My Detox Routine

Following this protocol can help eliminate toxins, boost immunity and improve sleep. 

There's nothing better than ridding the body of toxins through a good sweaty workout. But have you ever thought about leveling up your detox routine? Here are my three favorite full body detoxing activities that I have been incorporating throughout the week.

Infrared Sauna blanket - I aim to do this every other day in 45 minute sessions. It is like climbing into a heavy sleeping bag. I have mine set up in our spare bedroom. I can watch tv, listen to a podcast or look out the windows while I sweat out some toxins. Link to my blanket here.

Dry brushing - I do this every morning to brush away the toxins that have released overnight and to encourage my lymphatic system to do it's thing. Dry body brushing is a simple way to help stimulate the lymphatic system and in turn release toxins and aid in digestion and kidney function. My brush was part of a Beautycounter exclusive holiday set, but here is one from my favorite local boutique.

7-Day detox - no gluten, dairy, sugar, alcohol or caffeine!! In addition to living my FASTer Way lifestyle, I did a 7-day detox to really give my body a chance to let go of toxin build up. For 7 days, I followed a nutrition protocol of food and supplements. I lost a whole pant size of inflammation that had built up in my body over the last 6-8 months. Link to detox.

Send me your questions in the comments below!

Want to learn more about toxin free beauty products? Click here.

Interested in my FASTer Way lifestyle? I'm also a coach! Click here to read my story.

Why you should use more mint + recipes!

After months of not feeling my best, feeling puffy and having trouble sleeping, I started digging deeper and found out my gut bacteria was unbalanced. I've been following a gut health reset protocol (in addition to my FASTer Way strategies) for about 3 weeks now and sharing tips from what I'm learning here. 

Mint definitely smells good, but it also has many health benefits. It promotes a healthy gut by encouraging the flow of stomach bile which aids in digestion. It can also boost the immune system by helping rid your body of toxins.

Mint is super easy to add into your daily diet. Here a couple recipes to get you going!

Berry Mint Smoothie

Blend together:

1 cup water

1/3 cup blueberries

1/3 cup raspberries

1/3 cup blackberries

2 cups baby spinach

1/4 cup fresh mint

1 scoop protein powder

Refreshing Watermelon Mint Salad

INGREDIENTS

6 cups seedless watermelon

2 tbsp minced fresh mint

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp honey (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Chop watermelon into cubes

Place cubed watermelon and mint in large bowl

Whisk lemon juice, oil and honey in small bowl

Drizzle wet mixture over watermelon

Toss gently to combine

Refrigerate until ready to serve

TIP! Add salad to small mason jars and pack them in the cooler for your next outing!

Summer Mint Mocktail

Ingredients

10 fresh mint leaves

½ tsp. honey

¼ cup pineapple juice (or pineapple kombucha)

½ tsp. rum extract

Ice

1 can lime sparkling water 

1 fresh pineapple or lime wedge (optional)

Muddle the honey with the mint leaves in the bottom of a 10 oz glass 

Add the pineapple juice, rum extract and stir.  

Fill the glass with ice.  

Add sparkling water to the top.  

Stir & garnish with a pineapple or lime wedge. 

I hope you enjoy these recipes!!!

Why I'll Keep Intermittent Fasting

The term intermittent fasting has become clickbait recently.

The American Heart Association recently presented a summary of a study (not yet peer reviewed or published) out of China that focuses on intermittent fasting and dangers/risks it poses with heart disease and cancer. The study followed about 20,000 Americans over a period of 8-17 years and asked them to self report their eating habits. While there were several limiting factors, the study seems to say that people who fast 8-10 hours per day have a higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.

This study goes against previous research that has found that time-restricted eating improves several cardiometabolic health measures, such as blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

Why I'll keep intermittent fasting and encouraging my FASTer Way clients to do the same...

Intermittent Fasting is not a type of diet, it’s simply an eating schedule. 

Your body is always in one of two states: fed or fasted. In the fed state (any time your body is digesting food), your body’s insulin levels prevent you from burning fat. In the fasted state (8-12 hours after your body finishes digesting), your insulin levels are lower and your body is then able to reach into its fat stores for energy. 

The FASTer Way to Fat Loss has implemented intermittent fasting since 2016 with positive outcomes for clients. Members maintain proper caloric intake during a shortened period of time and focus on whole food nutrition, making sure to consume the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats by tracking food.

In a clinical study with the Applied Science Performance Institute in Tampa, participants who followed American Heart Association guidelines showed higher levels of fat, and higher cholesterol compared to those who followed the FASTer Way. 

One of the major benefits of being in a fasted state is the body’s ability to focus on cellular repair. The processes of apoptosis and autophagy allows the body to remove and recycle old and damaged cells that could potentially contribute to disease. Having been diagnosed with breast cancer last year, it is even more important to me to share that there are things we can do to reduce our risk of disease.

Inflammation in the body can be reduced through intermittent fasting, too. Yes! This is so powerful because inflammation is the root cause of many diseases. When done correctly, fasting for 12-16 hours each day has many other benefits, too -> improved gut health, cellular repair, better insulin sensitivity, and fat loss.

That is why I'll keep intermittent fasting.

More information:

Three things about intermittent fasting - watch here.

Don't Be Afraid of the F Word

3 Intermittent Fasting Tips

Carb Cycling and Intermittent Fasting Results

Learn more about the FASTer Way program with me here

Brownie Protein Balls

 Here’s a yummy treat for you! Brownie Protein Balls!

I love to make a big batch of these to have on hand for that after dinner treat or a mid-day protein snack. They are also perfect for taking with you when you're traveling!

In a food processor, grind the following ingredients:

1 1/4 cup pitted dates

1 scoop FASTer Way protein

2 scoops FASTer Way collagen

2 tbsp cocoa

Sprinkle of salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp maple syrup

(I also added 1 tsp of water)

Roll into 1 inch balls, place on wax paper and freeze.

Shop FASTer Way supplements: protein and collagen

My Favorite Prep-free Meal Prep Tips

Sunday is a good day to start thinking about your week ahead.

You may or may not know this about me, but I DON’T MEAL PREP, not usually. I do not chop and plan and pre-portion at my house. I might batch cook or cook once, eat twice but that is about as far as my meal prep game goes.

So here are my best tips for staying on track with your wellness goals while also keeping it simple so you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen (unless you want to). Because a week without meal prep doesn’t mean a week of fast food.

Proteins
Pre-cooked proteins (hard boiled eggs, rotisserie chicken, smoked salmon, breakfast sausage, deli meat) are a lifesaver for quick lunches and dinners. You should be consuming protein at every meal, so make sure you have plenty on hand that won’t require you to prep and cook every single thing.

Frozen proteins are also amazing in a pinch. I always have some frozen turkey burgers and veggie burgers on hand for quick easy meals.

CARBS
Quick Carbs will change the game for you - make sure to have frozen or microwaveable quinoa / rice on hand, frozen sweet potato fries, tortillas, oats and LOTS of fresh fruit around the house so you can easily grab something that will help you hit that carb goal.

Pre-prepped veggies will make dinner a cinch - like veggie noodles, pre-chopped veggies, frozen steamable veggies, salad bags and stirfry blends. These are REGULARS in our house. I seriously take all the help I can get from the store, because time is money.

FATS
Keep clean fats on hand - avocados, nut butters, lots of healthy oils that you can add to help balance those meals.

My clients receive weekly meal guides that include shopping lists to help them navigate the meal planning and prepping process. Interested? Check out my program here.

What is your favorite prep-free meal option?