Hi and welcome back! Today's lesson had me revisiting the foundational elements of the PN program and reflecting on my progress as I officially enter "The Grind" phase. This stage is all about recognizing the persistence required to maintain and deepen the healthy habits I've developed. Understanding The Grind The Grind phase emphasizes the routine of continuing good habits—not just planning meals or hitting the gym, but integrating these actions into my daily life as seamlessly as brushing my teeth and using my Waterpik. It's about understanding that even though these actions become repetitive, they are crucial to long-term success and well-being. The timing of this lesson was perfect as I was thinking this is starting to feel like a routine, not in a bad way, just that this is a routine for me now. Reflecting on My Journey I took time today to look back at my early motivations and how they've evolved. Initially driven by immediate goals like weight loss or b...

Welcome back to my holistic wellness journey blog! Today's lesson was all about maintaining our exercise routine while traveling. Precision Nutrition emphasizes that maintaining our health habits is as important on the road as it is at home. After all, we wouldn’t stop brushing our teeth just because we’re on vacation, right? Exercising While Traveling Today's lesson was to find excuses to work out, not excuses to skip it while away from home. Whether it’s running a few blocks to grab coffee or rearranging furniture in a hotel room, there are plenty of ways to stay active. I’m encouraged to plan ahead and think of travel as an opportunity to integrate more physical activity into my day, from carrying luggage to exploring new places on foot. They shared a great idea - self guided walking tours and shared a links to use for that  Rick Steve's Audio Walking Tours  - 60 minutes long for popular European cities. It made me think if there were any walking tours near me and a quic...

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 again! As we wrap up another week, today was packed with learning and activities—a double dose of insights from our program coaches and a fresh workout routine. Unpacking the Lessons Today's lesson encouraged us to review our body signal tracking data from yesterday and engage in self-coaching. Analyzing my own data was enlightening; it highlighted how significantly lack of sleep and pain from my PCOS/period affects my energy and mood throughout the day. Despite having a nap, I realized that doesn't fully counteract the tiredness from disrupted sleep. If I were to advise a "client" (myself in this case), I’d commend the efforts to maintain slow eating, regular hydration, and exercise even during these rough patches and remind them that PCOS is rough and periods don't last forever. Workout Progress and Gardening Gains I tackled the third new workout routine of the second phase today, continuing with bodyweight exercises and resistance bands. There’s something...

Hello, everyone! Today marks the 93rd day of my PN for women journey, and I want to share both the challenges and triumphs I've experienced, particularly over the last two days. Living with PCOS means dealing with unpredictable and often painful symptoms, and the past couple of nights have been particularly tough with severe pain disrupting my sleep. Starting Despite the Odds Despite being tired, grumpy and the the cramping and overall discomfort, today was a scheduled workout day and I managed to get it done. Honestly, I wasn't feeling up to it initially—skipping seemed like a reasonable option as I sipped my morning tea and had breakfast. But as the day went on, I decided to start with just the warm-up exercises, which are the same as the last phase and walking on the treadmill and see how it went from there. Surprisingly, I found myself completing the entire workout, including a second stint on the treadmill. I even scored over 30 minutes of Zone minutes on my Fitbit, which ...

Full Body Workouts with Resistance Bands Embarking on a new fitness regimen can be both exhilarating and challenging or even a bit unnerving as it is the unknown and that is how I felt just a few weeks ago as I had not used resistance bands for my exercises before. I had used them for physio and had seen some people in the gym using them in the past, but now I think these are brilliant now that I know what exercises to do and plan on taking them with me if I am traveling over my workout days. This is my first series of exercises with resistance bands and the last day of this specific workout routine. I have been having my workout days be Monday, Wednesday and Friday and do them before I have lunch in the late morning after coming back from the trail walks with the dog so she can have a nap and I can focus. The next series of exercises starts on Monday, according to our calendar, and I'm excited to see what that looks like. Remember be sure to check with your primary care before sta...

