness around what’s going on.

The strategies I share to eliminate sugar cravings include:

- Developing mindfulness around what is going on in life.

- Eat enough quality food!

- Sleep! So important for regulating cravings.

- Reduce stress wherever possible.

- Stay hydrated!

I hope you enjoy this episode and find these tips and tricks helpful to stop feeling like a slave to your sugar cravings. Need more? Download this awesome 7-Day Sugar-Free Meal Plan: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/040a0c9502

More on my personal struggles with sugar:

https://carrotsncake.com/how-i-beat-my-sugar-addiction/

https://carrotsncake.com/revisiting-my-sugar-addiction/

Need more nutrition guidance? Sign up for my FREE 5-Day Create Your Nutrition Masterplan Training: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/pl/2147557826

Thrive Market Deal: Get 40% OFF your first order and a FREE gift when you join Thrive Market!: https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7488532-15098253

*****

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe so you never have to miss an episode!

Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected].

Follow me on Instagram @carrotsncake

Subscribe for the latest updates and free resources: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/free

If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/lifestyle

Grab my macro cookbook on Amazon! https://rstyle.me/+UGeGlgcWbVZdkcObYJIfBQ

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Copyright Carrots 'N' Cake

Welcome back to another episode of the Carrots 'N' Cake podcast. I am so excited to share today's episode which is all about my favorite topic, hormones! I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Greg Brannon, who shared a wealth of knowledge that I know you'll love.

Dr. Greg Brannon founded Optimal Bio in 2012 and now acts as the medical director for Optimal Bio in North Carolina and works as an OB/GYN. During his 30-year career as an OB/GYN in the Raleigh area, Dr. Brannon became interested in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy methods around 2006. Upon seeing the success that many of his friends had experienced with BHRT, he performed his own research, concluded that it was viable and effective, and started the therapy on himself.

He was inspired by the improvements he saw in himself, and thus Optimal Bio was born. Since officially launching in 2012, the team at Optimal Bio has treated thousands of patients, both men and women, ages 18 to 86 and the results have been astounding. Dr. Brannon personally attends to patients in each of his four locations to provide the best possible care. He has been featured on many podcasts and is the author of The Hormone Handbook and loves to share the ways hormonal balance can improve people's lives and wellbeing.

We cover an array of topics, including:

- How exercise can help with hormone levels.

- Which foods can affect hormone levels.

- What in our everyday lives and environment affects hormone levels.

- How age affects our hormone levels, are they safe, side effects

You can find even more in Dr. Brannon's Book, Back to the Basics: Life Revitalization Through Bio-identical Hormones: https://rstyle.me/+dUF0b4JzddsYWVnKX6v6JA Save 5% on Berkey Water Filter: https://www.berkeyfilters.com/?a_aid=5ab92decb4f05&a_bid=2c56f797

Other resources we reference in this interview include:

- My Berkey review: https://carrotsncake.com/berkey-water-filter-review-promo-code/

*****

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe so you never have to miss an episode!

Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected].

Follow me on Instagram @carrotsncake

Subscribe for the latest updates and free resources: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/free

If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/lifestyle

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Copyright Carrots 'N' Cake

Do you feel like something is out of whack with your hormones, but you're not sure what to do about it? This podcast episode will help guide you in the right direction!

We have SO many clients that come to us having similar symptoms:

- Weight loss resistance

- Slow metabolism

- Heavy periods and PMS

- Poor sleep

- Mood swings

& more!

Does this sound like you? We have 3 different ways to you can work with our team to re-balance your hormones and feel good in your skin again.

- 1:1 Coaching and Hormone Testing: A holistic fat loss approach using hormone testing and macro nutrition. We do all the work and create a custom nutrition plan for you.

- Group Coaching: An 8-week sustainable fat loss mentorship for women over 30. I teach you how to create a custom nutrition master plan for yourself. Next group starts February, 14 2022!

- Lifestyle Membership: An online nutrition and fitness community for women who want to master their health, hormones, and body composition goals. Our private Facebook community and live coaching calls support your health goals every step of the way. Enrollment is now open!

What's our coaching philosophy? Glad you asked! We have 3 core pillars we focus on with our clients to help educate, problem solve, and support them for long-term success.

- We look at the data with a science-based approach.

- We have a custom plan that's tailored to the whole person.

- We provide accountability and support for all the victories and challenges along the way!

Ready to learn more? DM me on Instagram @carrotsncake or email me at [email protected] with some information about your current situation - happy to help point you in the right direction!

*****

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe so you never have to miss an episode!

Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected].

Follow me on Instagram @carrotsncake

Subscribe for the latest updates and free resources: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/free

If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/lifestyle

Welcome back to another new episode of the Carrots 'N' Cake Podcast! In this week's episode, I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with fellow entrepreneur, Amanda Gilman, on all things business.

Amanda Gilman is the founder of AMG Snacks, which she launched in 2019. After spending years making her own snacks, she was inspired to share these delicious eats with others. Over the years, she created her own flavors through recipe experimentation and sharing with family and friends.

Prior to AMG Snacks, Amanda was a Managing Director in the Balance Sheet Analysis and Strategy group at a NY-based investment bank, where she worked with financial institutions in the areas of balance sheet management. Between long days at the office and traveling to clients, Amanda needed easily accessible, on-the-go snacks. Most “healthy” snack options turned out to have processed ingredients or a texture that was too tough for her “TMJ” syndrome (a jaw disorder that causes pain or discomfort when irritated). When she could not find exactly what she was looking for she turned to her studio apartment kitchen in New York City and made her own snacks.

