Dec 4, 2018 | Blog
I am so grateful for all your questions. No matter how you submit your question or whether or not I can answer it, what your questions tell me is that you’re curious and have the desire to improve your life. That’s good stuff and it makes me happy every single time!
However, there are very, very many questions that I can’t answer for you. It’s not because I don’t want to or I lack knowledge in the area, but because many questions can only be answered by you, your body and your experiences. Fortunately, when this is the case, I can absolutely help you find your own answers.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click play. Otherwise, keep on reading below.
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Your results, your energy and your common sense will give you the answer you’re looking for.
Let me give a specific example of one such question I can’t answer for anyone other than myself.
Can I have bulletproof coffee with eggs and bacon? Or is that to much? I just started keto and dont want to over do it.
I don’t know. But here’s what I do know:
If you are overdoing it, your body will let you know. For example, if your goal is fat loss, you won’t see fat loss.
We can’t just look at one meal in isolation and determine, with any degree of accuracy, if it’s too much.
In this case, it depends entirely on the individual. Here are factors that are also relevant and need to be considered:
- What were you eating before? If you’re switching to bulletproof coffee with eggs and bacon from pancakes with eggs, bacon and a coke, that could be a huge improvement for you. If you weren’t eating breakfast at all or were eating an egg white omelet, that’s a very different set of circumstances.
- How does that meal influence how you feel for the rest of the day? If you have that big breakfast and it leads to very little hunger and no cravings until your dinner or fish and veggies, that might be a great approach at the moment. However, if you eat that and you’re super hungry for a snack a few hours later, that’s not a great choice for you.
- What do you eat during the rest of the day? If that’s your biggest meal of the day, that’s quite a different set of circumstances than if you’re snacking and having a big lunch and dinner.
- How active are you? The appropriateness of that breakfast will be different for someone who is a competitive CrossFit athlete than for someone who isn’t consistently or intensely working out.
- What is your present body composition? Fuel needs vary dramatically based on body size. For some people this could be too much. For others, it could be just right or even not enough.
- Are you getting results? When you have this breakfast, how is your body responding?
Resist the urge to look outside yourself for all your answers.
Your body will give you incredibly accurate information as soon as you begin paying attention to:
- How you feel – mood, energy, etc
- Cravings
- Hunger
- Body composition
Here’s the bottom line: your best answers will come from YOU.
Dec 3, 2018 | Blog
The other day I came across an inspiring and instructive quote from Abraham Hicks.
The closer you are to alignment with what you want, the calmer it feels.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click play. Otherwise, keep reading below.
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Here’s why I say it’s instructive:
Think about where you lack a sense of calm or peace in your life.
Is it related to your body? Your health? Your food choices? Your fitness? Finances? Relationship? Home? Career?
Instead of seeking a specific outcome such as weight loss or a different relationship, seek to make choices that make you feel calm. Seek to avoid choices that create tension, frustration, disappointment or regret.
I don’t know about you, but overeating doesn’t make me feel calm. It makes me feel tired and sluggish, but that’s not the same as calm.
Skipping workouts doesn’t make me feel calm.
Oversleeping and procrastinating don’t make me feel calm.
When you’re making the right choices for your life and your priorities, you will find a sense of calm.
When and where you lack that sense of peace and calm, you know where you have work to do.
The closer you are to alignment with what you want, the calmer it feels.
Dec 1, 2018 | Blog
I had the most amazing weekend away with a bunch of incredible humans who are part of the Primal Potential Master’s Club. We rented a huge house, which allowed us to spend a ton of time connecting with each other, and also required us to cook and eat as a group.
Big group situations can be challenging but we mastered the food part! We kept the meals simple, easy, delicious, affordable AND fat loss friendly!
I have to give a huge shout-out and heartfelt thanks to Thrive Market who partnered with us to make that possible. We wanted to eat really well but we also didn’t want to spend a ton of time or money.
Keep these ideas in mind next time you’re cooking for a big group (or just for yourself!)
Salmon Cakes
Though a bold move, we made salmon cakes for the group! There were a lot of people who had never had them and were skeptical. I get it, because I never imagined really loving and enjoying a fish cake! It’s not my style at all but they are SO GOOD and not fishy at all.
My very favorite salmon cake recipe comes from Diane Sanfilippo of the 21 Day Sugar Detox. You can’t go wrong with that recipe!
I didn’t pull up the recipe for this weekend, though. I’ve made them enough that I just kind of winged it. The key to great, delicious, not-fishy salmon cakes is using a high quality canned salmon. Yes, “quality” and “canned” can go together! While I love fresh salmon filets, I don’t think they’re the best choice for salmon cakes.
