How I Plan My Meal Prep | Grocery Shopping

Alright, I love getting to see the behind the scenes, inside the mindsets, of how people plan out certain things in their lives. Especially mundane “adult” tasks. So, today I’m going to try and do my best to share how I go about planning out my meal prep for the week. 

Basically what happens before I even go to the grocery store. Because going in with a plan is crucial. Not only does it help keep my sane, save me time but I also save so much money.

So, first I ask myself a few questions:

What do I have going on that week?

Is there an event where I will be eating a meal? Have I made plans to get Indian food with friends? Basically, anything that means I won’t be eating at home.

What ingredients do I have already?

Seriously, walk over to your kitchen open up your fridge, your cupboards, pantry, etc. and look at what you have. Rice, beans, veggies that need to be eaten asap? Write them down on a piece of paper. 

What meals can I make from what I already have, or maybe just need a few more ingredients for? 

It isn’t always fancy, exciting and new. But it’s important for me to use up stuff that will go bad like fruits and veggies. Things like rice and beans can always wait, but then again you already have them so why not use them? You can still make new recipes with what you have. 

What are a few meals I’m excited to make?

There’s always at least one meal (if not several) that I really want to make or try out that week. Currently, there’s a few things on my mind: Pad Thai, Onion and Potato Pierogi and Vegan Biscuits and Gravy (I’m still in search of the perfect recipe). 

While it’s important to use up what you have, it also keeps it exciting to make things you’re really excited to eat/try. 

What do I want for breakfast?

I can the same types of meals for lunch and dinner, but breakfast is a different category (although I have been known to eat leftover Pad Thai for breakfast). 

I’ve been enjoying everything bagels with hummus, oatmeal as well smoothies for breakfast. These are all super simple things to make in the morning. While I do enjoy things like tofu scramble sometimes for breakfast I really don’t need to be that fancy, and I try to keep my meal prep for lunch and dinner. 

What about snacks?

Snacks are very important, and shouldn’t be forgotten about. In the summer I love fruit as an in-between meals sort of thing. I also just go these yummy fig bars, as well as some roasted and salted pumpkin seeds. 

Ok so now that I’ve thought through all that, I’ll look at my list of meals and see if I have too many or not enough for the week. Depending on the week I like to make big batches of two to four meals. (I also have Michael to take into consideration for dinner meals and sometimes lunch as well.) You'll want to make sure you have enough portions for everyone.

Once I have the meals I’m making I’ll write out my grocery list. I like to separate the items by which store I’ll buy them from, as well as what order I’ll pick them up in the store. This might sound like a bit much but I buy very similar things and go to the same stores every week so I know that I’m going to go through the produce first, then the bakery, cans, teas/coffee, milk, and then anything like tofu or veggie dogs. 

I find that organizing my shopping list (which takes 30 seconds) helps me when I get to the store, so I don’t forget to buy something or have to zig-zag across the store to get things. But you can just write it all down on a list, whatever works for you.

Then I grab my reusable shopping bags, any bags I need for bulk items and I head out the door to the grocery store. 

Doing all the planning beforehand makes going shopping so much easier (and enjoyable) because you’re not wandering around wondering, am I out of this, should I make that? You just know what you need to buy and that’s that. 

How do you plan for grocery shopping? Any cool tricks to share? 

Benefits of Being Hydrated

Ok, so as you may know I set a little challenge for myself to drink more water this past month. And even though I technically “failed” that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop drinking water or stop trying to drink enough. 

We all know being hydrated is important. It’s just one of those things that we know we should be doing a better job at. 

So, today I thought I would share some of the wonderful benefits that come along with being adequately hydrated enough. 

Not sure how much water you should be drinking? Take your weight (in pounds), multiply it by .67 and that’s the minimum number of ounces you should be drinking. You’ll also want to take into account activity level. For every 30 minutes of exercise you do you’ll want to add 18 ounces to that total. 

So, for example I’m around 120 pounds, which means I should be drinking at least 80 ounces of water per day. And then in a perfect world I would be drinking closer to 100 -120 ounces a day. 

Long story short I’m still working towards that goal. But like I said before let’s go over some of the benefits of drinking enough water. Take a few gulps of water as you read each of these. 

+ Increased energy — water is another type of fuel your body needs alongside getting enough nutrients and such. Your brain is something like 73% water. 

+ Increased metabolism — not only that but sometimes when you feel hungry you’re really just thirsty. 

+ Helps build and repair muscle, as well as protect joints — water acts as a natural lubricant for your muscles and joints

+ Great for skin — I think this is a benefit a lot of people want to drink more water for, myself included. I feel like my skin is just tight, dry and uneven when I’m not drinking enough. 

+ Boosts immune system — drinking enough water is directly related to having a stronger immune system. Help yourself avoid cold and flu season this year. 

+ Flush out toxins — drink the water, urinate out the waste. Plus it helps prevent against kidney stones and UTIs. 

+Regular bowel movements and digestion — keeps everything moving. 

+ Improves Heart Health — there's a link between coronary heart disease and water consumption. 

+ Prevents bad breath

+ Maintains pH balance

And the list goes on and on. There has never been something I’ve seen that I’m like no I don’t want any of that when it comes to the benefits of being properly hydrated. 

Well, this isn’t because of being hydrated but I have heard of people dying from drinking too much water too fast. But you would have to drink 2.5-5.6 gallons (10-20 liters) of water in just a few hours. Which I know I couldn’t do even if I tried. 

So, you have nothing to loose from drinking more water. 

What are some of your tricks to making sure you’re remembering to drink enough each day? 

Intermittent Fasting + Our Menstrual Cycle

So, I got an email not long ago asking my thoughts on intermittent fasting and the potential effect on the menstrual cycle in women. 

First off, I have no experience or real knowledge of intermittent fasting so I had to do some digging. I found this article helpful in explaining why it might be good for women to do. 

And from what I’ve found there are some women who swear by it, stating that it actually made their hormonal issues better. And then there are women who say it completely messed up their menstrual cycles, threw their hormones out of whack and were completely against it. 

So, first off (from what I’ve learned) there’s a difference between intermittent fasting and just regular fasting where you don’t eat. Intermittent fasting is where you cycle between periods of time where you fast, and where you don’t. I’ve heard of having an “eating phase” of 8, 10, 12 hours and plenty of other variations. And besides that set number of hours, you fast the rest of the day. 

Now, there are plenty of variations of intermittent fasting, but that’s the general idea of it. 

From what I’ve read this type of fasting can have a very beneficial effect on men, while having a not so positive effect on women (but not all women). And this is because those hormones that are in charge of regulating the key functions in our bodies like ovulation are pretty darn touchy when it comes to how much fuel you’re putting into your body. 

Our HPG (hypothalamic-pituaitary-gonadal) axis sends out a lot of directions into our body. Things like telling the pituitary to release LH and FSH, which as you might know triggers the producing of estrogen and progesterone in women. 

Your body can tell when you’re not in a healthy enough state to carry a pregnancy and will delay or stop something like ovulation all together because of the signals it is receiving. This is why if you’re really stressed you might notice that you ovulate a few days later than normal. And this is also why women with eating disorders or a too low body fat percentage can stop ovulating and having a normal menstrual cycle. 

