Posted in Body Fat Loss, Healthy Eating, Healthy Eating, Immunity, Nutrition, Weight Loss

Simple Berry Breakfast for Gut Health: A Not-So-Guilty Pleasure

The people who know me best know what I’m like when it comes to breakfast. I like my go-to’s, which include eggs, gluten free toast, and chicken sausage. But when my nutrition coach asked me to lighten up on the grains and boost my morning fiber intake, I accepted the challenge. That’s how I came up with my simple berry breakfast for gut health: a not so guilty pleasure.

Ingredients & Directions

You’re gonna love this one, because it only requires 4 ingredients and it serves two!

  • 2 Cups Organic Mixed Berries
  • 1/4 Cup Organic cashews and walnuts (or nuts of choice)
  • 2 TBSP Organic Chia Seeds
  • 1/2 Cup Non-Dairy, No Sugar Added Yogurt

Place it all into a bowl, stir it up, then enjoy!

Note: I had mine alongside eggs and chicken sausage 😉 What will you have YOURS with?

Eat up <3

Nadia

Posted in Body Fat Loss, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Personal Growth, Weight Loss

Online Nutrition Challenge: Coming Soon!

How would you like to be given all of the tools that you need to create a healthy, happy lifestyle for you and your family/loved ones?

We say it every year… that this is the year we’re going finally start exercising and eating right. In 2020, don’t just SAY it. DO it with the…

#NutritionGoals! 90 Day Challenge

Think of the #NutritionGoals! Challenge as a 3 month adventure into creating a lifestyle that will help you feel motivated, energized, and happier than ever! Throughout this journey together, we’ll learn habits and skills that will:

  • Shift your mindset
  • Nourish your body with nutritious and great tasting food,
  • Transform your physical body.

More Than Just Weight Loss

In contrast to a typical diet programs, which require a ton of restriction and tend to be short-lived, in this challenge, you will learn to master small, digestible tasks one at a time so that each habit becomes an integral part of your daily routine. Bonus: This is an opportunity to create lasting change for yourself and anyone in your life that relies on you for guidance and support (kids, friends, your spouse, and/or family)!!!

More Details to Come!

I’ll be releasing more information on this exciting program in the upcoming weeks. If you want to stay up to date with this and other news, make sure to follow me on instagram @nslifeinfitness.

Posted in Healthy Eating, Immunity, Nutrition, Recovery

Life of An Asthmatic: My Lung Power + Immunity Boosting Regimen

There have been many times as a fitness instructor that I I had to dial back my training and teaching because of asthma. Having been born with it, the fact that I’ll have good days and bad days is simply a reality for me. But I’ve learned through my own research and experience that there are practices I can put into place to give myself the best breathing capacity possible. I know I’m not alone. So if you suffer from allergies or you’re also living the life on an asthmatic, you may also benefit from my lung power + immunity boosting regimen:

Oils, Herbs, & Bulb Veggies

There are a pluthera of herbs and oils that are not only help open up the airways, but also naturally kill and stave off bacteria.

  1. Nettle Leaf – Stinging nettle is a natural antihistamine that contains vitamins that are beneficial to your body. It keeps allergens at bay and in my experience immediately opens the airways. They come in pill form as well as loose leaf, so you can brew your own tea.
  2. Coconut oil – Coconut oil is a natural anti-fungal. It is great for use in baking at low temperatures and can be added in place of butter to toast, veggies, or your coffee (bulletproof style!). You can also simply grab a spoon and eat a small chunk or use it as a pre-toothpaste mouthwash.
  3. Grapefruitseed extract – I use GFS extract almost as a cure-all. When I start to feel sick, I start taking doses around 2-3x a day. When I recommended it to my mom (who was skeptical at first), she called it a “miracle oil” that has helped in reducing her own ailments, as well as those of my nephews. Like coconut oil, GFS extract is an anti-fungal and can additionally be used for soaking produce.
  4. Bulb vegetables – Bulb veggies include some kitchen staples, such as onions, garlic, and fennel. To put it simply, not only do they make everything in your meal taste better, but they are also antiviral. Add raw onions and fresh garlic to your meals whenever possible. Fennel is filled with vitamins, is a decongestant, and can help with digestion.

Dietary Shifts

I’ve learned a lot about nutrition since becoming a group fitness instructor. Probably the biggest lesson has been the fact that everything you put in your body either helps you or harms you. Ouch. That was a harsh reality check. Most of us fill our bellies with things that are NOT quite good for us. If something you eat causes even mild bodily distress, such as bloating, breakouts, or sleepiness/lethargy, it’s probably doing some harm. Here are some common culprits:

  1. Breads, pastas, and grains
  2. Dairy
  3. Soy
  4. Candy and other added sugars

Pro tip: Make it a point to start noticing how you feel after you eat or even the morning after. That will tell you what you should reduce or cut out entirely.