Salmon cakes are cheaper and tastier with a wild caught canned salmon. Quality matters here because a lot of canned salmon is farm-raised and has added dyes. Not cool at all. I’m a huge fan of Thrive Market’s Wild Planet salmon. It’s very affordable and really tasty.
We drained 6 cans, added a few eggs, salt, pepper, coconut flour and Primal Kitchen’s new dijon mustard.
I cooked them in a skillet on the stovetop and they were a hit! If you’re making them at home, you can freeze them before cooking them and you’ll have an easy heat & eat meal during the week!
Grilled Chicken & Cauliflower Rice
It doesn’t get much easier and large-group friendly than grilling up a bunch of chicken! We got the value-size organic chicken box from Thrive Market and threw the breasts & thighs on the grill, plain.
Meanwhile, some of the ladies inside cooked up a large batch of cauliflower rice and set out bowls of guacamole, salsa, jalapenos and a large salad.
Everyone got to help themselves to salad with grilled chicken or a burrito-bowl style lunch.
Palmini with Meat Sauce
Have you tried Palmini? I’m totally loving it and everyone who tried it during our Masters Club weekend really loved it, too! It looks like pasta, but it’s 100% hearts of palm! It’s kind of like zoodles, but better!
This was one of the easiest & quickest meals we ate all weekend! We made a meat sauce with tomato sauce and ground beef from Thrive Market and tossed the Palmini in it.
We saved the extra ground beef for frittatas the following day!
Don’t want to pay for Palmini? Zoodles work, too and you can pick those up from almost any grocery store in the produce section.
Have lots of leftovers? Make a frittata!
On our last night, I looked into the fridge to see how we could use up all our leftovers. We had bacon, eggs, ground beef, arugula, tomatoes and onions. Perfect for a frittata!
In two large sheet pans I added whisked eggs, all the veggies and the leftover ground beef. They baked in the oven while we cooked up the bacon and everyone loved it! Doesn’t get much easier than that!
Snacks & Stuff
I wanted to make sure no one went hungry so we brought Artisana coconut butter packets, cashews and almonds for easy snacking.
Wine!
I won’t lie – we went through a fair amount of wine! Everyone was excited to try Thrive Market’s new line of “clean wines” – organic, sustainability farmed and free from added sugars and chemicals! Without exception, the wine was a huge hit! I’ll absolutely be buying more for the holidays and to give as gifts!
In October 2019, our relationship with Thrive Market changed. They decided to put their marketing dollars in avenues outside of podcasting but we still think they’re a good choice if you’re looking to save money on health & personal care products.
Nov 26, 2018 | Blog
There is something I say to myself every day, in an effort to coach myself. It’s something I remind myself of in an attempt to live happier and healthier days.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click the play button below. Otherwise, just keep on reading!
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I’m not immune to hard moments. Every single day, something (often many things) challenges me. Just the other day I was driving home and had to pause and ask myself, “What the heck is wrong?! Why am I feeling so down?”
Without fail, things happen that frustrate me, ruffle my feathers, stress me out and everything in between.
That’s when I turn to this reminder:
I am my own mood maker.
My boyfriend is not my mood maker. My workload isn’t my mood maker. Traffic, long lines at the grocery store or inconsiderate comments people make – those things are NOT my mood makers.
But they used to be.
A looming deadline would “make me” stressed. An insensitive comment would “make me” sad.
I felt out of control because all these things outside me were constantly sending me in different emotional directions.
On top of that, I’d let my emotions dictate my decisions. When I was feeling down, I’d mentally check out. I’d tell myself that “I just can’t deal” with self-care or discipline.
That perspective led to endless inconsistency (and epic mood instability).
Fortunately, I’ve changed my perspective.
I am my own mood-maker. So are you.
Yes, we can continue to act as though we are a victim of things that happen to us. We can let traffic, rude emails, flight delays and insenstive comments dictate our emotions.
OR: we can choose to be in control. We can choose to take control in any moment and shift our perspectives.
This is something I practice every, single day. That word, practice, is critical because this isn’t just a decision I make. It’s a practice. It requires my participation. I have to do something.
The other day, that day I was feeling really down on my drive home, I said to myself, “I am my own mood maker, so what am I going to do to turn this around?”
I started by intentionally re-directing my perspective from what is wrong or undone to what is right and wonderful. I started to think about things like the fact that I was safe in my car. My family is safe. I am healthy. I have food in my fridge and a roof over my head. I have people who love me. I am okay.
It helped a little, but I still felt a little funky.
Then, I turned to an external tool: music.
I put on a song that gets me dancing and singing. I blasted it as loud as the volume would go. Then I chose a second upbeat song and a third.
I could feel the shift happening.
