Erica Chidi is an author, founder,  culinary school graduate, and one of the most genuinely knowledgeable people in the wellness space — and today, she's sitting down with me for an honest, friend-to-friend conversation about one of the most relatable struggles out there: how to actually feed yourself well when your calendar is back-to-back all week. I open up about my own journey navigating nutrition since being diagnosed with Graves' Disease, sharing the shifts I’ve already made, like cutting out sugar and processed foods, adding protein powder, and keeping a rotisserie chicken on hand. 

Erica brings her signature clarity and warmth to the conversation, introducing a concept she calls "nutritional redundancy,"  the liberating idea that being comfortable eating the same nourishing meals on repeat is a feature, not a bug. She breaks down exactly why protein is non-negotiable for women's health, how to build a breakfast that stabilizes your blood sugar and changes the entire trajectory of your day, and why women should stop taking nutritional cues from gym bros on the internet. We get into the tinned fish renaissance, the right way to think about supplementing, the nuances of GLP-1 medications, and why getting regular bloodwork is one of the most powerful things you can do to shift your relationship with your body from superficial to substantive. This episode is packed with practical, actionable wisdom.

Tune in as we discuss

• ( 00:00) Intro & Brooke's Graves' Disease diagnosis
• (02:00) Dietary changes that reduced inflammation
• (08:00) Guest intro: Erica Chidi on eating well while busy
• (09:00) "Nutritional redundancy" — the habit that makes healthy eating easier
• (11:00) How morning protein stabilizes blood sugar & reduces cravings
• (13:30) Erica's high-protein breakfast rotation
• (17:00) What to eat if you're not hungry in the morning
• (20:00) Easy high-protein lunch ideas for busy women
• (21:30) Why tinned fish is the ultimate quick meal (+ the SMASH acronym)
• (25:30) Why women's nutrition needs are different from men's
• (27:00) The plate rule: protein + fat + fiber every meal
• (29:00)  Function Health app: how to track your labs & biological age
• (32:30) GLP-1 medications: benefits beyond weight loss
• (37:00) Lightning round: Erica's top pantry & fridge staples
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Products Mentioned

• Brodo Bone Broth
• JEM Organics Cashew Cardamom Almond Butter
• MALK Unsweetened Almond Milk
• Fishwife Tinned Fish
• Shuk Shuka Ready-to-Eat Shakshuka 
• Eden Foods Organic Pumpkin Seeds
• Bari California Olive Oil
• Function Health 

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