By almost every measure, 2020 was not a whole lot of fun.
Aside from the need to plan ahead and be careful, we had to master weird new buzzwords like “social distancing” and “flatten the curve.” Plus, there was an underlying apprehension that simply did not go away.
If fun was on your agenda in 2020, but it got derailed, you can still make plans to inject fun into your life in 2021. For instance:
• If you are working at home, create a fun reward for meeting project deadlines like going for a walk or playing Words With Friends.
• Research new kinds of safe weekend getaways like a cool Airbnb rental at the beach
• Sign up for an online class and study a subject you have always wanted to learn
• Start that travel fund toward a month in Bali for when the world opens up safely again
Fun is a necessary part of life.
In fact, it is one of “The 7 F’s of Oola” that I used to commonly skip out on.
I would put other things above having fun.
Going through a 10 week coaching based on the Oola book series on finding balance in an unbalanced world, helped me to realize how out of balance my fun was.
If you are like me and seeking to find more balance in your unbalanced world, then grab my guide to help you determine if one of Oola’s coaching options is a good fit for you.
If recent events have caused you to re-think your lifestyle, your finances, your health, your relationships and your future, you have a unique opportunity to make 2021 better than the year we have just been through.
Are you ready to have fun again in 2021 while reaching for growth in the major areas of your life?
Go out and create moments of fun.
XO,
Terra
It is getting to be that time of year! All of the goodies and sweet treats will be out in full force.
As a woman who married into a family of foodies but who’s body requires making smart lifestyle decisions, this can be a slippery slope.
Do not get me wrong, I love sweet treats. I have not, however, had them so abundantly available to me growing up. So now that I am around other families that do not do what my family does, I find it more challenging to resist those tasty treats!
So what is a girl to do? Make versions for herself!
So I will admit, I like to bake. I however do not always have time to do so. I do have to pick and choose which goodies to make for myself and which ones to give myself grace on.
Please, if you decide to enjoy some of those sweet treats, give yourself grace in those moments. Learn from them and love yourself. It was one day and you can make better decisions next time. That cookie or piece of pie will not be your undoing.
With that said, let’s back to baking! I have had to relearn how to do this baking thing over the last few years.
I am sensitive to gluten and dairy. I learned this through an elimination protocol. While I feel so much better without these foods, I was missing some of my favorites.
I am so thankful for the many resources that exist today. Danielle Walker is my favorite resource. Her book Celebrations:A Year of Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Paleo Recipes for Every Occasion, was a game changer for me at the holidays.
If you are looking info alternative baking and cooking, please go check out her stuff! She has a website with lots of freebies.
Here are a few things I have done to help me enjoy treats as well as stay within my lifestyle choices.
Looked into the alternatives: I looked into different flour options as well as dairy alternatives, and most importantly lower glycemic options for sugar. Things like almond flour, coconut milks/creams, monk fruit, and date syrup.
Looked for already prepped items: I found some many options to pie crust, alternative whips, and chocolate chips that are for people with food allergies (I promise they taste so good).
Lastly, I simply asked if anyone else is willing to try and make tasty treats for me. Whether it is my mother-in-law who also loves to bake or I am at a bakery. I check out my options and go from there.
While I will never eat perfectly during the holiday season, I try my best. These are just a few things I have done to help support my body better with food while also enjoying some of my favorite things when it comes to the holidays.
So go out there, give it your best go, and just enjoy the day. No matter what you eat, enjoy it!
Cheers to the Holiday Season,
Terra
Working in modern day medicine, I have become disenchanted with the way chronic and complicated cases are handled. As a woman working on her healing journey with PCOS, I feel like there is a better way.
There are a lot of things I have seen, but even with my working knowledge, I have even been treated in a similar way.
Have you ever been told to take a medication just because of your diagnosis?
I know I have! I was told to get back onto birth control.
I had regular cycles. I was told that because I had PCOS, it would be a good idea to get back on them.
This was 1 year post pregnancy and we were planning to have more children at that time. I was not educated on why it would be important, and my lab results did not show a need for it.
Maybe you have had this one happen to you too...my physician wanted to up a medication strength.
It was based on my weight...again post pregnancy. I had labs taken, but at no point were the labs considered in the decision making process. Had the lab results reflected the need for this, I would have complied.
To me, this sounds like textbook protocols. Last time I checked...which I can attest to as something that happens with orthopedic injuries...we are all made different. There is not one cookie cutter approach that works on all people.
After receiving my lab results, I knew I had to start doing my own homework on my PCOS!
Here are some more thoughts on the Bandage Approach…
My PCOS was not just an inherited condition I would have to live with for the rest of my life. I did not have to allow it to progress and become worse over time.
I did not need to be on these masking agents just to keep my symptoms at bay.
It was something that I could work on. I could make improvements by better understanding my body, what supports it, what hinders it, and how to get it to and beyond the wellness line.
Thereby improving my quality of life and becoming less symptomatic or even asymptomatic (being asymptomatic does not mean I am healed...I can go right back into the condition by going back to my old lifestyle).
Health is something that I hold a great value in. Something that we all deserve. It is something that many of us do not realize we can have.