If your body receives those signals that it’s being starved it will start producing more leptin and ghrelin, the hunger hormones. 

There was one study I found that tested intermittent fasting on rats, and after just two weeks of this the female rats stopped having menstrual cycles, their ovaries shrunk and they started having more insomnia when compared to the male rats in the study. 

This can really mess with our fertility, not to mention worsen eating disorders. 

I know the important role that hormones play in the balance of my health and my body. And because of this and what I’ve read I don’t think intermittent fasting would be something I would have interest in. 

If it’s something you’re interested in, as with anything else, I recommend doing your research before diving in. I know there are different lengths of fasting, and possibly a shorter one would be better. I also saw that doing it long term could cause more issues than doing it only for a short period of time say once a year. 

I don't have the answer if there's a right way to do it but I did want to share this list I found that talks about how you should stop intermittent fasting if any of these things happen after starting:

     + your menstrual cycle stops or becomes irregular (we are meant to have menstrual cycles, they are a healthy, normal bodily function just like our cardiovascular system. Loosing your period is not a good thing.)

     + you have problems falling asleep or staying asleep

     + your hair starts falling out

     + you start getting acne or dry skin

     + you don’t recover from exercise as quickly

     + it takes more time for your injuries to heal

     + you get every bug that’s going around

     + you handle stress worse

     + you start having mood swings

     + your heart starts beating oddly

     + your libido drops     

     + your digestion slows down (less bowel movements)     

     + feel cold all the time

Like I said I don’t know enough to say one way or the other what you should do. I don’t recommend it, but who am I to stop you from trying something out. Just make sure to pay very close attention to what’s happening with your body and mind. 

I would recommend avoiding it if you have any tendencies towards an eating disorder, are looking to get pregnant soon, or already struggle with lack of ovulation or irregular cycles. 

Have you tried intermittent fasting? How did you do it, what were your results? 

Positives of Minimalism For Me

I could go on and on about all the benefits of the world of minimalism (and I do), so today I wanted to just share another list of all the positives that have come from this transition in my life. 

+ It's easier to clean

You may think that you’re very organized with all of your different containers and storage spots in your home, but clutter is still clutter no matter how you arrange it. 

I have a spot for everything I own and know exactly where it goes. This also makes keeping track of stuff a lot easier too. (I’ve found one of my superpowers is remembering where something is at, even Michael’s stuff.)

And when you have less that means less stuff to put away when it comes time to cleaning. Think about having a five-bedroom house vs. having a two bedroom house. Space easily gets filled with things, and that space has to be vacuumed, dusted, you name it. 

+ It's easier to get ready

I’ve done a number of closet declutters since the original big one back in the day, but at that first one, I got rid of nine large garbage bags of clothing and shoes. Nine bags! Before I would have to use my elbows to push my clothes apart to hang something up. It was insane. 

Now, my clothes don’t even fill a fourth of my closet, which is really nice because that gives me storage for work things. 

But it also makes getting ready in the morning so much easier. 

Since that first declutter, and subsequent declutters I’ve been creating capsule wardrobes for each season, which helps so much more than you could imagine. 

Having only your favorite items that are season appropriate to choose from each morning cuts getting dressed down to just a minute or two each morning. 

+ It impacts all aspects of life

This was a surprise benefit I discovered thanks to minimalism. I just thought “Hey, I’ll have less stuff. Great!” But what I didn’t realize was that it would change the way I think about everything. 

Who are the people I want to spend my time with and give my energy to? It’s hard to cut people out of your life, but sometimes it’s necessary so you can thrive.

What am I spending my time doing? Is it activities I enjoy, or things I’m doing just because I think I should, or someone else asked me to? When you stop doing things that aren’t adding anything to your life you make space for things that really matter to you. 

+ It has made room and money for quality items

When you stop buying stuff just to buy stuff you have more time to research what you actually want and need, and the particular item you’re going to get and love. This has made me so much more excited about things when I do buy them because I know I’m going to love them and use them. 

And I know I will have not only space for them, but because I’m saving my money not buying a bunch of stuff all the time I can invest more money and get quality products that I’m proud to own.

+ I have more connection to what I do own

Going off that last one I have found that because I have taken the time to weed out all the things I don’t like, and have spent the time to research and choose each item consciously that I am so much more invested in what I do own. 

I take better care of my things. I have more pride in what I own. Even something as simple as a water bottle or a pair of boots. 

Minimalism doesn’t mean you have to get rid of everything you own, and I think a lot of people are afraid they’ll have to give up things they love. But it couldn’t be more the opposite. You get to keep everything you love and cherish, and you’ll have more space and time for them too!

+ I have everything I want and need

Sometimes people think minimalists go without, that they sleep on a mattress on the floor and have no flavor to their life. But I can truly say that I have everything I want and need in life (and probably then some). There are always areas in which I know I could cut back even further, but the great thing about it is you don’t have to unless you want to. It’s not a competition. 

+ It has helped me fine tune my decision-making process

I used to buy cheap things without really thinking about them. What were a few dollars here or there? But I’ve realized that just because something is on sale, or could be altered to fit better or hey might one day be part of a really great costume idea doesn’t mean you should buy it. 

I am so much more conscious of what I’m bringing into my life, whether that is material things, people, experiences, you name it. 

I also feel like minimalism has given me more character and personality because it’s made me sit down and think about what I want out of life. 

How has minimalism benefited your life?

I Ran a 20K/Half Marathon With My Mom

It’s come and gone! My mom and I successfully ran the 20k this past weekend (just shy of a half marathon, my watch actually said it was 12.69 miles).

Leading up to race day I was really nervous it was going to be over 90 degrees out because that’s what it had been for the few weeks prior.

Thankfully last week the forecast trended towards rain on race morning. I would much prefer to run in the rain rather than the heat.

Race morning came and I got a call at 4 a.m. from my mom. There was lightening down by her house and she was curious about the contingency plan for the race. I said it would probably get delayed if anything and to finish getting ready and head up to town.

I went back to bed for another half an hour before getting up and ready.

By the time she picked me up, just after 5 a.m., it had started to rain in Des Moines, and by the time we made it to the shuttle it was coming down pretty good.

At some point, we heard the race was delayed 30 minutes, which I had a feeling it would be.

We got off the shuttle, made a bathroom pitstop, stood semi-under the trees for a few minutes before making our way to the start line. It started on the top of a dam, so pretty exposed. We hunkered down under a bridge coming off of the dam for about 10 minutes not knowing the race had started for about 4 minutes.

But there was still a steady stream of people making their way to the start line so we just joined in, crossed the start and began running. We stuck together for about the first mile, but it was crowded and hard to weave through everyone together so we got separated for a few miles.

I felt great, was keeping a good pace and stopped to go to the bathroom at mile 3.

It stopped raining shortly after we started running and I found my mom again in between mile 6 and 7.

My knee had started hurting at this point, and when I caught up to her she mentioned her thighs were sore in the new shorts she was wearing. We both looked down at her legs and I’m pretty sure I gasped out loud because her thighs were raw and red with blood. It legit looked like she had started her period and was bleeding down her legs. 

We adjusted the rain jacket around her waist to cover up her poor thighs and started running again until we passed a firetruck with a group of EMT who we asked for some sort of vaseline or bandages. They gave her KY Jelly and wrapped something around my knee. 