Amanda’s energy bite snacks are made with a short list of high quality, all-natural ingredients. These bitesize snacks are packed with essential nutrients needed to fuel our bodies: healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Amanda became excited about the potential idea of creating a business around an organic idea. She started researching one item a day to figure out what it would take to start a business. After 6 months of research, Amanda took the leap to pursue AMG Snacks full time and launched the business in December of 2019 through online sales and began to hit the ground to get into retail locations.

Amanda and I dive into:

- How she got her business off the ground. Aka it seems like a lot to take on as one person (sales, production, marketing, accounting, operations, logistics)?

- How she managed as the business grew?

- How did the pandemic impacted her business and plan?

- What's her favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

- What does the process look like to get into retail locations?

- What advice would she give to someone who is sitting at a job they don't like with an idea they want to pursue?

You can find Amanda (and her amazing snacks!) on IG @amgsnacks or www.amgsnacks.com.

*****

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe so you never have to miss an episode!

Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected].

Follow me on Instagram @carrotsncake

Subscribe for the latest updates and free resources: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/free

If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/lifestyle

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Copyright Carrots 'N' Cake

In this episode, I chat with Hope Pedraza, who is a certified Pilates Instructor, certified personal trainer, Certified Holistic Nutritionist specializing in plant-based nutrition, completing her education to be a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P) as well as a blogger and podcaster. She is the founder of inBalance, a pilates based boutique fitness franchise that is changing bodies and souls.

Hope helps women lose weight and heal their body with a plant-focused diet and uses movement and nutrition to lead others to live with purpose.

Hope and I enjoyed diving into the topic of healing the gut with plant-based nutrition. Some of the topics we discussed include:

- What are the real benefits of a plant-based diet?

- How can a plant-based diet help heal the gut?

- What are some of the biggest sources of digestive issues?

- What are some of the biggest causes of food sensitivities?

- How does inflammation affect digestion?

- Why is fiber so important?

- What about people with severe digestion issues?

I hope you love this episode with Hope! You can find more from Hope @thehopepedraza on Instagram and https://inbalance.vipmembervault.com/products.

*****

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe so you never have to miss an episode!

Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected].

Follow me on Instagram @carrotsncake

Subscribe for the latest updates and free resources: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/free

If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/lifestyle

In this episode I dive into the 5 things I wish I knew sooner about hormones. Newsflash! Hormonal imbalance isn’t the problem. It’s the result of an underlying issue. And you’ve got to find that underlying issue to repair the imbalance properly.⁠

⁠

Hormonal imbalance is NOT normal. Not at 20, not at 30, not even at 40 or 50. It’s not a ‘getting older’ thing. Don’t let your doctor tell you otherwise.⁠

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The Pill is not the solution. Sure, there are supplements you can take to improve your hormonal balance, but the Pill is NOT the end all be all solution. I might 'regulate' your symptoms for a period of time, but you're also shutting off your natural hormones, which can lead to more issues in the future. ⁠

⁠

What you eat (or don’t eat) matters. A diet high in processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, sugar and low in the micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in fresh fruit and veggies can throw your body out of whack and cause your hormones to go wonky.⁠

⁠

Managing stress is KEY. Once stress is managed all these great things can happen: better blood sugar balance, loss of body fat and stubborn belly fat, reduced cellulite, better muscle mass, reduced cravings, and better sleep.⁠

⁠

If 19 year old me had known all these things, I can’t even imagine how differently things would have gone.⁠

⁠

However, now that I know better, I do better, and I teach my clients to do the same.⁠

⁠

Think you’re struggling with a hormonal imbalance? My team can help you get to the root cause and help create a solution to improve your situation.⁠ Our in-depth hormone testing and includes specific strategies personalized for your needs and geared to get you the best results possible.⁠

⁠

Apply for 1:1 coaching and hormone testing:

https://carrotsncake.lpages.co/coaching/

SPECIAL BONUS: Sign up before 12/17 and receive a FREE Hair Test Mineral Analysis (HTMA) + personalized protocol!

Additional podcast episodes:

EP13: CNC Coaching & Functional Testing: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep13-cnc-coaching-functional-testing/id1539296304?i=1000502403557

EP77: All about the Dutch Test: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep77-all-about-the-dutch-test/id1539296304?i=1000530788423

EP62: My journey with hormone imbalance and what I did about it: https://carrotsncake.com/my-journey-with-hormone-imbalance-and-what-i-did-about-it/

*****

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe so you never have to miss an episode!

Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected].

Follow me on Instagram @carrotsncake

Subscribe for the latest updates and free resources: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/free

If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://carrotsncake.lpages.co/lifestyle/

Wondering if 1:1 coaching and/or hormone testing is right for you?

In this episode, I share a number of transformations and testimonials from past and current clients as well as some 'behind the scenes' information about our coaching program. Tune in to find out if our program is a good fit for you!

Applications are now open for January 2022. Get all of the details and apply here: https://carrotsncake.lpages.co/coaching/

Additional podcast episodes:

EP13: CNC Coaching & Functional Testing: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep13-cnc-coaching-functional-testing/id1539296304?i=1000502403557

EP77: All about the Dutch Test: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep77-all-about-the-dutch-test/id1539296304?i=1000530788423

*****

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe so you never have to miss an episode!

Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected].

Follow me on Instagram @carrotsncake

Subscribe for the latest updates and free resources: https://carrotsncake.ck.page/free

If you're looking for a health-minded group of women who want to support and lift you up as you work toward your goals, please consider joining the CNC Lifestyle: https://programs.carrotsncake.com/lifestyle