It is simple to achieve, but it is not necessarily easy. I promise you, the alternate path is well worth taking. Your quality of life is waiting for you!
Allow me the opportunity to support you along the way. Here is a way to grab my free guide on how I Thrive with PCOS.
You are in the driver’s seat and should always be allowed to rip the bandage off when your body truly thrives!
You are worthy,
Terra
I love potatoes...like I am a third generation American from Ireland (father’s side)...love potatoes! So when summer time comes around, potato salad is a regular feature in our home.
However, in working to clean up the way that I eat a bit, I was in search of an alternative.
While potatoes are a great source of carbs, I was looking for a way to cut back on them a bit.
Again, nothing wrong with potatoes, and nothing wrong with carbs. For me, I needed this recreation of my favorite summer dish.
You can watch my son and I recreate this dish to see for yourself how it works.
Recipe
2 medium sized Cauliflower Heads
Oil of choice (for roasting cauliflower..we use Olive Oil or Avocado Oil)
8 to 10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
4-6 hard boiled eggs
Salt and Pepper
21 Seasoning Salute (optional)
½ c Mayo (we use Primal Brand or make our own)
Random splash of Pickle Juice
½ c or more of Mustard
¼ c of Relish
Smoked Paprika (also optional)
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F
Chop up cauliflower into pieces and place on a parchment lined sheet pan
Drizzle oil over the cauliflower and season with salt, pepper, and 21 Seasoning Salute
Roast in oven for 30 to 40 minutes to desired roastedness...not a word, but it is today!
Cooking and crumble bacon
Chop up Hard boiled eggs (we love making ours in a instant pot)
Mix together all remaining ingredients but the paprika in a bowl
Once the cauliflower is done, allow it to cool down for 15 to 20 minutes
Once cooled, add cauliflower, bacon, and hard boiled eggs together in a bowl with your sauce
Mix until everything has an even covering of sauce
Then sprinkle paprika on top if you are choosing to use it
This recipe is great for anyone who is low carb, keto, Whole 30, or just looking for another way to enjoy cauliflower.
Whole 30 was the way I figured out what foods served my body and which ones did not. If Whole 30 is something you are considering, grab my free guide for 4 Reasons to Give Whole 30 a Shot.
Happy Eating!
Terra
Losing the food battle once again...it can feel defeating! I feel you.
You work so hard to eat the right things. You finally make a little headway even and then BAM...it hits you like a freight train and the next thing you know, you are a pint of ice cream in and a whole bag of pizza rolls deep!
What in the heck did I just do? The shame takes over and you hide all of the evidence.
You continue to eat dinner with your family just so they do not know. Despite the fact that you are not hungry. You cannot let them know what you have done today.
You tell yourself, you will make up for it tomorrow. Yep that is it. I will restrict myself. I will not eat or I will really cut back on how much I eat to balance this out. Oh and I will workout twice tomorrow.
Yikes!!
Cravings can be challenging. Especially in this food-on-demand and high stressed world we live in today.
Once upon a time, food was meant to nourish us. It is also meant to be enjoyable. Otherwise, we would all starve.
Now many of us use it as a weapon or a way to numb ourselves...numb sounds cold does it not?!
Many of us struggle to control these cravings as we rarely understand why we go so crazy for the food we crave.
For me, I had to do some digging. I was “hungry” to control these cravings that were out of my control. As someone who likes to be in control of myself, it became imperative that I figured this out!
Here is what I learned...there are likely a few pieces that bring us to binge. However, working on them one piece at a time is very important to a successful outcome.
There is a chemical and an emotional need behind most if not all binges.
Now, I am not a doctor or a dietitian/nutritionist...I am someone who through many rabbit holes and research deep dives, found tools that have been successful to me.
I started with an elimination protocol that would not only help me with a condition called PCOS, but would also help me work through the foods I was “addicted” to.
Once I cleansed my system of foods that I learned no longer served me, I was able to see...okay actually notice...more clearly what foods I was craving. I was able to pinpoint the nourishment that my body was actually signalling for.
Now that I knew that my body was satisfied, with the right food and supplementation in place, I was able to see the last piece to my puzzle.
Emotional eating is sneaky! Most of the time we do it blind.
I am not even sure where I picked up this habit. However I learned it all the same.
If I was happy about something...food was the celebration of choice. If I had a bad day at work, it was time for a meal out with a cold one. This became routine for me whether I was surrounded by people or home alone.
Now after about 2 years worth of work to figure this all out on my own, I finally have a handle on this situation. The cycle is over!
No more hiding, no more blaming, and no more shaming myself!
It is wonderful to have not only control again of my eating, but so much more. My weight is more manageable, my lab work has improved, and confidence...that right there just feels so damn good!
My hope is that if you are reading this and thinking that this sounds a lot like you too, that you will reach out for help.
I believe that we all go through these moments in our life so that we are able to toss out the lifesaver to others to pull them to shore.
This is me, casting that line out to you…
Terra
Also...I have a group where I talk about these things and so much more at Thriving With PCOS. Come find the support you deserve!