We hobbled on. 

My knee was screaming at this point and I’m sure her thighs felt about the same. 

Around mile 9 maybe, we finally ran by an ambulance. 

Perfect, I thought, they’ll have some sort of bandages. We wrapped them up with some gauze and stretchy bandage tape stuff and kept running. 

We were so close at this point that you just kept running because why not. 

The last two miles were rough. It was pretty toasty, but not nearly as bad as it could have been that day. I was grateful for the cool, rainy morning at this point. 

The home stretch of 7 blocks (about half a mile) was the hardest part of the race. They had these signs up “400 meters to go!”, “200 meters” and “100 meters to go!” 

What I found most incredibly infuriating was that the rest of my body (minus my knee) felt great. I was conditioned enough and in shape, and that race should have been a piece of cake. But because my knee wasn’t having it, that made it much harder than it should have been. 

You alter the way you run when a certain body part is in pain, and after the race, my calves were cramped because of how I was running to baby my knee. 

But we made it across the finish line and just kind of walked right into the medical tent.

We re-bandaged my mom’s legs and I got a little glove of ice to wrap around my knee. After that, we went and said hi to everyone before going to my apartment to eat some leftover rice and veggies I had. 

I think the thing that always surprises me is how it can almost depend on that day to how your run is going to go. 

I had an absolutely brilliant run in San Francisco two weeks ago. I remember the mile markers ticking by and wishing it would slow down so I could keep enjoying it. 

The biggest similarity between this race and my full marathon last year was my knee, which really bummed me out. My mom and I have been training for 10 weeks and I didn’t have any issues whatsoever with my knee this whole time. 

But I have confirmed my belief that I run better in cooler weather and am not much for warm weather running. 

I haven’t decided whether I’m going to go for a full marathon this fall (at the moment I don’t think I will), but I’ve got plans to run plenty of 5k and 10k’s this summer because I find I like races a lot more than training. 

What races are you doing (have done) this year? 

How My Diet Changes From Winter to Summer

While there are plenty of foods that I eat year round, my diet definitely changes with the seasons. Not necessarily through each of the four seasons, but from the warm months to the cold months. 

I shared this winter what I was eating, and so I thought it would be interesting to share how it’s changing once again now that the weather has gotten warmer (much warmer at the moment). 

I go from eating much heavier meals in the winter to much lighter meals in the summer. I crave those comfort foods of pastas, breads, and rice dishes when it’s cold out, but when it’s summer I want fresh and light things.

While I’m still cooking plenty of meals, I mean, I do love a good cooked meal, I’m adding back in fresh dishes like salads and such. (For some reason I don’t gravitate towards salad in the winter). And I get back into smoothies when it gets hot out. I love a good smoothie in the morning or post workout, but since I’m a cold being I just can’t do them when it’s freezing out or I’ll never warm back up (even if i’m inside, wrapped in a blanket with gloves and hat on).

I eat smaller, more frequent meals in the summer, grabbing plenty of snacks in between. During the winter I often have two larger meals and possibly a snack at some point throughout the day.

And another thing that’s changed in the past month is I’ve started dabbling in meal prepping. I went all in the first time I tried it, spent hours cooking, portioning, seasoning and putting into the fridge. I had multiple options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between. 

I’ve also done it where I created 4-5 portions each of two different meals for lunch and dinner, and then made a bigger batch of oatmeal for breakfast to last the week. 

Meal prepping surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. You get such a sense of accomplishment when your fridge is full of meals ready to go, and it makes life so much easier when you can just grab, heat and eat. 

This past grocery trip I bought much more fruit than normal, mostly for snacking. I love a good bit of fresh fruit to snack on. I got blueberries, strawberries, watermelon and mango. I also bought kale and romaine for salad dishes and possibly raw tacos. 

The difference between fresh meals and cooked meals is I don’t like meal prepping the fresh meals because I think they can get a bit soggy or wilted by the time I go to eat them. 

I’ve also got the remaining bits of heavier foods to finish up from the winter like a bag of rice (I’m so close to finishing that 25 lbs!), or there’s still some ingredients that are still appealing to me like potatoes that I’ve still got in stock for things like vegan cheese (drool). 

I wish I could eat more frequent, lighter, fresher meals throughout the seasons because that is definitely when I flourish. But I don’t reach for salads when it’s cold, not to mention it’s hard to get your hands on things like fruit and avocados in the winter. 

I’m never too hard on myself when it comes to eating with the seasons and what I find myself reaching for. I just try to make sure I am getting in fresh fruits and veggies here and there. And at the end of the day if I can stay mostly away from processed foods I know I’ll feel just find, regardless of the meals I’m making.

How does your diet change from the cold to warm months? What are some dishes you’re excited to start making again? 

Say 'Yes' More Often

Ok, this is a super corny sounding blog post, but it’s worth sharing. 

So, I ready Shonda Rhimes book “The Year of Yes” and it was actually quite fabulous. And it got me thinking, you know what, there are so many situations where I say no to things. And I kind of unknowingly decided to start saying yes. 

It wasn’t like other things I’ve challenged myself to do, like take a break from caffeine or drink more water. I didn’t set a goal, it was just a mental shift that happened. 

You see, I’m kind of a pretty shy person. I know my comfort zone and I like to stay safely within it, if not barely walk around the perimeter to see what’s out there. 

And while there were bigger things I said no to because they scared me, there were small things I said no to on a daily basis, and I just ended up staying home instead. 

Now, I’ve just started recognizing all the moments in which I would have probably said no before and decide to say yes. 

I really do believe the energy you put out into the world is what you get back. If you’re closed off, you’re going to ignore or pass on opportunities.

It’s just been a few months now of this new mindset, but things have started happening that makes me wonder if they’re a result of me being more “open”. 

Things that have happened since I started saying yes more:

+ did a podcast interview — I’ve done interviews before here and there but this one felt different. It just seemed to come together and happen quickly, and I don’t know how to explain it but I felt like I had more of an impact during it.

+ had several 1-on-1 coaching requests come through — I normally have these come through one here and one there, but I had three come through within a week or two. 

+ have had several sponsorship opportunities land in my inbox — I get offers for plenty of junk or completely unrelated products, but there were a ton of relevant offers that came through. 

+ few different speaking chances — It’s on my 2018 goals to speak in front of a crowd (no matter how small), and I’ve had two different people say “You should do this”. 

+ a free entry into a few races — I mean it helps that my friends/husband are in the race world, but I don’t always take advantage of that. 

+ I got to film two races — Granted one of them was Michaels race and I was more told that was my role, but then another friend asked me to film their race after that. 

+ getting out and experiencing more — this is more of a general result of saying more, but hey, you get out and do a lot more by having this mindset rather than saying no and staying at home. 

+ feel more confident — A lot of people, myself included, say no because we don’t think we’re good enough to do something. But I’m all about the mindset of “fake it till you make it” even though it’s sometimes hard to do it personally.

I’ve been quicker to say yes, or follow up on opportunities, and while it’s terrifying to get out of your comfy little box where you feel so safe, it’s also so much more exhilarating out here. 

Thrifting When You Travel

There are two things that I love to do when I travel.

Go to bookstores.

And go thrift shopping. 