Embracing a New Habit: Healthy Fats This week marks the introduction of a new habit in our nutrition program—incorporating healthy fats into our diet. Today's lesson highlighted a variety of sources for these beneficial fats, including various oils (like olive, coconut, and flaxseed), nuts, seeds, and avocados. As someone with a nut allergy, I was relieved to see plenty of options that cater to my dietary restrictions, such as seeds and avocado oil, which allow me to participate fully in this week's focus. Measuring Health Fats Just like the previous habits where we use our hands, again Precision Nutrition recommends doing that only this time with our thumbs as the standard measurement. Integrating Healthy Fats into Meals I've already started incorporating these fats into my meals today thanks to the sneak peak that we got from the coaches and the weekly recap lesson: guacamole in my chicken salad wrap, avocado oil for cooking my omelet, and hemp seeds in my dinner salad. T...

Unpacking the Pattern of Weekenditis Today's lesson delved into a phenomenon many of us might find familiar—Weekenditis, a witty term coined to describe the drastic shift in eating habits that often occurs from Friday evening through the weekend. This pattern is characterized by abandoning the disciplined eating habits of the weekdays for indulgence in foods and drinks that we typically avoid, which and often end up leading to feelings of guilt, regret, and physical discomfort. The Cycle of Restrictive Eating The lesson outlined how restrictive and "perfect" eating from Monday to Friday can set the stage for Weekenditis. This approach often builds up a psychological and physical craving for the "forbidden" foods, making it almost inevitable that we'll overindulge when we finally allow ourselves a break from strict dieting. The cycle is further exacerbated by the "all-or-nothing" mindset, where minor deviations from the diet plan trigger a dispropor...

Reflecting on Day 73 of my journey with Precision Nutrition, I encountered some realizations and experiences that reinforced the dynamic nature of personal growth and health optimization. Harvesting Homegrown Health: The Joy of Green Onions This morning brought a small yet immensely satisfying milestone in my journey towards integrating more homegrown foods into my diet. After weeks of nurturing and patience, I finally harvested the green onions I've been growing. The experience of clipping those fresh, vibrant shoots straight from the soil to my kitchen is a vivid reminder of the joys and rewards of gardening. This achievement is more than just adding homegrown produce to my meals; it's a tangible representation of the cycle of growth, care, and nutrition that I've committed to in my wellness journey. These green onions, though a modest harvest, symbolize a step closer to self-sufficiency and a deeper connection to the food that nourishes my body and soul.  Acknowledging E...

Continuing the Fitness Journey Today marked another productive workout day in the evolving journey of my fitness routine. Incorporating a mix of bodyweight and band exercises, the session was both challenging and rewarding. The routine began and concluded with a treadmill walk, framing the workout with a steady warm-up and cool-down, ensuring my body was properly prepared and recovered. Today's exercises, again in mini circuits, enriched my regimen with variety and targeted different muscle groups for a comprehensive workout: - Ribs-Down Breathing - Wall Glute Iso March - X-Band Walk - Banded No Money - Neutral-Grip Seated Band Row - Supine Banded No Money Drill - Wall-Press Abs These exercises, focusing on form and engagement, have been instrumental in enhancing my physical well-being, showcasing the program's well-rounded approach to fitness.  Lesson on Simplifying Fitness Today's lesson resonated deeply with me, emphasizing the importance of trusting our bodies and prior...

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...

Transitioning to a New Exercise Routine Today marked a refreshing shift in my workout regimen with the introduction of new exercises, signaling a progression in my fitness journey with Precision Nutrition. After a brief warm-up on the treadmill, I delved into a series of exercises designed to enhance my strength, flexibility, and core stability. Starting with ribs-down breathing—a familiar concept from my guided meditation sessions, but applied in a new, static context—I transitioned into dynamic movements like Wall March, X-Band Walk, and Banded No Money, followed by Band Row and Band Pull-Apart variations. The second round intensified the challenge with Split-Stance Band Row variations, integrating ribs-down breathing throughout. Concluding with a 15-minute treadmill walk ensured a balanced session, blending cardiovascular and strength elements seamlessly. The comprehensive guidance provided through written instructions, photos, and videos, including modifications for each exercise, ...