From a brighter state of mind, I asked myself, “What do I need to let go of?”
Those things that ruffle my feathers – I can choose to let them go. I don’t have to continue to engage with them. They won’t matter in 10 years so I can choose to release them right now.
So can you. As you go through your day and your week, remind yourself that YOU can be your mood-maker.
Start to PRACTICE choosing this control.
Every bad mood or stressful moment is your next chance to practice!! Lots of stress? Lots of hard things in life? That great news is that you have more chances to practice!!
Nov 24, 2018 | Blog
I put off this post for months – an update on my tiny house adventure – because I was working hard to make the house perfect for me. I built a massive deck (it’s almost as big as the house), installed a custom-built book case & media center and turned one of the two lofts into a work space.
With all that work done, I love it. I love the house and I love living in it.
And yet, I’m selling it. More accurately, it’s for sale.
Yup, I’m finally sharing pictures at the same time I’m letting the whole world know that it’s on the market!
It breaks my heart a little to say that – I don’t want to sell it – but I fell in love with a property on Cape Cod, I put in an offer and it was accepted! This property will be a huge responsibility and it feels like a big risk but it’s the kind of risk I want to take. It will allow me to have a full office (separate from the house), a small orchard, a lot of land and so much more.
I’ve dreamed about having an office close to home but not in my home – a place where I could write my next book, do live videos without concern about lighting & backdrops, and have a more spacious recording studio. This new property will give me that and so much more!
I won’t lie: I started to stress out about the responsibility of a huge property and a main house built in the 1780s that is in need of rennovation. I asked myself what it would take for me to feel less stressed about the transition and the honest answer was, “Sell the tiny house.”
I’m a problem solver so the only option in response to fear and stress is to take steps to reduce stress. It’s that simple.
I won’t be living in the tiny house once I move and the money will be super helpful in creating my dream property.
I’ve been in the tiny house for just under 12 months and I don’t regret a minute of it. Tiny living has changed me in wonderful ways and I highly recommend it, without reservation.
I had to get rid of a lot of “stuff” to move into the tiny house – extra kitchen appliances, extra furniture, extra clothes – extra everything! I haven’t missed a single thing. In fact, I still have more than I need! It taught me to simplify and helped me appreciate simplicity.
I love everything about the tiny house. It’s a labor of love and I am praying it will find it’s perfect next owner. Maybe that’s you? Maybe it’s your dream income property or a great “guest house” for your grown children or in-laws. I have to believe that the love and money I’ve poured into this house will make someone very, very happy!
I could probably write 100 pages about what I love most about the house, but I’ll try to simplify…
It has the most beautiful bookcase/media center. It’s huge and I love looking at my massive book collection.
It has two sleeping lofts in addition to the main floor master bedroom.
I love having a murphy bed! The main floor master bedroom features a murphy bed that folds into the wall and functions as a large desk when it’s not being used for sleeping! Plus, it allows for floor-to-ceiling closets in that room!
The bright blue cabinets, copper farmhouse sink and butcher block counter tops are gorgeous. The kitchen is perfect and has never once left me feeling crowded.
It even has a spacious bathroom with a walk-in shower & rain head, large vanity, storage & laundry. Yes, there’s a decorative tequila bottle in my bathroom. What can I say?
I can imagine you have some questions. Here are the most common ones:
Am I selling the land it is on? No. Just the house.
How does it get moved? A 3500-series truck can tow it with wide-load permits. For those of you who are like me and have no idea what that means, a 1-ton truck can attach it to it’s trailer hitch and pull it wherever you want to go. Alternatively, you can hire a trucking company to move it, which is what I did when it traveled from Utah to Massachusetts because I don’t even like driving my Jeep.
Does it have a real toilet? Yes. When hooked up to septic, it functions just like a regular toilet.
A few other important facts:
- It has two sources of heat
- Nine windows (including 2 skylights) make it super bright on the inside
- There is a garbage disposal in the kitchen sink
- The stove is gas
- The hot water heater is tankless
- The refrigerator/freezer is full size
- The kitchen sink is a beautiful copper farmhouse sink
- It’s 30 feet long and 10 feet wide – 426 sq ft of living space including the lofts
How much does it cost? If you’re actually serious about wanting to buy a tiny house, email me for pricing information. If you’re just curious with no serious interest in buying, please do not email – I really appreciate you respecting my time and seriousness about selling this precious home.
Nov 18, 2018 | Blog
Thanksgiving snuck up on me this year! I had an amazing weekend away with my Primal Potential Masters Club and then raced back to spend 4 days in the studio recording the audiobook version of my first book! When I emerged from the cave, Thanksgiving was just a few days away!