I frequent my local thrift shop at least once a month, but if you’re in a different city that’s an entirely new set of things and possibly a different take on fashion. 

What I mean here is you’ll probably find a slightly different stock between Iowa and say California. 

And sometimes if there’s a particular item you can’t find where you live, there might be multiple of them where you’re visiting.

I remember seeing entire racks of overalls in a shop on Brick Lane in London, and feeling in heaven. 

So, yeah I always enjoying heading into a thrift store or two regardless of where I am. That is, of course, if thrift stores, or vintage shops are a thing there. 

I didn’t find it in a thrift store, but I found my dream bike on Craigslist after months of searching. I wanted a Bianchi, but try as I might I couldn’t find one in Des Moines. I ended up going out on a ledge and looking in the Colorado Springs area because I have an uncle out there. I found a bike I loved, he went and looked at it, and a friend driving through picked it up from him and brought it back to me in Des Moines. 

I think another thing I like about thrifting is that it’s something I do at home, and I always like to do things when I travel as if I lived there. Work from coffeeshops, go to the grocery store, ride a bike, go for a run or hike and go into thrift shops. 

I just got back from San Francisco, and I spent quite a bit of time up on Haight Street going through the different thrift stores and vintage shops. I ended up finding a black denim mini skirt, which I’ve been searching for this for awhile, as well as a nice summery dress, which I’ve also wanted more of. 

I also splurged in a non-thrift way and got myself a pair of vegan Doc Martens, something I’ve wanted for quite some time now. Normally, I stay away from regular stores when I travel, but being from Des Moines, we don’t have the full array of stores here. 

Anyways I highly encourage you to go thrifting when you’re traveling. 

Are there any fun things you always like to do when you find yourself in a different city? 

27 Things I've Learned By 27

Tomorrow is my birthday, yay!

And if you can't guess from the title I'm turning 27. I always like to use my birthday as another moment to reflect on what I've learned to better align myself going forward. 

So, today I wanted to share 27 (random) things that I've learned at the age of 27. In no particular order here we go!

ONE | friends and family are important —  you don’t know how long you’ll have them.

TWO | but don’t be afraid to let toxic people go — life is only so long, don't waste it on people that don't add anything to your life.

THREE | staying social is important for your mental well being — this is especially true if you work from home.

FOUR | you’re not a fraud — and you’re not the only one that feels like that. Imposter syndrome is a real thing, but keep pushing past that.

FIVE | say yes more often —  I realized this past year that I said no to a lot, even just little things.

SIX | challenge yourself —  it’s ok to feel uncomfortable, and it's the only way to grow

SEVEN | invest a bit more money into your belongings — rather than buy cheap things that you have to constantly replace take the time to research and then spend a bit more.

EIGHT | let go of all your excess crap — minimalism has transformed my life way beyond what I 'own'

NINE | how you treat your body directly impacts how you feel — if you don't know what you should be doing here take the time to educate yourself about how to take care of yourself 

TEN | sleep is important —  sleep is a good thing so it's time to let go of the “I can sleep when I’m dead” mentality. 

ELEVEN | pay attention to your money —  ignoring it doesn't help anyone. You can't fix anything if you don't know what's going on. Educate yourself about personal finance, and keep a positive mindset surrounding money.

TWELVE | set goals — write them down, and keep an eye on them. There have been studies that show people who take the time to write down their goals are much more likely to reach them. 

THIRTEEN | journal to see how far you’ve come — this is just one of the many benefits.

FOURTEEN | not every career path has a perfect degree or manual of how to do it —  and your first job out of college isn't going to be the same job you do forever. 

FIFTEEN | confrontation is uncomfortable, but conversations are important — talking through things is a must, don't let things bottle up because that's not going to help anyone involved. 

SIXTEEN | drink more water — I've always struggled with this, hence my current 30-day challenge, but I've already improved so much.

SEVENTEEN | you’ll feel better fueled by plants — even if you're not a vegan or vegetarian don't forget to be making room for plenty of fresh fruits and veggies each day

EIGHTEEN | there’s too much plastic in the world —  do your part, get a few reusable bags, a reusable water bottle, there are so many simple switches that make such a big impact. 

NINETEEN | acknowledge people you pass in the street —  say hi, smile, nod, just be nice. 

TWENTY| your job does not define you — not everyone has to have a super cool job, and if you're not a fan of your current job, don't sweat it, make time to find things to do that you do love. 

TWENTY-ONE | insurance is important — It's expensive (here in the US), but it just takes one emergency or accident and you're either saved by having it or screwed because you don't. Unfortunately, none of us are invincible. 

TWENTY-TWO | knowledge is power —  educate yourself about things you don’t understand. Learn how to open your mind to other opinions and perspectives as well. 

TWENTY-THREE | make time for travel —  it’s not as expensive or complicated as you think. Don't wait around for "if" and "when".

TWENTY-FOUR | learn about how your body works —  especially if you’re having problems with something. 

TWENTY-FIVE | don't hesitate to ask for help — whether it's a friend who's a marketing whiz, if you need help lifting something heavy or if you need some emotional support. 

TWENTY-SIX | don’t spend a bunch of money on your wedding — It's an important event in your life, but at the end of the day it's just one day. 

TWENTY-SEVEN | take care of your feet — you'll thank yourself when you're old. This means shoes that support your feet. 

A random list for sure, but maybe I was able to share a nugget of wisdom with you. 

What I'm Doing For Better Sleep

I like to sleep.

I think sleep is important and in no way am I one of those people who think “sleep is for the weak” or “you can sleep when you’re dead”.

One of the books I worked through recently was “The Sleep Revolution” by Arianna Huffington. And while I didn’t finish it completely, I have learned so much about just how important sleep is. 

Basically, stop skimping on sleep people!

In no way do I think have insomnia or any real sleep problems, but like a lot of people I go through phases of sleeping really soundly, to getting up four times a night, and then other times when it takes me a few hours to fall asleep. 

For me, there’s nothing better than waking up in the morning and going “I didn’t wake up once!"

Like many other situations in my life, I decided to pick up a few books and start reading more about sleep in hopes of making my time in bed better. 

So, today I wanted to share some of the things I’m trying to implement in my life to achieve more sleep. 

One of the biggest things for me was realizing I needed to give myself more time to slow down before bed. Instead of going from whatever it was I was doing, jumping into bed and just expecting myself to fall asleep right away. 

One of the hardest (but most important/helpful) things for me has been implementing a no technology an hour before bed rule. I can’t tell you the number of times I would either scroll through social media or watch YouTube videos up until the point I wanted to fall asleep. It doesn’t work. 

This means no laptop, no phone (and if you have a TV, none of that either). I’ve also been trying to avoid my phone first thing in the morning too. We’re all guilty of picking up our phone first thing to avoid actually getting out of bed. I’m working to knock that habit too. 

Instead of technology that last hour I’ve really been enjoying reading before bed. I just picked up two new books from the library, and I’ve found that reading makes for a much smoother transition for me. 

I would say these things have had the biggest impact so far, and it’s been very noticeable. I’m sleeping so much better almost right away. 

There are plenty of ways to wind down before bed sans technology. I really enjoy hot baths, taking the time for my skincare, brushing, flossing and all that fun stuff. 

