Good morning :) or afternoon for some of you. Virtual cheers with our Monday beverages (currently drinking a frothy vanilla coffee latte). I like looking at Monday as a fresh start, a new beginning. Also known as getting my sh*t together lol. I love spending the weekend embracing having fun but I am working to find a good balance between enjoying life and having fun while also working hard to make my dreams come true. Aaaand balance is hard.
It is challenging (especially in hustle culture) to strike a good balance. My mind is constantly conflicting. For example when I am laying on the couch or resting and watching a show there is a little voice in my head telling me I should be spending my time being productive and doing this and that…but that isn’t true. Resting is also productivity for the brain. Rest and relaxation is so important to wellbeing. It is important to embrace the fun, embrace the rest. It comes around and gives you that creativity and energy you need to thrive in every other aspect.
I saw this video the other day that really resonated with me, and it’ll take us into our Monday Mindset Moment. When you are in the moment, enjoying something, whether that is being out with friends, eating a delicious dinner, laying on the couch, whatever it may be, and that little voice sneaks into your head and says, “You should be doing something else..” take a pause. This is a voice that is coming in to try and take you away from that present moment. When that voice sneaks in, ask yourself, do I want to or do I need to be doing something else? Most of the time - both the answers are no. It is a really helpful way to pause and move from those thoughts so you can truly embrace the present.
Embracing having fun doesn't mean you need to go crazy but I just want you to know the importance of happiness and not taking everything so seriously. Health is not health when it is obsession and stress (I know I am a broken record but I have to constantly remind myself of this on the daily).
Health Pillar of the Week: Movement + Cycle Syncing
Something that I have been loving lately is cycle syncing my workouts. It really allows me to listen to my body and what it needs. When it comes to movement, consistency is key and finding the movement that you enjoy that makes you feel good is so important. Nothing worse than when something feels like a chore.
What has made the biggest difference for me is finding my WHY and defining the intention. This goes for a lot of things, but with movement in particular my WHY is to feel good in my body: energetic and strong. This intention motivates me.
Intention and listening to my body. If I have more energy than usual, I will add more strength work. If I am tired, I will take it easy and do light stretching or walking.
Lastly, planning out my workouts at the beginning of the week helps me have something to look forward to. It is kind of like meal prepping in a way. I don’t have to put any thought into what I am going to do for movement throughout the week because it has already been planned out for me. Of course depending on how my body feels I can alter the workouts and switch things up, but overall it is a shortcut that makes my life easier.
Like everything in life, workouts are bio-individual (unique to you). It is important to find something you enjoy that makes you feel good. However, I have attached my workout plan for the week in case you need some extra inspiration! This is for follicular & ovulatory: for women in these phases your body has more strength and energy therefore you can do more cardio, strength and intense workouts. This is not a typical week for me so remember not to compare. Some weeks I do only stretching and walking (luteal and menstrual).
Weekly Favorites
Here I will dive into some of my favorite things this week :)
I have been obsessed with olive oil lately. A lil shot with some lemon and ginger in the morning or of course just drowning my food in it. Olive oil is full of polyphenols that are wonderful for anti-inflammation, hair and skin health and gut healing. Learn more in my video HERE.
Zimms is my favorite because it is high quality organic extra virgin, fresh, produced on small family farms, and is absolutely delicious.
ARMRA (code is ELLA10)
Leaky gut or intestinal permeability is a real thing. I dealt with it BAD when all of my gut issues were at their worst. The junctions of your gut lining get torn down overtime from everyday toxins and this can lead to imbalances in the body. It is really important that we prioritize upkeep of healing and sealing the gut, and one of my favorite ways to do that is with colostrum!
I like to just pour a scoop into my mouth in the morning and it has helped me a lot with digestion, bloating and also is great for travel (bc travel bloat/constipation/upset is real). Plus my hair skin and nails have never been so healthy.
Beef Tallow
Never have I ever thought I would be daily moisturizing with BEEF TALLOW out of all things. But let me tell you - my skin has never felt so good. It looks even, clear, scarring and pigmentation has subsided. It has a nice glow - and if I get any sort of sunburn it immediately clears up with use. Beef tallow is full of bioavailable Vitamin A which is incredible for healing skin cellular health.
I have been using Van Man’s Tallow on my face and body day and night. It also has ultra healing honey which you know I love so much. Manuka honey makes my favorite ever face mask.
Contrast Therapy
I have been obsessed with cold plunging for a while now - the behind the scenes benefits are one thing but the way you FEEL right after is like no other. Your happy neurotransmitters are elevated 2-3x more for long-lasting times directly after. The contrast between the heat in the cold is wonderful for your cardiovascular system and is also a great way to release toxins. It is important to end with cold because a lot of the fat burning benefits are triggered by your body trying to warm itself back up! Also when you get into the cold plunge you will get the most benefits by dunking your head immediately - also helps you adjust faster. I typically will do ~25 minutes in the infrared sauna and end with a 3 minute cold plunge. Nothing like it!! If you don’t have access - I recommend warm baths or cold showers too, or find a cold body of water near you!
BOOK REC
My first book recommendation of this series is going to be a book that truly changed my life. After graduating college a few years back, I felt sort of lost like I was in this weird limbo state. Everyone was going straight into their corporate jobs and I really did not want to jump into that yet. I knew I needed time with myself think about what I really wanted, so I randomly booked a flight to Costa Rica.
I had never solo traveled before. I was there for a month staying in different hostels all around. I met interesting people, went on amazing adventures, and also dealt with a lot of challenges. Overall, it was an incredible experience. During this time The Four Agreements was the one book I brought with me. I read it very very slowly. I am someone who struggles with reading non-fiction books but I can fly through fiction. This book though is a very easy read and it is absolutely incredible. It is a book I attempt to re-read every year afterwards because it has such amazing and important reminders.
I think that everyone should be required to read this book in school to be honest, and I hope you find as much value to it as me.
FAV Food of the week: CHERRIES
In past seasons I don’t remember being this obsessed with cherries but I am wow. Nothing is right in this world without a cherry on the side. Seriously - my breakfast, cherries for dessert. My lunch, cherries on the side. My dessert, add cherries into it. The only problem is the other day I ate so many that I stained my teeth dark purple buttt it was worth it.
& a (sweet surprise) special recipe because I am grateful for you. My fav thing I made this week were these dark chocolate caramel cherry cups… I am telling you this will be your favorite too.
CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CHERRY CUPS
(This will make around 10 large cups)
Date caramel
10 large pitted dates (stacked in hot water for at least 10 minutes)
1/4 cup coconut milk, cream or yogurt
1 heaping tbsp almond butter
1 tsp vanilla bean paste + or extract
Pinch of salt
Chocolate: Melt 1 cup chocolate to 2 tbsp coconut oil
Cherry Inside
12 Cherries (pitted)
1 tsp lemon juice
Recipe:
Melt chocolate
Place into bottom of cups / muffin liners and freeze until hardened
Make cherry puree inside by mashing or food processing cherries (can be done over heat or not)
Make date caramel by adding all ingredients to a food processor
Once chocolate bottom is frozen add about a tbsp of caramel into each cup and 1-2 tsp of cherry puree
Top with more melted chocolate and freeze again until hardened (not fully frozen)
Add flakey sea salt, bite into heaven
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE <3 As always, let me know what you want to see more or less of. Share all of your beautiful food + photos + inspiration with me. Tag me in all your creations. & if you are feeling up for it share Gut Feelings with a friend.