Here's a pic of my breakfast today. It's sardines, which I mashed up with some relish and mayo. It's a pile of homemade sauerkraut, and some arugula. I ran some lemon juice over the whole plate and ate it all mixed together. Now, these are some strong flavors. Arugula on its own has a peppery, bitter taste. Sardines, at least to me, are nothing like the stinky things my mother used to open with a key many decades ago. These are not particularly fishy, but especially with the sweetness of the relish and the tang of the mayo, they're pretty good! Sauerkraut might be an acquired taste. All of this might be. Today's invitation is to check your mindset. Did you immediately recoil and say, "No way!"? Did you lean in with curiosity? Did you say, "I'm not there yet, but I hope to be!"? This is an incredibly nutrient dense meal. It's worth considering how to ease things like this into your rotation. I know it's just an AI summary, but take a look at what research shows: "Scientific studies show that taste buds and overall palate preferences adapt dynamically through repeated exposure. Chronic exposure to high levels of specific tastants like sugar or salt can downregulate receptor sensitivity, while repeated exposure to new or bitter foods (typically 7 to 15 trials) increases acceptance, changes neural pathways, and builds a preference for those flavors." That last part is saying that with repeated exposures, the things you find gross can end up tasting pretty good! I don't mind arugula... yeah, it's bitter, but the lemon juice with it was WOW! It's also saying that all the sweet and salty processed crap pretty much hijacks our brains. That's NOT OK. You have to power to make small changes, and we are here to support you!

I might have a strange sense of humor, but this cartoon cracked me up! In case you don't get it, I added the pun-buster. :-) It reminded me of what it sometimes takes when someone is forming new health habits. Sometimes we might need to try new foods. Maybe you're not ready to jump to sardines yet (although they are not as gross as they were 30 years ago, and you can disguise them in all kinds of ways). But perhaps it's just an attempt to eat more veggies (usually when someone says they don't like veggies, they just haven't been prepared well!). Research shows that our taste buds adapt after about 5 exposures. Even if you find something distasteful, often times after about 5 exposures, you don't mind it so much anymore. I found this to be the case with grass-fed beef. I thought it tasted gamey, which I didn't care for. But it was important to me, so I kept eating it. Now I don't notice anything. And if you really hate it no matter how many tries (liver for me), we can always support you in finding nutrient-dense alternatives! Either way, "try a little bite." "Try a li'l bite" Trilobite. I'll see myself out. Happy Friday! 🤣🤣🤣

Many people come to us thinking they're going to spend every waking minute in the kitchen. That's not true, especially if you cook large amounts and then eat it during the week. Here's an example of our upcoming week. Last night (Saturday) I made a batch of stuffed peppers. They are the shriveled up thing in the container, LOL. There are actually several layers of them between pieces of parchment paper - there are quite a few. We actually eat them cold, which I know some people find gross, ha ha! But they heat up really nicely. This morning between 8am and 9:30 I made a turkey meatloaf and a shepherd's pie with turkey and bison. Forgive the filthy oven door. It's well-used, and I assure you it's on the list! 🤣 The topping is a few peeled potatoes, but mostly cauliflower! You can't really tell. This will all be a several dinners and a few lunches for us both during the week. Tomorrow (Monday night) I'll probably cook a large piece of fish and bake a few sweet potatoes, as those also reheat nicely. Also during the week, I'll eat some sardines or mackerel out of the can, and some veggies and hummus (no prep!). I still have some leftover zucchini pasta I've written about before which I made one day during the past week (everything you'd stick in spaghetti, only I use diced zucchini for the noodles). I also have a ton of veggies I want to stir fry (not hard or long in duration) - probably mushrooms, onions, asparagus, carrots, and broccoli, and I watch the sales on shrimp. When peeled and de-veined shrimp goes on sale, I buy a few bags. They defrost quickly and I'll throw then in with the veggies. None of these "extras" take very long, and I don't feel like a slave to the kitchen. I might do those now, actually, as the shepherd's pie is still in the oven. It's 10am. I will have plenty of Sunday left for exercise, play, rest, or socializing! If we run low, I'll throw a bunch of chicken thighs in the Instapot and then just shred them, and they get eaten with a no-sugar BBQ sauce. We might use a pack of ground beef so there are 4 burgers hanging around if needed. Easy peasy, and fast! Especially if you get into the mindset of breakfast can be anything, this plan is even more amazing! It's not crazy for me to eat zucchini pasta or shepherd's pie for my first meal. This morning I ate the leftover stuffing for the peppers.

On this Transformation Thursday, I am asking each of you take a minute to ask yourself... What pattern have you broken that you're celebrating today? 🥳 Maybe you stopped snacking late at night? Or you are going to bed earlier consistently? Or it could be a mindset shift - like your inner critic has gotten quieter? Breaking patterns is a huge part of our health journey and creating a lifestyle where we can thrive as our best selves. This is where being intentional and thoughtful about our choices is key. This is why we have a Mindset Mastery Course available in the classroom here. 😁 ☝️ So let's hear it! I'll kick us off below.

We could deep dive for days on ths topic, but we wanted to offer a high level view in response to a member question. Menopause is real. Hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, brain fog, sleep disruption—it all feels out of your control. But here's what most women don't know: What you eat directly impacts every single symptom. 💡 How whole foods + low glycemic + anti-inflammatory eating helps: - Your hormones are already in flux. Processed foods spike blood sugar, triggering more inflammation and hormone crashes. - Whole foods stabilize blood sugar. No spikes = fewer hot flashes. No crashes = steadier mood and energy. - Anti-inflammatory foods reduce the inflammation driving hot flashes, joint pain, and brain fog. - Low glycemic eating supports steady hormone levels when your body is already struggling to regulate them. 🤩 Result: Less severe symptoms. Better sleep. More stable mood. More energy. What people actually experience: "My hot flashes decreased dramatically." "I'm sleeping through the night for the first time in years." "The joint pain is gone." "My mood is stable. I'm not as irritable." "I finally have energy again." You can't stop menopause. But you can make it SO much easier. It starts with what's on your plate. Are you navigating menopause right now? Drop a comment about what's been hardest for you. Let's support each other. 💚 OR if you have been working with us for a while and have seen positive changes in this area, share here too so others can see your wins! 😁