Every now and then Michael and I will close the blinds in our bedroom on a particularly bright night (we live in the city). This helps a lot in falling asleep but I wish they would automatically open with the sunrise because that’s the best way to wake up I’ve found. 

Now, two things I do during the day that I think have also helped with my sleep: limiting my caffeine and exercising. 

A long time ago I set myself a 'one cup before noon' rule when it came to coffee (my caffeine of choice). Not only does this help me sleep better but if I’m consuming too much caffeine I can feel much more anxious, which is never good. 

And I really do find that I just feel all around better when I’m getting outside and active more often. Exercise is a great way to blow off extra energy as well as stress. 

Now I know if you have actual issues with insomnia and sleep you’re going to scoff at this list. But I wanted to make this for the average person who’s not getting great sleep but not suffering either. 

The biggest thing I’ve learned is the importance of keeping technology far way from bedtime. 

What have you done that’s helped you sleep better?

My Skin Is Best During My Period

So, you know how everyone talks about how one of the woes of their period arriving is the acne that comes along with it? 

I always thought I was in that camp, acne during my period, but this past year I’ve noticed that I may have been wrong all along.

Does anyone else have better skin during their periods, or is that just me?

I find that the zits show up around ovulation, and that’s when my skin is usually at its ‘worse’ (which really isn’t all that bad usually). I also find that it’s a bit more uneven, dry and all that jazz around ovulation, and that it actually seems to clear up during my period. 

I wanted to share this today because before I actually started paying attention to my cycle, and tracking the different things that happen at different points, I used to be one of those people who blamed everything on their period.  

For so long my period was responsible for all the negatives that came along with having a menstrual cycle. I knew other stuff was happening in my body for my period to happen each month, but I never gave a second thought to what all those changes were doing. 

But ever since I started charting I’ve been much more aware of the little changes and at what point, during my cycle, things actually happen. 

And the one I’ve noticed is that I actually have clearer skin during my period than during ovulation. Right now I’m in my ovulatory phase and while my skin is doing pretty good overall, I do have a bit of a break out on my neck, along the hairline. I’m sure this is partially because I’ve been outside a lot, and I think when I use more hair products (like dry shampoo) that can make it break out.

But there are a few other factors beyond where I am in my cycle that play a role in the radiance of my skin. 

+ regular exercise — my skin looks best in the summer when I’m running consistently (not to mention sunshine heals everything).

+ sugar — if I’m eating too many sugary things, my face, especially my forehead breaks out (this is why I can’t drink Cuban coffee anymore).

+ processed food — my skin 100% shows this (not to mention it makes my PMS worse).

+ drinking enough water — this is a huge one as well, my skin just overall looks worse when I’m not drinking enough, which is most of the time. 

That last one is why I want to do a 30-day water drinking challenge to help kickstart my hydration habits. I’ve settled on the decision that at the bare minimum I want to get in 64 oz (1.8L), which is the recommended 8 glasses a day. But I would love to shoot for 80 oz, which is recommended for my weight. 

I also know that being adequately hydrated helps immensely with all other menstrual related happenings, so I’m hoping to see improvements there as well. 

My Period is a Morning Person

I’m not here to brag, even though it kind of feels like that. 

I just want to share something positive about my period. So here we go. 

My period is very polite in her arrival, and what I mean by this is I never seem to start my period in the middle of the day or the middle of the night. 

It always starts first thing in the morning when I go to the bathroom.

It’s like it waits for me to wake up, walk to the bathroom and to sit down to do my business, and then she’s like “Oh hello, good we can begin." 

And each time I’m like oh hello, thank you so much for being so patient and freaking polite. 

But just because it starts so easy doesn’t mean I don’t have my difficulties with my period. 

I still get cramps which require me to plug in my heating pad and take hot baths to soothe. 

I still leak and bleed through things, a lot. 

I still get tired, and emotional. 

But my period is a breeze compared to what it used to be. And I have a few things to thank. 

+ Going vegan — I truly believe diet has so much to do with how well your body functions. And I think going vegan played a huge role in lightening up my periods, calming the PMS and all that jazz. 

+ Getting off hormonal birth control and learning about my body — Yup, finally understanding how and why my body does different things made life so much easier. I felt empowered by this knowledge. 

+ Switching to menstrual cups and period underwear — Getting all the irritants that come with disposable products away from my vagina made everyone involved just so much happier. 

So you may be thinking “Screw her and her perfect period” but I’m here to share that even though it’s such a chill period I still have period problems. But also know that it hasn’t always been this easy and that if you have a period you’re not happy with it doesn’t have to be like that. 

I’m not saying what worked for me will work for you, or that there’s a right or wrong way to deal with cycle issues. I just want to encourage you to keep searching for your solution because I truly believe it is out there. 

What is something you’ve done that’s improved your period or cycle? 

Programs + Products I Use For FemmeHead

I love learning about different programs and products other creators use, and I’ve found so many helpful things because of that. So, today I wanted to share what I use to keep this ship sailing smoothly. 

DIGITAL PROGRAMS:

Evernote — I learned about this during my senior year in college, but didn’t really start using it until FemmeHead came along. But now, it is my everything! It’s where I write everything, make lists, you name it. It all starts in Evernote. It is a place to write and organize text documents. Like Word but so much better in my opinion. 

Squarespace — In college I made websites with Wordpress, but since discovering and using Squarespace for FemmeHead I can’t imagine going back. It made creating a website that was simple and aesthetically appealing so so easy. 

Gmail — You’ve all heard of this, but I didn’t start using it until this past year. I know, what was I doing with my life!? I love that I can have all of my emails from three different accounts in one place. I have my old personal email, my new personal email, and my FemmeHead email. And having it all in one place makes it so much easier to keep up with. 

MailChimp — This is how I send out my weekly email to everyone and how I send out my email courses as well. Another must-have. 

GumRoad — This is the program I use to sell my courses and coaching. They take care of the payment processing and everything. 

Zapier — This is one of those middleman programs, and learning about it made life so much easier. So, when someone goes from my site to GumRoad to register for a course, Zapier is what connects that registrant back to my MailChimp account so they can receive the lessons when the course starts. And while I just use it to connect my GumRoad to my Mailchimp it can act as the connector between all sorts ofother programs and apps. 

Unsplash — This is where I get all of the images for my website. I almost don’t want to share it because it’s that good. 

Hootsuite — This is what I use to schedule social media posts on Facebook and Twitter. I had a lot of troubles with using it for Instagram because Instagram won’t other programs post automatically to your account for you. So for Instagram, I post manually still. 

Canva — I’m learning the Adobe editing programs, but I discovered Canva at the start of FemmeHead when I was trying to create a header in the correct size for my YouTube channel. And now I use it for all my editing needs. I create thumbnails, social media posts, green screen overlays for my videos, everything. 

iMovie — This is what I have always edited my videos on. It’s simple, easy and because I’ve been using it for so many years I can edit my videos in my sleep. 

YouTube Create tab — This is where I get the music for my videos. If you go to your creator studio for your channel on the left-hand side you’ll see “create” and then there’s a ton of music, and it tells you whether you need attribution or not for that song on YouTube. Once I discovered this it made finding music for videos so much easier. 

