Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog and yes, that is my cat who decided to jump into the dishwasher after it was empty! Today’s lesson delved into the importance of truly understanding our food intake and accurately recording it in our food journals. We often underestimate how much we eat, especially with little nibbles here and there. For instance, cleaning up after dinner might lead to consuming enough bites to count as a second meal - for me this was something I did when my son was younger as I didn't want ot waste food. To become more aware of our actual intake, we need to consciously ask ourselves, "How much am I actually eating?" and ensure that we record everything accurately in our journals. What to Look for in Your Food Journals This lesson was broken into two levels - I am level one so am focused on that as I have been on past lessons that are split into two levels in the program. The Basics Eating to Satisfied: Are you estimating portion sizes correctly?...

Thanks for coming by again! Today, being Saturday, there were no new lessons in the PN program, but it was filled with plenty of activity and a couple of pleasant surprises. Extended Walks and Gardening I took advantage of the day for some active recovery, starting with an extended walk with my dog. We also enjoyed her usual walks throughout the day, which always adds a nice rhythm to our routine. In addition to our walks, I spent some time in the garden, moving my strawberry plants into the new berry garden alongside the blueberry bushes. Learning that strawberries can create beneficial shade for blueberries was a delightful bonus to optimizing my garden's layout. Aurora Borealis Surprise A special highlight of the day was my husband capturing a fantastic photo of the Aurora Borealis in the middle of the night while I was sleeping. It was quite unexpected, especially given the usual light pollution in our area. This rare sight added a magical touch to an already relaxing day. Usin...

Welcome back to my daily blog! Today's lesson expanded on the concept of motivation by introducing three more S's that are crucial for maintaining momentum in our PN journey: satisfaction, success, and strengths. It was also an active recovery day, filled with physical and reflective activities. Satisfaction from Progress Today, I reflected on the progress I've made since starting the PN program. I listed achievements like feeling better overall, walking more confidently, making healthier choices, and seeing improvements in how my clothes fit. Recognizing and celebrating these victories is vital. It's easy to focus on the steep path ahead without acknowledging how far I've climbed. Today, I took a moment to feel proud of these accomplishments, using them as fuel to keep pushing forward, that's my inner cheerleader coming out saying good job! Building on Success Success breeds success. This part of the lesson reminded me to use my past achievements as a foundatio...

Hi again, everyone! Today's focus continued on mastering the art of crafting PN-friendly meals, a habit that's becoming increasingly integral to my daily routine. This journey, as we've learned, is not about perfection but about making gradual, sustainable changes.  Understanding PN-Friendly Meals Today's lesson deepened our understanding of what makes a meal PN-friendly. It's about starting with simple meals that fit our lifestyle and goals, and then gradually improving them. We discussed how each meal can evolve from basic choices to more nutritionally dense and mindfully enjoyed options, transforming our eating habits step by step. I like how they focus on where are you now, what can you do to improve that just a bit and the examples were spot on in their meal evolutions. Meal Evolution Insights Through a series of meal stages, we explored how our eating habits could change over time. For example, transitioning from a rushed coffee and croissant to a relaxed and ...

Hello, everyone! Today marks the introduction of a new habit in our PN program—focusing on PN-friendly meals, which synthesize our learnings about lean proteins, veggies, smart carbs, and fats into a comprehensive approach to eating.  Structured Learning and Balanced Meals The lesson today was split into two levels, and I'm starting at level one, which feels just right for where I'm at currently. We reviewed what constitutes a PN-friendly meal, and I'm happy to report that my typical meals, like omelets with veggies and sprouted grain toast, are on track. After tracking my food over the weekend, I noticed a balanced 1:1:1:1 ratio when I look at the total day, though there's always room for improvement for each meal and yesterday I only had 4 servings of veggies.  The shared examples of meals and a simple chili recipe, which I'm excited to try out instead of buying ready-made from the deli but I need to tweak it a bit with black beans instead of kidney beans. My focu...

Hello, everyone! Today’s reflections bring a mix of dietary insights, personal accomplishments, and continuous learning from the PN program. It’s been a day rich with activities and self-discovery, being present to try and make sure that I am making every moment count. Nutritional Deep Dive Today's lesson in the PN program revolved around evaluating our intake of healthy fats. For me, avocado oil has been a standout this week, both for cooking and as a delicious addition to sandwiches and wraps in the form of guacamole. It's not only versatile but also incredibly easy to incorporate into my diet. While I'm exploring its benefits, I’m also keeping an open mind about experimenting with other oils in the future. Celebrating Weekly Wins One of the biggest triumphs this week has been managing to stay on top of my workouts, despite the challenges posed by my PCOS, lack of sleep and my period. This week I really focused on ensuring that each meal was balanced and nutritious helped...

Hello again! With the weekend here and no specific lessons or live sessions in the PN program, it's a quieter day dedicated to reflection and self-directed activities.  Diving Into Nutritional Tracking Today, I started using the tracking sheets provided by our coaches to monitor my intake of proteins, veggies, carbs, and fats. Breaking down meals into these components is quite an eye-opener, and I appreciate using our hands as a simple, scale-free measurement tool. It makes the process straightforward and less technical, which really aligns with my approach to keeping things stress-free in the kitchen.  I'm looking forward to the new habit on plating to see what is recommended and compare the two to see where I can start to make adjustments. I am also trying to use some of the things from the Intuitive Eating book and trust what my body wants to eat, when possible, so not 100% sure how those two things will come together. Active Recovery and Rainy Days The weather has blessed ...

