Small Steps

Is getting to lunch time a struggle without a snack or cup of coffee? Do you feel shaky if you don't eat or want to take a nap right after eating? Are you tired of craving sugar all the time? This week's show talks about what common thing could be behind all of that and one way to start to curb those signs.

Small Steps in the Show:

• Start to step away from idea what a "standard" breakfast is (google what other people eat across the world for breakfast if your logic brain needs more facts)
• If you want to start slow, have a savory breakfast 1-2 times a week to start, slowly up it over time, or if you wanna go all in, start with the work week- depends on your personality and preference
• Be prepared.
• Choose a route of what you're going to make (left overs vs another meal) and prep that ahead of time, pack/portion it the night before if that's helpful
• Try it for 2-3 weeks
• Pay attention to how your body is feeling- log the feelings if you need to on paper or your phone
• At the end of your experiment, see if you want to keep rocking the savory breakfast after that time, change up what you're making/eating and keep checking in with your body
• Give yourself kindness and support

Mentioned in the Show:

Small Steps Podcast #35: 6 Steps to Stop Feeling So Hungry All the Time

Smart Smoothie Formula from Tasty Yummies

Small Steps Podcast #41: 5 Health Things We Can Start to Let Go Of

Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch

Steph Gaudreau

Savory Breakfast recipes from Small Eats

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

For most of us, the more we become aware, work with or sit with our feelings, the harder it can feel. We haven't been given all the tools to deal with our emotions and feelings, so we can often feel bad, wrong, or like we're failing, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Lisa Olivera, LMFT is on the show today to talk about how we start to learn the tools, embrace the all the feels of life, and how to start building your emotional toolbox to feel more equipped to be fully present and fully alive.

About Lisa Olivera

Lisa Olivera is a licensed marriage and family therapist and writer in Oakland, California. She has a private practice and shares her writing and work on Instagram as a way to support more people in accessing the tools often only found in therapy. She is passionate about working with people on unraveling their stories, developing more self-compassion and self-acceptance, leaning deeper into vulnerability, and finding more fulfillment, joy, and presence in their relationships with life, others and themselves.

Small Steps in the Show:

• Acknowledge that all feelings are okay
• Learn how to trust yourself with your feelings
• Gather tools and support that make it easier to know you can handle feeling all of the feelings
• Reminding yourself of times when you've felt all the feelings to increase your capacity
• Set aside 1-2 times in the day or the week to start writing
• Consider giving yourself prompts or topics that feel relevant, things that happened during the day or what you're working on/through
• Consider a guided journal
• Embrace curiosity, especially around the uncertain things
• Practice non-attachment or letting go of the outcome
• Spend time in nature/go for a walk
• Try breathwork with youtube videos, books, courses or apps
• Try writing as a way to process, explore and go inward
• Try meditation at any length to start
• Build a community and connect with others
• Using mindfulness and self compassion practices
• Check in with your basic needs (food, water, sleep, getting your health checked out)
• Implementing routines and rituals that are meaningful for you, no matter how big or small

Mentioned in the Show:

Lisa's feature in the New York Times

Lisa's post about being truly, fully alive

Self Compassion by Kristen Neff

Today I Affirm By Alex Elle

Morning Pages from The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

Insight Timer

Lisa Olivera's Website

Follow Lisa on Instagram

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

There's a lot of Health Shoulds out there that, as we move forward in our health, wellness and healing journeys can start to fall short to the people we're becoming. This week's podcast talks about 5 health things that are often fueled by diet culture that we can let go of and stop listening to.

Small Steps in the Show:

• Noticing it, acknowledging it when it comes up
• Thanking it
• Choosing something else that aligns more with you
• That could be facts or something that is unique to you, could just be the opposite
• Remembering that a lot of this is diet culture BS that you get to step outside of
• See where you can remove these things in our day to day- opting out of messaging, talking with people close to us about it, especially if they subscribe to this messaging.
• Even if they're not ready to hear it for themselves, it's important to set the boundary that you don't want to talk about it with them or be around when they do
• If it feels sticky, get curious and ask if this comes from something or someone in your life that make take a little more reflection and work to loosen from
• Practice Kindness and compassion and patience.

Mentioned in the Show:

Small Steps Podcast #17 What is Diet Culture?

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

Getting pregnant and having a child have been described as all sorts of different things: magical, hard, rewarding, surprising, easy, difficult. It can be hard to know what it's like going in, and how to figure out how to stay you while you're growing a human and your body is changing. My guest today, Liz Winters, is here to talk about all of things that don't often get talked about, how you can step outside of the expectations, reclaim your power, and reconnect with you while pregnant.

About Liz Winters

Liz Winters is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, CrossFit coach, foodie, and pregnancy & postpartum wellness expert. While pregnant with her first kiddo, Liz became overwhelmed with the sea of conflicting answers on her prenatal and postpartum questions. After giving birth, she struggled with baby blues while wading through the social media sea of "get your body back" messages.