Etsy — This is what I use to sell my FemmeHead merchandise. So far I’ve sold tote bags and shirts here, and plan to do more this spring. And it makes creating shipping labels super easy for sending the items out. 

Asana — I just discovered this in the past month. I think it would be awesome for group work, but I use it to create my social media calendar. I can have when I want to post what, a place for what I want to post and I can click “complete” when it’s posted, which is oh so satisfying. Being consistent on social media is something I’ve struggled with and while I’m still not perfect this helps so much. 

Calendy — This was another recent discovery, and it makes scheduling appointments, calls, etc. so much easier than going back and forth via email. It syncs with your Google Calendar, so it knows your availability and then you can just send a person the link to your Calendy and they can choose a time that works for them. 

PHYSICAL PRODUCTS:

Canon t5i — This is the camera I bought when I decided I wanted to start a YouTube channel. Spending over $500 was a big thing for me (and still is). But if I had to go back I’d buy the same camera. I wanted one that could both take videos and photos. Not to mention it’s just super simple to use and learn how to do things on. 

Canon g7x — This camera joined the family last summer, and it’s a loved addition. I wanted something more portable for travel, and I wanted to start vlogging, both of which are hard with my big t5i. And I absolutely love my g7x. I love that it can fit easily in my backpack, pocket or hand. 

GoPro Hero Session — This was a wedding gift, but it gets plenty of use. Mostly when we travel because it’s so tiny and waterproof. My only complaint is that I wish it had some sort of built-in stabilizer. I wish I could use it to film while running and not have completely unusable, shaky footage. But it’s really easy to use while you’re doing any sort of activity. 

MacBook Pro — This was another big purchase for me. It’s my third laptop I’ve ever owned. My dad bought me an HP as my high school graduation gift, which died during midterms or finals my senior year (talk about stressful). Thankfully a family friend was looking to sell his old 2006 MacBook Pro, and so I got it for $400. That lasted me for a few years until about 6 months into starting FemmeHead when I realized I needed a faster laptop for making videos. And that’s when I bought my current MacBook Pro, which has been the apple of my eye ever since. I’m a total Mac girl. 

Tripod (from Best Buy) — I got this for $30 a few months into starting my YouTube channel. It was a hassle to stack up books to prop my camera up on for videos. It was cheap and one of the legs snapped off a few months into using it. Thankfully I only ever use it at home so taping the leg back on keeps it pretty secure for a few months at a time. 

Joby GorillaPod — I wanted a small tripod for travel and just something that was more mobile. And it has come in pretty handy when I vlog around the house. But I don’t use it as much when we travel as I thought I would. 

Rode Mic — This was another big purchase for me. I wanted to step up my audio game. And this is the pretty standard microphone for YouTubers. 

Blue Yeti Mic — This is actually my brother’s really nice microphone, but I borrow it when I need to do podcast interviews or anything when I want good audio. I definitely enjoy having access to it. 

Transcend SD cards — These have been my favorite SD cards. 

Seagate Drive — I love this external hard drive. I actually need to buy another one because I've filled up my 1TB so far. This is where I store documents, photos, video or anything I want to keep long-term. 

Rhodia Dot Journal — This is what I use for my bullet journal, which is pretty crucial to what I get done for FemmeHead. Making the switch from a standard planner to a bullet journal was a big moment for me, and I highly recommend it. 

iPhone — And last but not least, my phone. Pretty standard, but I use it for social media and photos, even though it has like zero storage on it. I’ll definitely take that into consideration when it comes time to get a new phone in the future. 

Are there any products or programs I’m missing out on that would make my life oh so much easier? I’m all ears. What are the things you use to make life a breeze?

Mild Melancholy at the End of My Cycle

I’ve gotten a similar sensation at the end of the past two cycles and I was trying to put my finger on it, to give it a name. 

And the best way to describe it is a mild melancholy, “a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.” 

I’ve really come to terms with my cycle, my period and have grown to appreciate each of the phases for what they have to offer. 

Instead of getting frustrated or upset about something that happens I’m more curious than anything. 

And I’m pretty sure I feel this way the last day or two of my cycle because all of the plummeting hormone levels as my body prepares for the start of a new cycle. 

I just feel myself slowing down, turning inwards and either wanting to be out in nature or curled up at home.

There’s no cause for feeling “low”, but it’s not necessarily a bad feeling. I just feel reflective and a bit day dreamy. 

I find it’s best to journal, you never know what’s going to bubble to the surface. Or to get out into nature, whether that’s for a walk, run, lounge in the hammock. Being outside is what I find helps best to soothe the sad aspect of it, and nourish the pensive side of this sensation. 

Because regardless of what it is that I’m feeling I figure it’s got to be happening for a reason. The worst thing you can do is ignore a feeling or an emotion. Even if it’s negative or unpleasant, something is making you feel that way. And I find that working through it, digging into whatever it is always is what’s best. 

No matter who you are or what you do in life you’re going to come up against subconscious resistance, “Stay where you know, stay where it’s comfortable and easy.” But the best stuff is just beyond your comfort zone. Isn’t that what they always say. 

I’m guilty of trying to numb myself to things that are uncomfortable: conversations, situations, you name it. But I’ve been working to force myself to recognize these things, to acknowledge them and then ask myself where it's coming from. 

Because when I dig into it I discover new things about myself. Or I’m able to push myself outside my comfort zone where really cool things happen. 

So while some might see this sensation of melancholy as a negative aspect of getting your period, I see it as a positive. I see it as just another way my cycle connects me to things and challenges me to keep reaching for more. 

Have you noticed any interesting nuances of your own cycle that have made you stop and think? 

Anxiety + What I Do For It

A few weeks ago I shared in my Monday email that my anxiety had been kicking up lately, especially that past weekend. And I just wanted to say, I never write anything expecting a response or searching for one either, but all of the sweet messages I got were so nice, so thank you. 

I wanted to come on here and talk about some of the things I do when I find myself in a bout of anxiety. 

[But first I just want to start by saying, everyone's anxiety it different, and what works for me might not work for you. And I know my anxiety is pretty mild in comparison to what others are dealing with. This isn't a competition. I'm just doing my part in normalizing conversations about it.] 

My anxiety has been so much better lately then it was back in 2012/2013. And I attribute that improvement to some lifestyle changes:

+ getting out a relationship 

+ quitting hormonal birth control

+ going vegan 

+ getting into yoga/meditation/journaling

+ starting FemmeHead

I’m not an expert, nor probably very well informed when it comes to anxiety, but I think a lot of mine revolved around performance, not being good enough, or the fear of failing at life. And I still get bouts of this to this day. 

This wave of “what the hell are you doing?” will wash over me and I’ll find myself questioning all of my decisions and having this sense of "I’m going to fail, and it’s going to happen soon."

[Now, I really don’t want to offend anyone by any of my recommendations, because I know anxiety varies so much, and in no way am I saying you’re not trying hard enough. Everyone has to learn to handle their anxiety in the way that works for them. This is just what has worked for me.]

So, in no particular order: 

+ Journal — I find it helps so much to just get everything I’m thinking out of my head an onto paper. Not only does it help to clear my mind but it helps me work through things.  

+ Clean up my space — For me a cluttered space = a jumbled mind, and I find that not only is cleaning soothing for me but having a clean space helps so much with my mental well-being. Having a clear space gives me a sense of having my shit together. 

