Self Care Simplified

When it comes to nutrition problems, most people confess that they probably eat too much. They'll admit that if they could just get their portions under control and stop overeating, then they'll experience the results that they're looking for. 

The most common and obvious methods of controlling portion sizes are:

• Calorie counting
• Macronutrient counting
• "Point" counting

But each of these methods are tedious and life-draining, plus they perpetuate the diet-mentality. There's a much better way to manage the amount of food that you eat that doesn't involve any counting at all. 

On this episode we're going to talk about strategies that help you stay in control of the quantity of food that you're eating without overlooking the quality of the food you're eating. Best of all, it's easy and non-obsessive! 

More Resources:

• [Article] Portion Control: Never Count a Calorie Again! 
• [Podcast episode] Trick or Treat! All about sugar, candy and sweets!  
• Strong Mommas healthy meal plans 

We’re going to cover a lot of ground on today's episode, because we’re answering YOUR questions!! I'm going to answer listener questions about: 

• goal setting in the new year,
• dialing in your nutrition for more results,
• staying motivated when you get discouraged,
• C-sections and the core aftermath,
• knee pain with lunges,
• what to eat when you’re breastfeeding,
• and then balancing all the things in life.

Do you have a nutrition, fitness, or life/mindset question you'd like answered on an upcoming episode of The Strong Mommas Podcast? Go ahead and send your questions to [email protected] 

More Resources from this episode: 

• [Video] How to Set Better Fitness & Nutrition Goals 
• [Podcast episode] All About Your Core! 
• [Podcast episode] Simple Nutrition for Overwhelmed Moms

When you're feeling sick, should you "sweat it out", or completely rest? Will certain foods actually help you heal quicker and others won't? And what can you do the rest of the year to create an iron-clad immune system? 

As we're at the threshold of cold and flu season, these are the questions that you'll need answers for. So, whether you're currently battling a cold or not, you should have a good sick-day game plan! 

On this episode, my co-host Scott and I chat all about:

• Goal-switching when you get sick,
• Stress and the immune system, 
• Exercising with a mild cold vs. "the plague"
• The one-to-one rest day rule of thumb
• Honey, elderberries, chicken soup, pre-/pro-biotics

Resources from this episode:

Dynamic Warm-Up - bodyweight only circuit with just enough intensity

Intermediate Strength Flow - gentle, fluid strengthening circuit

Crockpot Tuscan Chicken Stew -  delicious alternative to the classic chicken noodle soup

Orange Banana Green Smoothie - my go-to sick day smoothie, packed with good nutrients

This episode is going to blow your mind. Well, it might blow up most of what you know about nutrition and bring intense clarity to where you're at, personally, and what nutrition things matter and what things don’t.

I believe that our biggest failure with nutrition is failing to see that there are different skill levels with healthy eating. Some eating habits are ideal for someone that's just beginning to make healthy eating choices, whereas certain habits are far more advanced. Unfortunately, many people unknowingly jump directly to the advanced eating skills and fail miserably. 

This episode could be the most comprehensive discussion on nutrition and eating behaviors that you've ever experienced. This is where healthy eating all begins, but also what it can become. 

More Resources from this episode: 

• The Strong Mommas Coaching Program - Registration open for just a couple more days! Click the link to learn more and join now! 
• FREE Eating Skills Overview - pdf download
• Why Me Want Eat: Fixing Your Food F*ckuptitude by Krista Scott-Dixon

How can you keep up with your workouts during the holiday season so you stay fit and strong? On this episode, Scott and I are chatting all about when you get thrown off your normal rhythm and can't seem to find the time to workout. 

We're going to discuss the most common fitness mistakes people make during the Christmas season, including putting it off until the new year, not utilizing "maintenance mode" tactics, determining what's non-negotiable for you, and not having an arsenal of quick, bodyweight-only workouts to utilize. 

You're going to learn:

• How lowering your expectations can prevent derailing
• "Always something is better than all-or-nothing"
• How to avoid digressing during December
• Why you need to avoid being a "Martha"

Let's make some deliberate choices to stay fit this season, while not stressing ourselves out about it! 

More Resources:

The Strong Mommas Coaching Program - Registration is open now! 

Quick No-Equipment Workout 

What if this holiday season was different? What if we made a handful of better decisions and purposefully avoided some common mistakes this season? What if we entered 2020 feeling content and at peace with our bodies, rather than feeling in need of a drastic health overhaul?