Knowing something needed to change, she's dedicated herself to helping moms and moms-to-be call BS on the unrealistic expectations laid before them, cultivate a healthy relationship with food and fitness, learn how to confidently navigate pregnancy and move through motherhood with ease.

Small Steps in the Show:

• Don't wait for the pregnant person to ask for help
• Show up and be there for the pregnant or postpartum person and potentially help
• Reach out via text and let them know you're thinking of them and their partner and not just about the baby
• Take it one breath at a time
• Pause and take a breath
• Remember transitions are temporary
• Do a body scan to reconnect with your body and mind without judgement

Mentioned in the Show:

Amy Schumer

Get Prenatal Power

Listen to the Beyond Birth Podcast

Liz Winter's Website

Follow Liz on Instagram

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

You know you want to make some changes in your life and start improving your physical, mental or emotional health and healing. And it can often feel so overwhelming on where to start and what to do first. This episode helps you figure out what to choose first, questions to reflect on, and how to start your journey off in an aligned and meaningful way for you.

Small Steps in the Show:

• Write out all the things you want to do/work on/improve in all the areas that are relevant to you
• Ask yourself the four questions to narrow it down to 1-2 things to start with
• Give yourself time to think on it, especially if you take longer to process things
• Get clear on what "success" is for you. Get specific
• Try out the area you choose for a few weeks, and if it's not feeling right/how you expect, stay the course or choose another place to focus on
• Remember this is nonlinear and could not be how you expect and that's okay
• Give yourself a lot of kindness and self compassion as you go on the journey

Mentioned in the Show:

Small Steps Podcast #29 Giving Yourself Permission To Ask for Help

Values Worksheet

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

We've all seen the videos and documentaries about the many issues of factory farming and how it affects the animals, humans who produce them and the environment. While some people choose to stop eating meat as a way to reduce harm, there are many ways we can opt into another system that treats animals, the humans that raise them and the environment in a way that not only supports, but gives back to the land. In this episode I talk with farmer Paul Grieve of Primal Pastures and Pasturebird about what that looks like and how his farms lead with transparency first.

About Paul Grieve

After changing the way he was eating to deal with chronic pain, Paul Greive discovered the higher priced meat he was buying for himself and his family wasn't actually the quality it promised. Frustrated by the industry, he and his family joked about getting chickens, and five minutes later, his brother-in-law bought 50 chicks for the backyard, and Primal Pastures began.

Primal Pastures is a family-run farm that has expanded from just pastured chicken to include other birds, grass fed lamb and beef, all raised in a way that supports animals and the land in a humane and regenerative way.

Soon after, Primal Pastures' sister company, Pasturebird, began, with the focus of providing a more affordable pastured chicken to restaurants, grocery and butcher shops and online retailers.

Small Steps in the Show:

• Check out Eat Wild to find out what farms and ranches are in your area.
• Check on farms on social media to see what they look like.
• Go see a farm in your area.
• Be really forgiving with yourself as you make these changes
• Aim to work in one meal a week where you know where almost everything comes from
• Talk with farmers and vendors at your farmers market
• Ask the farmers if you can visit the farm to see how transparent and open they are

Mentioned in the Show:

Joel Salatin

Allan Savory

Crowd Cow

Small Steps Podcast #34 with Emily Moose of A Greener World

Eat Wild

Local Harvest

Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson

Primal Pastures Website

Follow Primal Pastures on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter

Pasturebird Website

Follow Pasturebird on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

The weather is heating up for summer, and when that happens, the dial can crank up on diet culture bullshit and messaging. This week's episode has some reminders about how the changing weather does not mean you need to change your body, go on a diet or fitness program, and that you can wear whatever clothes you want, regardless of your size and what's "acceptable" from diet culture's views and more.

Small Steps in the Show:

• Check in with yourself, are you having these thoughts?
• Get curious and ask questions. Where do these thoughts come from?
• Notice those thoughts, acknowledge them, have compassion for them, and see how you can take a different action.
• Think of ways you can start to step outside of the thoughts that apply to you.
• Find people or spend more time with people that support stepping outside of diet culture and celebrate who you are right now
• Unfollow spree of people spreading those messages
• Take one or a few actions, know that they may feel weird and new and that's okay
• Have kindness and compassion for yourself and others when stepping outside of this
• Listen/read those extra resources from Taylor Gage, Steph Gaudreau and Chrissy King
• Start following other people who support stepping outside of diet culture, my suggestions are here

Mentioned in the Show:

Small Steps #17 What is Diet Culture

Jessie Mundell

Dr. Tee Williams

She Thrives Radio #28, Beach Season Reminders

Harder to Kill Radio #192, Wear the Shorts

Harder to Kill Radio #183 with Beauty Redefined

This Instagram post from Chrissy King

Inspiring People to Opt In With Blog Post

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

An important part of your health and healing can be reconnecting with your voice, owning your story and fully taking up space. Also just as important is finding the spaces where you feel like you can do that and feel comfortable. In this episode, I talk with Lestraundra Alfred of the Balanced Black Girl all about how she started to use her voice, own her story and how she pivoted to create meaningful wellness content focused on amplifying women of color.