+ Meditate — I started meditating regularly during a particularly bad bout of anxiety surrounding working at the bar/restaurant. My mind races when the anxiety gets bad, running through all sorts of scenarios and such. I find that getting into the practice of being able to slow down and even clear my mind with meditation is so beneficial. 

+ Cut back on caffeine — I try to keep my daily intake to one cup before noon, but I find that one of the worst things I can do for myself when I’m feeling anxious is to drink more than one cup. (It’s a calming ritual to have something warm to sip on, but when the caffeine kicks in it’s not so calm). I try to switch to caffeine free tea. 

+ Pamper myself — This sounds trivial, but I find that if I set aside some time to take a nice hot bath, put on a face mask, do my nails or something to take care of myself really does help. 

+ Go for a run — Your exercise of choice might be something else but just being able to get out and blow off some steam, push yourself all feels great. Plus being outside in nature is good for my anxiety too. 

+ Write out a brainstorm list — This is something I did this last time. I sat down in my bed with my notebook and just wrote out everything I could think of that would help get ahead in life. Because this last time my anxiety was coming from fear of career failure and money I focused on everything I could do to take that next step forward. And I have to say this was one of the best things I did for myself. 

+ Meet up with a friend — I’ve been doing a great job this past year or two of getting together regularly with friends and family, but sometimes being social with someone you really enjoy being around is nice. Bonus if it’s a friend you can talk through things with. My friend I had coffee with a few weeks ago was so lovely and empathetic, and it’s nice to talk to someone you know gets what you’re going through. 

+ Talk through my “escape plan” — I don’t know about you but when I’m going through anxiety or depression I always have this escape route in mind. "If all else fails I can do this." Whether that’s 'go get a regular job' or 'buy a van to live in,' I like to let myself mentally play out that scenario and really go through whether that’s something I would want. And often it’s not. I mean I would love to build out a sprinter van one day to have for travel, but I really love my life and so that’s what I want to work on maintaining. 

+ Take action — Finally, it’s probably one of the hardest things to do when you have anxiety, but getting over that hump of fear and cracking down on something is what I find helps get me out of that slump. Sometimes my anxiety will crop up when I’m getting too stagnant in life, and it’s almost telling me to take that next step no matter how much it scares me. And I’ve found that once I started taking action things started falling into place. And I feel so much more jazzed about life and work now than before my anxiety showed up. 

Once again, my anxiety is probably much different than others, and there’s no doubt that others are suffering way more than I am. I’m thankful for my mild anxiety, and even though it sucks when it’s happening I’m so grateful it is where it is at now compared to five years ago.

Intuitive Eating + Listening to Your Body

I just made a video this week about my five year anniversary of going vegan, which includes how it’s changed over the years for me. 

But I think one of the most amazing things I’ve learned, now that I know everything I can eat and what makes me feel the best, is how to listen to my body and what it needs/wants. 

There’s a place for treats and junk food just like there is a place for nourishing meals filled with fresh veggies and fruit. 

What I eat changes with the seasons and what’s available. 

I eat a bit heavier, with more cooked meals, during the colder months, and lighter, more fresh meals when it’s warm out. 

And I think that’s one of my favorite things about being vegan/plant-based. I can eat whatever I want and not have to worry about calories or any of that. I can just eat what my body wants and not worry about it. 

Yes, I’m blessed with a fast metabolism, but that didn’t stop me from getting clogged up and bogged down when I ate a Standard American Diet. Not to mention being almost 20 pounds heavier than I am now when I lived in Thailand. I wasn't veg then, and I drank pretty regularly, but not excessively.  

But now I’m conscious of what I eat, I know what makes me feel good and what weighs me down. 

I know you hear it all the time but it’s about balance. If I go a few days eating heavier, more processed stuff I find myself really craving/needing something fresh and light and that’s what I eat. 

I think it’s so important to listen to your body and to recognize what makes you feel good. 

I’m not a fan of food journals unless it’s to track what you’re eating and how that’s making you feel in order to discover some sore of digestive irritant. 

This is how I originally realized it was meat that was causing all my digestive woes. 

Seriously, I used to only go number two once a week. Once a week! That is insane for me to think about now, but that used to be my norm. I always had a stomach ache, was always tired and felt bogged down, especially after meals. 

Why it took me so long to realize that wasn’t normal, or good, baffles me. 

But now I know. I’ve put in the time to listen to my body, and I can balance the things that make me flourish and still get my fix of a little bit of junk food. 

What foods make you flourish, which make you feel not so great, and how do you find the balance between them?

I'm Going to Say It...I Enjoy Running

I ran track in junior high and high school. I was never an all-star, nor did I enjoy it all that much. 

I ran sporadically throughout college and after. 

I would run with my dog Bob (R.I.P. Bob), and then when I moved in with Michael I liked to do a bike/run combo most days. But it was never more than a few miles. 

Last summer Michael challenged me to run a marathon, something that had literally never ever crossed my mind. I laughed at him and initially said no way. But I think it was an hour later that I said, Ok, I’ll do it. 

So I trained for and ran a marathon last fall, doing a 5K and sprint triathlon in the process. But then I took a break over the winter because running in the cold is not my thing, and I had burnt myself out with marathon training. Now that warmer weather is here I’m running regularly again. 

A little over a month ago my mom and I started training together because I convinced her to run a half marathon with me. 

We just did a 10K this past weekend that was awesome. I think it's super helpful to not only have something your training for but to also do races along the way. It spices the training up and allows you to get jazzed up by the race atmosphere. 

But in the process of all of this, I’ve surprised myself with how much I actually enjoy running. 

I’ve found that once you get past that period of everything hurting, your lungs gasping for air, and to where you can run a few miles consistently, you get into a certain rhythm and it just flows. And that feels amazing. 

Running is a great way to work through things. If I’m feeling anxious or upset I’ll go run. It’s a great time to brainstorm or daydream. And it’s something that you can actually see tangible improvement at. You can run further or faster. 

And it’s an inexpensive thing to do. I recommend getting a good pair of shoes, and races are fun, but day to day you don’t have to go to a class or a gym to do it. You can just go outside. 

And speaking of outside, I love that aspect of running. It gets you outside, and it’s a great speed of travel. I love running trails through the woods or along the river. [Sidenote: I can't run on a treadmill. One mile feels like ten, and I just really dislike it.]

I love being able to cover different distances. It’s such an accomplishment to run your first mile, your first three, then five, ten and when you get to the point where you realize you can run for two or four hours straight that’s super cool. 

It’s something you can do almost anywhere you go. And it’s fun to do when you travel. 

I’ve discovered I really like trail running. It’s completely different than running on a flat surface like a road, sidewalk or bike path. And it feels like an adventure, which reminds me of being a child and playing in the woods around our house. 

It was hard getting into running last summer, finding my rhythm and all that but I was surprised with how quickly it came back to me this year. I was able to run that first mile and then three miles a lot quicker this time around. 

I know there are plenty of people who think those who run are crazy (I was once one of them), but it’s honestly something that anyone can get into. You literally go at your own pace and even if that means walking at different points, it really doesn't matter. 

If you’ve been wanting to get into it don’t be shy. Give it a go! 