Hello, everyone! Day 94 has been a whirlwind of emotions and activities, heavily influenced by yet another night of broken sleep due to my period—a common challenge but one that hasn't troubled me this frequently in a while. Tired is indeed the word of the day, pun fully intended. Navigating Through Fatigue Today's lesson was making ourselves the experiment. I embarked on another scientific endeavor—collecting a snapshot of my body's current state, but not through photographs. Instead, I focused on tracking how I felt at various intervals, aiming to read my "inner compass" more effectively. This wasn't just about adhering to an abstract concept; it was about concrete data gathering to improve my day-to-day living. Tracking the Inner Compass Throughout the day, I used my phone’s timer to remind me every two hours to record my energy levels, calmness, focus, and mood on a scale from 1 to 10. These periodic check-ins helped me recognize the fluctuations in my fee...

Embracing Feedback Over Failure Today’s Precision Nutrition lesson today emphasized the shift from viewing mishaps as failures to seeing them as valuable feedback. Using examples like if you stumbled on a rocky path, it just means you found a rock that wasn't steady—no worries, you haven't failed at walking. This one really hit home to me, I use something similar when I am working with mums as a lactation consultant - if you latch the baby in X position and it doesn't work for one of you, that doesn't mean you have failed at breastfeeding. Their gym example, if you lose your balance in the gym trying a new exercise, it's just a sign you might have leaned a bit too far one way. That's not failing at exercise, that's learning to balance better. And if those super spicy wings gave you a tough night, well, you've just learned what doesn't work for your stomach. You haven't failed at eating; you've just discovered more about your body's reacti...

Earth Day 2024 Today, on Earth Day, I'm reminded of the importance of my environmental impact and the role I play in preserving our planet. This annual event is a call to action to be more mindful of my daily habits and decisions, whether it's reducing waste, conserving energy, or practicing sustainable gardening. For me Earth Day serves as a reminder that even small, personal changes can contribute to a larger global effort to safeguard our natural resources for future generations.  Gardening and Sustainability The day also included a moment of inspiration from a gardening show on the radio, reminding me of the simple steps we can take at home to practice sustainable gardening. I'm exploring options to install a gutter system on my greenhouse to connect to a rain barrel, aiming to use rainwater for watering plants. This sustainable practice underscores a commitment to leveraging natural resources effectively, reducing reliance on town water supplies that have been treated ...

Weekly Recap and Preparation Today's lesson served as a weekly recap and a gentle nudge to prepare for the coming week by stocking up on healthy fats, such as ripening avocados. I'm even toying with the idea of growing my own avocado plants from pits, although my past attempts haven't been successful even though it is supposed to be one of the simplest things to root and grow. Here's to hoping for a green thumb this time! Active Recovery and Practical Tasks As part of my active recovery day, I engaged in NEAT activities like gardening and cleaning out my car—always surprising what accumulates under the seats when you're sharing the space with a son and a dog! She watched to make sure that I didn't throw out any of her toys and helpfully carried them into the house. Regular walks with the dog around the neighborhood also topped off my activity for the day. Training with the New Muzzle I introduced a larger muzzle to my dog because the one last week was too small,...

Plant Care on a Rainy Day Despite the rain, I ensured my plants still got the benefits of fresh air by moving them outside this morning and back inside before it got too chilly. This careful management helps them thrive even during unpredictable weather. My dog who doesn't like getting wet from rain watched me from the backdoor staying nice and dry instead of coming with me to the greenhouse as she normally does.  My dog is loves water from sprinklers, hoses, puddles on trails, lakes, etc. but really doesn't like the rain. I have to bribe her with treats to go out in the backyard and even with the raincoat walks can be a challenge sometimes and today was no different.  Staying Fit with Resistance Bands and Treadmill Today's workout was a continuation of my routine using resistance bands and the treadmill. Despite the rainy weather outside, I appreciated having the treadmill to maintain my fitness regimen comfortably indoors.   In today's workout session, I increased ...

Reflecting on Smart Carbs Today's lesson offered a valuable recap of the past two weeks, focusing on our efforts to make smarter carb choices. We were encouraged to reflect on the changes we've implemented and the effectiveness of these strategies. For me, incorporating more beans into my diet through chili, experimenting with chickpea pasta, and opting for multigrain tortillas and popcorn over Doritos for snack times have been significant adjustments. Notably, ordering prepared deli chilis has been a practical way to integrate beans into my meals subtly, helping me overcome my dislike for their texture. Realizing New Eating Habits The shift towards smarter carb choices has gradually become more intuitive rather than a forced effort. However, I still find myself challenged by the concept of feeling full. Taking smaller portions has been helpful, and I've started leaving more than just one bite on my plate, which is a considerable shift from the clean-your-plate habit ingrai...

Progressing with Resistance Band Workouts On this workout day, I continued with the band-based exercises, a routine that's quickly becoming a cornerstone of my fitness regimen. An unexpected mishap with a band snapping during the x-band walk was a minor setback, but having a set of bands allowed me to swiftly switch and carry on. I realize that I have been using the wrong type of resistance bands and have ordered a new set. Today's session included a blend of familiar exercises and new additions, utilizing a yoga mat for comfort during the kneeling movements.  The exercises for today were: - Ribs-Down Breathing - Wall Glute Iso March - X-Band Walk - Banded No Money - Half-Kneeling Band Row and Press - Single-Arm Half-Kneeling Band Row - Single-Arm Half-Kneeling Band Press A 15-minute treadmill walk served as both a warmup and a cool-down, emphasizing my preference for focused, uninterrupted exercise time. However, daily walks with my dog and son, especially our morning excursio...