Yes, we’re finally diving into the topic you’ve all beenwaiting for. What the heck do we eat to lose weight without losing our sanity? There is so much we want to share about this that we’ve broken it into two episodes jam packed with everything you need to know about eating smarter without sacrificing flavor. Part one will make us think about the types and amounts of food we consume on a daily basis and how this effects our health. We’ll touch on things like, what’s actually important to take note of on nutrition labels (it’s not what you’ve been told), why we crave certain foods, hacks tohelp make smarter choices, how to shop at the grocery store, and swaps we made that didn’t taste sacrificial in the slightest. Make sure you tune into part two for the complete guide to our life changing food habits.

In this episode we dive into:

- What we thought we knew about serving sizes

- What’s hiding in nutrition labels

- How to retrain your body

- Learning to listen to your bodies needs

- Hacks to make mindful eating easier

- What is The Standard American Diet (SAD)

- Processed vs. Ultra processed foods

- What is “Health Washing”

- The Ultimate Grocery List

- Tricking your tastebuds

- Food swaps that actually make sense

- This Week’s “Rudimentary Ritual” – Planning for Sweets& Treats

- Recipe to try – Homemade Ramen Soup

Things we mention in this episode:

- Wild Pastures – Get $20 off your first order of grass-fed, organic, sustainably sourced meat.

Looking for ways to connect with us:

-Website

-Instagram

-YouTube

Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the right things, but for some reason that dang scale will not move? Yeah, us too. We were busy trying every diet and trend known to mankind, yet the issues we discuss in this episode weren’t even on our radar, because no one is talking about them. Well, not until recently that is. These three little “S” words can easily make or break any health or weight loss goals you throw out there. However, once you choose to work with them and not against, there’s no stopping the benefits you’ll reap.

In this episode we dive into:

-Our current culture of sleep.

-What the heck is circadian rhythm.

-Trips & Tricks to getting a better night’s sleep.

-How lack of sunshine affects our health.

-Good stress vs. bad stress and how they affect us.

-Building margin in our lives; getting comfortable quitting.

-This Week’s “Rudimentary Ritual” – Taking Time To Get Away

-Recipe to try – Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes

Things we mention in this episode:

-Shawn Stevenson – The creator and host of “The Model Health Show” a podcast that provides fun and enlightening ways to learn about health, fitness, nutrition, and personal development. Also, the New York Times bestselling author of “Eat Smarter” & “Sleep Smarter.” Two books that had a massive impact in our home.

Connect with Shawn Stevenson Website / Instagram /YouTube

-Warm Lightbulbs & Cool Lightbulbs – The right lighting can help make a big difference in your sleep patterns.

 Looking for ways to connect with us:

-Website

-Instagram

-YouTube

In this episode, we address the first step that must be taken, but is often overlooked, when trying to make healthy lifestyle changes. It has nothing to do with what you eat or how many hours you spend in the gym. Instead, change must begin in the mind. This was surprising for us too, but we quickly realized just how important this mindset shift was once we finally made it. The three topics we concentrate on in episode two were instrumental in our weight loss journey. Our hope is that once you take the time to implement them as well, you will understand why this is the first action step toward the best version of yourself.

 In this episode we dive into:

>” What’s Your Why” - what does this mean and how does it affect your health goals

>How journaling plays a part in achieving your fitness goals

>Progress over perfection – expecting set backs

>Meditation/Prayer/Gratitude

>This Week’s “Rudimentary Ritual” – List Making

>Recipe to try – Fancy Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

 Things we mention in this episode:

>Simon Sinek – Author, motivational speaker, and organizational consultant best known for his “Start with Why” concept which encourages great leaders to communicate their purpose, or “why” before explaining what to do or how to do it.

Connect with Simon Sinek Website / Instagram

>Out Of Milk App – one of our favorite list making tools, we use this app weekly to help keep grocery shopping organized.

>KitchenAid Emersion Blender – One of our favorite kitchen gadgets. This tool helps blend perfectly creamy soups.

 Looking for ways to connect with us:

>Website

>Instagram

>YouTube

In this, our maiden voyage episode, we introduce ourselvesand share with you exactly why this podcast is a must listen for anyone struggling with the feeling of hopelessness when it comes to health. There is so much noise and contradicting theories in the industry, it’s no wonder we are left confused and frustrated. Our goal is to share with you how we siftedthrough and removed what was once complicated and instead offer a real, sustainable solution to our healthy living dilemma. And why would you listen to us? Because we’re not speaking as health experts who have never truly knownwhat it’s like to experience the fatigue that comes from being overweight and unhealthy. WE’VE ACTUALLY BEEN THERE. We lost a combined 200 lbs. We did the work, put in the effort, figured out what works, what doesn’t and what is just plain ridiculous. We did this all on a budget, with limited time and resources, and as a busy family of 6. We did it and we want to let you know, you can too.

In this, our very first episode, we will explain:

>Who we are

>How we met and started a life together

>What led to us being overweight, overtired and feelinghopeless

>The struggle with “dieting” and its limited results

>Our “last straw” moment

>What worked, and why, and how it’s continued to workyears later

>Our uncomplicated approach to health

>What you can expect from each episode

 Things we mention in this episode:

>Centr – Get a free 7-day trial by clicking this link.

>Institute of Transformational Nutrition – this is where we obtained our degree in Nutritional Coaching

>Dr. William Bulsiewicz – Touted as “The Gut Health MD” -Dr. B. is a board-certified gastroenterologist, as well as a New York Times bestselling author who focuses on the gut microbiome.

Connect with Dr. B. Website / Instagram

>Shawn Stevenson – The creator and host of “The ModelHealth Show” a podcast that provides fun and enlightening ways to learn about health, fitness, nutrition, and personal development. Also, the New York Times bestselling author of “Eat Smarter” & “Sleep Smarter.” Two books that had a massive impact in our home.

Connect with Shawn Stevenson Website / Instagram / YouTube

Looking for ways to connect with us:

>Website

>Instagram

>YouTube

Get ready for a taste of what's to come from The Rudimentary Life, launching September 2025!