Cheap, Lazy Vegan Meals

There are so many amazing, delicious vegan dishes out there that are an elaborate work of art. 

But what about when you’re not feeling cooking, and want your food now?

While there are days where I don’t mind putting in the effort to make something like pierogi, there are so many days where I just want something quick and easy. Because I’m a lazy vegan.

So, here’s some options for when it comes to making something easy, that’s not full of fancy, expensive ingredients. 

chickpea toast: I have to start here. It’s the easiest thing to make. Literally just pop in some toast. Open a can of chickpeas, drain it, microwave it for 1 minute and season it with whatever you like.

nachos: Put chips on a plate and whatever you want on top of it. I like cooking and crumbling up a veggie burger, or some black beans. And then I top it with things like tomato, onion, banana peppers, avocado, salsa, sriracha. Yum. 

salad: People think these are more complicate than they actually are. I like either kale or romaine as my base, and then I’ve been cutting up half an avocado, throwing a fork full of kraut in, along with some spices and then massaging it into the greens to soften it all up, and the avocado becomes a nice sauce. 

veggie burgers / veggie brats: These are great to have on hand for those days you just want to grab one, cook it in a skillet and throw it in a bun (or slice of bread in my case). And then you know the drill, top it with whatever you like. 

cous cous and soup: Cous cous cooks really really fast, around the same amount of time it takes to warm up a can of soup. I like to just get a box of cous cous and a can of minestrone soup, and voila, a meal. 

pasta: You can throw in some veggies or you can literally just do noodles and sauce. 

burrito: Sauté up some veggies, open up a can of beans, chop up some lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, throw in some salsa and sriracha and roll it up. 

Fries + vegan cheese sauce: This is a recent discover thanks to Ellen Fischer. It does take 30ish minutes to cook the potato fries, but I just mix them around in the pan every 10 minutes so it's not hard. Check out her video for the vegan cheese sauce recipe and get ready to drool

Smoothie: This is a summer thing for me. Throw a banana, some frozen fruit and whatever else in a blender. I love this either first thing in the morning or after a run.

Watermelon/Fruit: Another summer thing for me. I love just eating a nice spread of fruit for a smaller meal. I know some people don’t consider fruit a meal, but if you eat the right amount it totally is. And this is what I do for lunch when I want something on the lighter, fresher side. 

So, I know none of these are revolutionary. But they are so stinking easy. People think being vegan or plant-based is hard, or expensive but it doesn’t have to be. 

What are some of your go to lazy vegan meals?

Intuitive Exercise Throughout Your Cycle

The only time that I’ve ever stuck to a “work out plan” was when I trained for my marathon last year, and these past four weeks of training for a half-marathon at the start of June. 

Other than that I have always just kind of gone through spurts and phases of exercising. 

Things like yoga, weight lifting, biking, but the most of what I’ve done over the years has been running. 

Have you ever noticed that you’re drawn to different types, or amounts of, exercise at different points in your cycle? 

Leading up to and during my period I find myself wanting a much slower form of exercise, whether that be yoga, hiking or simply going for a walk. I’ve still go running during this, but I don’t push myself too hard. Thankfully, our pace this year hasn’t been very intense at all so it works out great. 

I don’t base my exercise on where I am in my cycle so much as just listening to my body as I go along. Because I’ve got a training plan to follow I usually stick to that for the most part. 

But last week around ovulation I found myself wanting to get outside more than once, or go further than originally planned. Three days in a row I ran 6 miles. 

Wednesday I went on a run with my mom, and then Michael asked if I wanted to go with him so I did. The next day I ran around two miles with my mom, and then decided to run the 4 miles back to my apartment. And Friday we had six miles to run. 

I’m more likely to head out on an unplanned run, hike, etc. because I get this urge to blow off some steam or excess energy (or lack of energy). 

One thing that I’ve discovered I enjoy a lot is running on trails. Not bike paths, but dirt trails through the woods, or when we were in Phoenix is was through the desert. 

Once I get into the habit of being active again (when it’s starts getting warm out) I just really try to focus on what my body feels like, combined of course with what I have for a training plan. 

I don’t necessarily switch up the type of exercise I do depending on where I’m at in my cycle, I just change the amount and intensity of running I’m doing that week. 

I do find that when I’m feeling in a slump, tired or things like that, getting out for a run really helps to balance me back out again. 

What is your go to exercise, and do you switch it up at all throughout your cycle? 

Boosting Your Cervical Fluid Naturally

Once I got my luteal phase in order the next thing I set out to fix was my cervical fluid. 

Huh? 

For me, my menstrual cycle serves as a report card of sorts for my overall well-being. If something is off in my cycle, it usually means there’s something off somewhere else too. 

And I love to test out and see if natural solutions really do work. So, last month I set out to boost my cervical fluid with a few things I had read about. 

The first thing you need to do to improve your cervical fluid is to make sure you’re drinking enough water. This is obviously important for so many other reasons, countless benefits that I could go on and on about. But your cervical fluid is over 90% H2O. So, if you’re not keeping up with the water demand you’re going to see that play out in less cervical fluid.

So, each morning, and especially around your fertile phase try and drink at least one glass of water before starting in on your morning coffee. Because you naturally wake up a bit parched from not drinking any fluids while you’re asleep, and coffee can have a dehydrating effect. 

I also try to limit myself to a cup or two of coffee per day. Have your morning ritual of a warm cup of joe, but then switch to either water, herbal tea or something that’s a bit more hydrating, and less caffeinated for the rest of the day. 

I really liked the combination of water with lemon, and then adding a dash of your choice of honey or maple syrup to sweeten it up a bit.

The next thing I tried was taking 1500 mg of Evening Primrose Oil throughout the day (one capsule with breakfast or lunch, and then the other two with dinner).

[Please note that you should only take E.P.O. from the start of your period until ovulation. From there switch to Flax Seed Oil or something similar to get your omegas. The recommended dosage is 1500-3000 mg per day.]

Going back to hydration, something that I saw pop up, again and again, was drinking grapefruit juice during your fertile phase to boost cervical fluid. This one I was a bit skeptical about but thought what the heck, I like grapefruit. So, I bought myself a bulk bag of grapefruit and started juicing two a day on CD 10. First off, I was shocked with how delicious and fresh grapefruit juice is. I was expecting it to be bitter but loved that it tasted like the fruit minus the skin. 

I continued to eat or drink my grapefruit each day past the end of my fertile phase and I have definitely rekindled my love for them. 

There are many other suggestions out there, but I didn’t want to do so much I wasn’t sure what was doing what. But I can say that from the combination of more water, 1500 mg of Evening Primrose Oil and grapefruit juice there was a very noticeable change in the quality and amount of my cervical fluid this last cycle. 

I’m going to continue doing the same for this cycle, and I’ve also started training for the half so I’m curious to see how that affects things as well. (Exercise boosts circulation which in turn is supposed to boost cervical fluid.) 

I also think it’s worth mentioning that I had no noticeable PMS leading up to my period last cycle as well as no pre-menstrual spotting besides the tiniest amount just the day before I started my period. I had some cramps that called for a heating pad on the first day, but nothing by the second. I’ll take those side effects of Evening Primrose Oil any day!

Have you tried boosting your cervical fluid, or healing another part of your cycle naturally? What sort of results have you had?