On this episode, we're tackling 8 common nutrition and mindset mistakes we make during the holidays, from mindless overeating to not employing the "sample technique" or the "half your plate veggies" technique. 

I want us to really examine the things that lead us to that point of holiday misery and to see if there is a way to be healthy but not have a lame holiday season! 

Our actions and choices this time of year can sometimes leave us feeling more miserable and downcast about our bodies than any other time of year. My prayer is for all of your negative and self-loathing thoughts that you have about your body to shatter and disappear, so you can finally enjoy your body and feel at peace in it, especially during the holidays. The action steps in this episode will be so helpful! 

Resources from this episode: 

The Strong Mommas Coaching Program! Registration opens December 1-12!! 

Not liking our bodies, or having a negative body image, is so common that we usually don't give it much thought. However, thinking negatively about your body can feel like it's rotting your soul, if left to its own devices. 

I know that one of your deepest desires is to get to a place where you don’t have anything negative to say about your body...where you can be wonderfully content, and grateful, and actually like your body. 

The good news is that it's possible, and you don't even have to wait until you reach your goals!

On this episode, Scott and I discuss the 3 Big Negative Thought Patterns and the 9 Strategies for getting past them. By the end of this episode, you'll feel equipped to take charge of your mindset better and you'll feel hopeful that you can actually like your body after all. 

Resources from this episode: 

• Strong Mommas Coaching Program - It's back!!! Registration opens 12/1/19-12/12/19
• Couch to Strong Momma 8-week training program
• Psalm 139:14
• Psalm 119:73
• Isaiah 44:24
• Deuteronomy 7:6
• Galatians 4:7
• Philippians 2:3-4
• Mark 12:31
• 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

We all crave to be supported, especially by the ones we love the most. But we don't often get this luxury. Usually, we're trying to make healthy choices in an environment that may not be very conducive to our success. More often than not, our own home and family members can feel like the biggest obstacles standing between us and our goals. And not only that, but we truly desire for our family members to jump on board and make the same healthy changes with us! Isn't that ideal?? 

On this episode, Scott and I chat about having the right attitude with our health and fitness journey, and how you can be a powerful influence in your home without being aggressive or forceful. 

We talk about the do's and don'ts for when your family isn't on board with you: phrases you should and should not say, how to ask for their support with humility, and how to stay focused on the things you CAN change, not the things you can't. 

Resources from this episode:

• Couch to Strong Momma 8-Week Beginner Program 
• 1 Peter 3:1-4  

How does your menstrual cycle affect your eating habits, your hunger, and your cravings? How does it affect your ability to workout hard and get the most from your training sessions? And how does it affect your mood and enthusiasm? The truth is that your menstrual cycle can impact just about everything, so it's foolish to ignore it and not plan for it effectively.

On this episode, we're going to chat all about the menstrual cycle. You'll learn that there are reasonable explanations and solutions for something that can feel so completely unreasonable at times.

We'll talk about:

• the main phases of our cycle and the primary hormones that are in play,
• the specific effect those hormones have on our hunger, cravings, energy, and mood,
• how to be more prepared with your nutrition,
• and how to organize your month of workouts around your cycle.

We'll also briefly talk about not having a regular menstrual cycle and what that might be indicating for you. 

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Couch to Strong Momma 8-Week Beginner Program available now!! 
• (Article from Girls Gone Strong) Menstrual Matters: How your cycle may affect your training

Let's have an honest conversation about candy, sugar, and all sorts of sweet treats! As we come into the holidays, especially Halloween, sweets abound. It's helpful if we can enter this season with a good knowledge base to help influence our choices about treats.

On this episode, Scott and I are going to discuss:

• The short- and long-term dangers of eating a diet high in sugar
• How much sugar is too much?
• Appropriately reading food labels 
• Becoming more aware of the hidden sugars we eat every day

We're going to chat about the best ways to practice reducing your sugar intake on a regular basis so you feel like you have more control. We'll also specifically tackle strategies for handling Halloween candy. 

We want you to have a sound mind. Use good judgment. And be disciplined and wise when surrounded by candy and sweet treats. 

MORE Resources from this episode: 

• Available Friday, November 1st!! The brand new Couch to Strong Momma 8-Week Beginner Workout Program (Don't miss the special early bird pricing for the first 24 hours!) 
• (Article) Halloween: This is why you should eat the candy. 
• (Article) Eight Tips on How to Splurge Correctly