About Lestraundra Alfred

Lestraundra Alfred is a Social Media Manager, Podcast host, experienced corporate communicator and wellness advocate. She started her first blog The Balanced Berry in 2014 to share her love of fitness and nutrition with others. After years of feeling dissatisfied with the lack of diversity in wellness content shared on large platforms, she pivoted to create Balanced Black Girl Podcast in 2018. Balanced Black Girl is a lifestyle brand that provides content and experiences empowering women of color to live their healthiest lives.

Small Steps in the Show:

• Check out the guests on the Balanced Black Girl Podcast and visit them if they're in your area or you're going to be in their cities.
• Look into a brand/space/event's website or social media presence to see how much they are or are not speaking to a diverse group of people, showing or stating being a safe space for lots of different people, and who the staff is
• Get outside your usual radius for in person events or spaces
• Unpack any beliefs around going to the areas outside your radius, if needed.
• Bring a friend with you, especially to less diverse spaces
• Own/start using the name that you use that resonates with you
• Share your opinions, thoughts and/or unique experience and perspective, even if they're not what everyone else thinks in small comfortable settings
• Start showing up as you more and more in places you feel more safe and secure in
• Don't apologize for your opinions, thoughts and/or experiences.

Mentioned in the Show:

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Ignited Womxn Summit

Balanced Black Girl Book Club

Balanced Black Girl Podcast #27 with Irie Love

Balanced Black Girl Podcast #26 with Briana Owens

Listen to the Balanced Black Girl Podcast

Balanced Black Girl Website

Follow Lestraundra on Instagram

Follow Balanced Black Girl on Instagram | Facebook Community

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

Do you feel like, no matter how often you eat, you're hungry an hour later? Constantly looking for snacks or getting snacks to have on you at all times? That can be exhausting. Today I talk about 6 steps you can try to adjust what and how you're eating to finally feel fuller, longer, and not NEED to have a stash of snacks at all times.

Small Steps in the Show:

• Stay Hydrated
• Get your ratios more dialed in
• Check the speed of your eating
• Be present while you're eating
• Check how much of your food is in liquid form
• Eat more
• Be kind to yourself

Mentioned in the Show:

Small Steps #17 What is Diet Culture

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

Food labels and claims have become more confusing and vague, especially when it comes to animal products. When we spend more money to make an ethical choice, we think we're voting with our dollars, but potentially we're not making the impact we really think we are due to confusing terms and a lack of government oversight. Organizations like A Greener World have taken things in their hands and have created labeling and labeling resources to help you get the food you intended to buy.

About Emily Moose

As Director of Communications and Outreach for A Greener World, Emily Moose leads the nonprofit's outreach team, guiding communications, serving farmers and consumers and developing new programs and initiatives--including AGW's labeling support, volunteer and membership programs. She's a co-editor of Food Labels Exposed, AGW's definitive guide to food labels, and has been featured in numerous conferences, publications and media outlets including Rodale's Organic Life, Civil Eats and NPR. Emily is a total food label geek who loves empowering sustainability, transparency, and the interdependence of farmers and eaters.

About A Greener World

A Greener World (AGW) identifies, audits, certifies and promotes practical, sustainable farming systems by supporting farmers and ranchers and informing consumers. AGW's growing family of trusted certifications includes Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, Certified Grassfed by AGW and Certified Non-GMO by AGW. Each program is designed to have positive and measurable impacts on the environment, society and animals, and to encourage truly sustainable farming practices. AGW's standards and procedures are robust, transparent and achievable.

A nonprofit funded by public donations and membership, AGW offers a range of resources to help people make informed food choices, including an Online Directory of certified farms and products and Food Labels Exposed--a definitive guide to food label claims (available in print, online, and as a smartphone app).

Small Steps in the Show:

• Look for a third party certification
• Stop rewarding greenwashing and make sure you're getting what you pay for
• Look at the AGW Grassfed Label Comparison Chart to see what aligns with what you want and can afford with your purchases
• Read the Food Labels Exposed guide
• Consider not buying certain products if you're specifically looking for humanely raised products with meaningful labels and can't find them.
• Spread the word about certifications and food labels with people in your life
• Reconnect with how food is raised and share that with others
• Ask your stores, farmers and companies for certified choices
• Use A Greener World's letter as a guide to ask stores, farmers and companies for certified choices
• Thank those who are taking positive action
• Consider getting involved with A Greener World as a member or volunteer
• Check the AGW Directory to find products that match your values

Mentioned in the Show:

Food Labels Exposed Guide

Consumer Reports Greener Choices

A Greener World's Product Directory

Grassfed Label Comparison Chart

North Carolina Natural Hog Growers Association

Central Grazing Company

Green Dirt Farm

A Greener World's Website

Become a member of A Greener World

Follow A Greener World on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.