Yesterday I told you about my personal healthy journey as well as our exciting upcoming collaborations with the ladies at Prescribe Nutrition,and the fact that we are once again acting as an affiliate for Prescribe Nutrition and offering a 20% discount to their 20 day online course:
Get 20% Off the “Prescribe Balance” Online Course with the code: MPMK20
So today I thought I’d invite one of the functional nutritionists behind the course, Katie, to stop by and share a little more of her story as well as two of her favorite recipes (you’re welcome)…
I went on vacation and lost 10 lbs.
That got your attention, didn’t it? Ok, so that’s not totally the truth but I’ll explain.
The past 18 months have been a doozie over here. I didn’t have a baby, but in a way I sort of did. I started a business. And while those two are very different in so many ways, there are some unbelievable similarities. Total lack of sleep, crazy stress, more money going out the door than coming in, hormone imbalance, and so forth.
At Prescribe Nutrition we are all about connecting the dots. Stress, of any kind, increases cortisol production. Cortisol comes from our adrenal glands, consider them our managers of stress. Increased adrenal function affects ALL other hormones, and not like a little, but a lot.
It’s my hormones that were all out of whack, and I ended UP 15. Fifteen pounds that is.
My biggest struggle revolved around not getting enough sleep (did you know sleep is directly correlated to your weight?). Oh yeah, and the wine…the wine was a struggle too.
My cortisol, directly connected to my energy, was spiking at night. This is the tell tale sign that adrenal imbalance is in full swing.
So I was tired but also wired all.the.time. I sorta felt like my body was slowly rotting. Can you relate?
Then it happened, right smack in the middle of program planning, fundraising, and operating a growing business…I left town. We had a new niece to meet in Oregon and I got bold and decided to tag on an extra week away to get some much needed Arizona sun. The idea in itself was stressful, in fact, my heart races right now just thinking of it. But, I was going to away, so I just went for it.
We touched down in Seattle, and I gotta tell you: we went into pure distraction mode for a full week. I’m not going to lie (again) and tell you that I didn’t work at all, but work became the sideline. We had a three year old + a newborn baby that became our world for that week.
I was out of my element, no longer surrounded by reminders of all I have to do, no clock ticking in the background and an escape from all the fears of what the future holds. During that week, the ‘future’ was now. The present. What a concept huh?
We slept on a murphy bed. I just want to make it clear that I did not jump into a $5,000 mattress, and yet I slept like I hadn’t slept since 2012. It was like my head hit the pillow and I was off to another planet, a planet where sleep happens.
And so it began, many days of sleep replenishment that I believe have changed the chemistry of my body. This long awaited rest led to a total calmness in both mind and body, and with that came an added bonus of effortless weight loss.
Was it 10 lbs? Maybe not, but the thing is, I wasn’t counting. I was taking care of myself from all angles, and in that place of peace is where I saw the real changes happen. The truth about the 10 lbs is that emotionally & mentally – I DID lose 10.
There are a gazillion ways to look at this. But here’s mine.
The food we put in our body is paramount, but how we carve out the time for ourselves goes hand in hand in this equation. I was invited to let all my worries go. This was scary and exciting all at once.
On this trip we ventured out to Cannon Beach for a couple days. (PSA – if you haven’t been to Cannon Beach, you must. It will change your life.) We brought an old kite of my husband’s and set our sights on flying that thing. Cannon Beach is all about kites. In fact there there three kite stores just in that small town.
It’s all about being laid back. Retail stores open ‘around 11am’. Essentially – we’ll get to it, don’t you worry. What a metaphor for life.
As we walked out of the store the young guy shouted to us, “Wait, wait, wait…. so, one thing you gotta do is let your kite go till the string is completely out, that’s 500 ft. And then just sit down on the beach and let all your worries go.” My eyes are full of tears just thinking about it. So I did.
Why am I telling this story?
What does this have to do with my hormones and gaining weight? In my mind, everything. Stress, doing it all, getting older, struggling with priorities – it’s the flame that lights the fire.
I needed to compromise with myself, understand the layers for me, and start to put the damn puzzle back together. My experience happened to be while reflecting on a trip away, but this is the kind of awakening that can happen anywhere.
From there I threw myself into Prescribe 20, our newest program. I’m going to let you in on a little secret here… the PN team isn’t always on the PN protocol. But I think you knew that. We do our best, know what works and what doesn’t, but in the end, we still need that dedicated time and support too.
My calendar is marked, wine corked, and I’m getting serious about getting to hear from old friends and meeting a whole bunch of new ones.
Changes becoming habits? More time for me? Yes please and thank you.
The program wrapped on January 23rd, next round startsFebruary 15th and you can get 20% off with the code: MPMK 20, and I haven’t felt this good in…as long as I can remember.
Maybe you think I’m a goof – I followed a program that I was a part of creating – heck yes. Sometimes we all need a reminder that taking care of yourself, well that’s truly priority number 1.
Here’s to breathing deep, being vulnerable, and realizing that life certainly is a dance.
Now, without further ado, here’ a little gift from me to you… Two of my favorite recipes and a small sampling of what you can expect in Prescribe 20.
QUICK CHICKEN CHIMICHURRI
4 Servings
Welcome to flavor country. This is another sauce that goes well with just about…anything. The abundant herbs in this recipe are a wonderful way to add some fresh flavor (and immune boosting properties) to your meals year round.
Make ahead tip: make the chimichurri in advance and keep in the fridge for a week, and play around with using it on different proteins – we love it with shrimp!
Leftover chicken can be used in salads for lunch.
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
½ bunch fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons dried oregano
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika or paprika
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon raw honey
5 green onion, coarsely chopped
Sea salt to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ pounds chicken breast cutlets
To Make:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.
In a food processor or blender, mix all the ingredients except for the chicken. Pulse until smooth.
Add chicken cutlets to the baking sheet and spoon the chimichurri sauce on top of each piece, flipping and making sure it is well coated on both sides.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until chicken is done, juices should run clear. Serve with your favorite veggie side.
CROCKPOT PUMPKIN OATMEAL
2 Servings
You know when you wake up to the smell of coffee? This trumps that. Go on, wake up to the smell of baked pumpkin goodness.
This can also be made with steel cut oats if you add 1 cup more water.
Make ahead tip: You can do this before you get in bed and wake up to this, or come home from work to this and call it Brinner (breakfast at dinner). Either way, this stores well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Love it? Double the recipe!
Ingredients:
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 ½ cups water
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 pinch salt
To Make:
Add all of your ingredients into a glass bowl that will fit within your crockpot and stir. This will slow the cooking down further and allow for a super easy clean up.
Place the bowl into the crockpot, and fill the area of the crock around the bowl with water.
Set the your crockpot on low for 8 hours.
Serve with dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, or nuts of choice. Enjoy!
Thanks so much to Katie for stopping by, and don’t forget…
Get 20% Off the “Prescribe Balance” Online Course with the code: MPMK20
✕
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