Supplements

I recently consulted a nutrition coach who highly recommended adding supplements to my daily routine. Here’s what I take daily:

  • Greens Powder – I use Amazing Grass Green Superfood Alkalize and Detox
  • Vitamin C
  • Probiotics
  • Wheat-grass
  • Organic Matcha

These supplements give me an energy boost, aide in digestion, and provide my body with the nutrients it needs to nourish me from the inside out. Quick note: these exact supplements may not have the same effect on you as they did on me. If you are thinking about adding supplements to your diet, consult your dietitian or nutrition coach to see what the best options are.

Yes. I Really Follow This Regimen!

This may seem like a lot, but these are practices I now implement almost every day. Do you have a regimen like this that you follow? Share it in the comments below! And if you have any questions about what I shared here, let me know.

Nadia

Want more tips on how to improve your nutrition, fitness, and wellness? Join the community on Facebook!

Posted in Body Fat Loss, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Weight Loss

Top 5 Lessons Learned While Becoming a Nutrition Coach

Many of us like to think that we know what healthy eating looks like, but after seven years as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer, I know the truth. Most people are NEVER taught how to appropriately feed their bodies to maintain and improve their health. Shoot… I didn’t learn the correct way to eat until AFTER I became a nutrition coach. That’s today I’m sharing the Top 5 Lessons I Learned While Becoming a Nutrition Coach.

Choose Your Foods Wisely

For many years, the weight loss community had us duped into believing that the most important element in any diet was HOW MUCH you were eating. Here’s the truth:

It's NOT about how much you eat, it's about WHAT you eat.

Put the right kinds of foods on your plate, and you often don’t even have to think about how much you’re having. What are the right kinds of foods?

  • LOADS of greens and other nutrient-dense veggies
  • Low sugar, high-antioxidant fruit
  • Balanced portions of healthy fat and high quality protein sources
  • Good quality fiber
  • Gut enhancing probiotics
  • Spices, which contain a variety of health-enhancing properties
  • Water, water, and more water!

Healthy Foods Are Not Always Healthy for You

Would you risk your life for a cheaper meal? If non-organic fruit and veggies are a part of your diet, you’re taking a gamble on your health. Let me explain. Non-organic produce contains pesticides, some of which are known to be carcinogenic to humans. While occasional exposure may not adversely affect you, regular consumption will increase the levels at which they remain in your body.

Skeptical about Organic Versus Non?

I get it. I was too… That is, until I recently sought guidance from Holistic Nutrition & Health Coach, Danielle Kutchuk from Samadhi Yoga Gruha. Without getting deep into the details, I needed help with a health issue that, if left untreated, could lead a much scarier diagnosis. Here’s how she explained the bottom line to me: Because pesticides are toxic, your body is constantly fighting them off. That leaves your immune system with less resources to fight off other threats, such as viruses that may turn into something much worst (i.e. cancer).

That certainly got my attention. I made the switch and will never go back.

Lifestyle Factors Affect Digestion

I can write entire blogs on the different lifestyle factors that effect the way your body processes food. But for now, I’ll simply list them:

  • Inadequate Sleep
  • Exposure to Stress
  • Working Too Much
  • Being Overweight
  • Lack of Physical Activity
  • A Diet Devoid of Vitamins & Nutrients
  • Poor Posture

[Was that last one a shock for you too? Me too!]

Timing Matters

When you eat throughout the day and what you have at any given time is determined by a few simple facts.

  • Our metabolisms are generally higher in the middle of the day, around lunchtime.
  • Drinking water and taking probiotics 15-30 minutes before a meal prepares your body to properly digest the food you eat.
  • Splitting your meals and snacks apart by approximately 3.5 to 4.5 hours allows your body time to process and begin eliminating food (not to mention burn fat) before you take in anything new.

There are more special tidbits that I’ll save for future blogs, but for now, just starting with these three can be a game changer.

“Boring” Is a Matter of Perspective

As a lifelong foodie, I can admit that healthy eating does not always seem fun. In fact, it can feel quite boring when you’re faced with saying goodbye to your go-to carbolicious favorites (i.e. pizza, pastries, etc.). I can also say from experience that at first, it’s super difficult. I’ve even gone so far as to ask myself “What else is there?” Not to undercut my clients’ all time fav: “I gotta live!” But I actually tend to become more creative when I’m on an eating plan. I tend to:

  • Scour the web for new recipes I can alter to fit my needs
  • Search diligently for restaurants in my area that offer options for me
  • Prep more meals at home, which saves me more money and time in the long run

But here’s the biggest takeaway, coming from somebody who has been a lifelong binge eater and candy lover:

No item of food is worth compromising my health over.

That lesson has come back to me time and time again. I used to experience lethargy even after sleeping 9-10 hours a night and mood swings that left me anxious one minute and supremely sad the next. After committing to a healthier way of eating, I feel more energetic, rested, and grounded than I ever have before. The temporary discomfort was worth the 10x in my daily levels of happiness. What is YOUR happiness worth? Click here if you’re interested in learning how to implement changes in your diet and lifestyle, so you can be healthier and happier.

Did any of what I wrote here surprise you? Let me know in the comments below! And remember to share this blog with your loved ones and friends.

Much Love,

Nadia