My boyfriend has to work on Thanksgiving and my family is having Thanksgiving catered, so I decided to have a Thanksgiving meal a few days early with my friend Sarah (the Seasouled creative genius) and my boyfriend.
There are a few considerations that go through my mind when I’m planning what to make:
- What will I LOVE and look forward to eating?
- What can I make that will leave me feeling really great and amazing AFTER the meal?
- What will I enjoy as leftovers?
- What’s going to prevent the need for $150 in ingredients I don’t have and won’t use again?
I also think through what things won’t leave me feeling my best. Sure, I love fresh-made rolls and cornbread, but I don’t love how I feel after I eat them. I love mashed potatoes, stuffing and pie but I don’t love how I feel after I eat them.
I think about a meal in terms of what I’ll love and that has to take into account both pleasure during the meal and happiness afterwards.
Here’s what I decided on for my early Thanksgiving:
- Turkey
- Mashed Carrots & Parsnips with Nutmeg
- Bacon Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Walnuts
- Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash
I got my turkey from Butcher Box because their standards for meat are sky high. Antiobitic and hormone free – sign me up! I think this is only my 2nd time making a turkey and I followed a simple recipe from Nom Nom Paleo for a butterflied bird.
One of my favorite holiday meals is one my stepdad used to make: mashed carrots & parsnips with nutmeg. It might sound weird, but the sweetness of the carrots and the natural spice of the parsnips pair perfectly together! Plus, they mash so easily! It’s a silky, satisfying side dish that leaves me praying for lots of leftovers! PLUS!!! I can make this a day ahead of time! Stress reduction for the win!
Mashed Carrots & Parsnips
- 2 lbs carrots – peeled and uniformly chopped
- 2 lbs parsnips – peeled and uniformly chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (you can use bone broth or stock if you want to avoid the dairy)
- 2 tbs butter
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg (add or subtract to your personal preference)
- sprinkle of cinnamon (a little goes a long way)
- Boil the carrots and parsnips until they can be pierced with a fork
- Drain your veggies and discard the water
- Add butter and cream
- Blend (I used my handheld immersion blender but you could use a hand masher, food processor, blender or anything in between)
- Add salt, cinnamon & nutmeg to taste
If you give it a try, please let me know what you think!
I will take any opportunity to eat brussels sprouts. I LOVE them. They key is to buy them FRESH, not frozen. There are some veggies that do well after freezing but brussels sprouts aren’t one of them. Though I don’t have a recipe for you, I’ll tell you how I made my brussels.
I bought them on the stalk, though fresh in a bag will work, too.
Chop off the end, cut in half and remove the loose leaves.
Make 4 strips of bacon and reserve the bacon fat in the pan.
Remove bacon, set aside, and add brussels to the pan with bacon reserves.
Cook over medium heat until browned to your preference, stirring frequently.
Add a handful of cranberries and a handful of walnuts.
Remove from heat, top with crumbled bacon.
Lastly, I wanted a cauliflower mash. I roasted a bulb of garlic by wrapping it in foil and tossing it in the oven until it softened. Into my Vitamix blender I added 2 lbs of cauliflower, some roasted garlic, cream, butter, salt and pepper. That’s all!
This is a meal that will be absolutely delicious, it’s pretty simple to make, affordable AND will leave me feeling really wonderful afterwards!
How about you? What’s on the Thanksgiving menu?
Nov 7, 2018 | Blog
I am immensely grateful for every single email that comes in to my inbox. I do not take any request for help or advice for granted. I am THRILLED that you are looking to improve your life, your health and your mindset and I’m honored when you ask for my insight. I take it quite seriously and my goal is always to help you step into a happier, healthier version of yourself.
If you’d rather listen to this email than read it, please press play. Otherwise, keep reading below.
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Here’s a fantastic email I got the other day from someone who is ready to make change in her life and is asking for my two cents.
Hi Elizabeth,
I love your podcast! The hardest thing for me is sugar addiction. I feel like I need chocolate every day. Good dark chocolate not cheap candy bars or milk chocolate. And I’m surrounded by temptation at work all the time. Also I want coffee with sweetener in it. Especially flavored creamer. I’ve cut way back but that’s it. Sugar is the hardest thing for me to quit.
My friend: if you tell yourself you need chocolate, you’re not only lying, but you’re convincing yourself. You’re talking yourself into it.
We both know that there is no need – emotional or physical – for chocolate. You like it, you want it and you’re in a habit of eating it. To tell yourself you need it is to talk yourself into it.
This isn’t a chocolate problem. This is a perspective opportunity.
Remember: when you argue for your limitations, you get to keep them. You remain limited by them.
You either choose the perspective of the problem and your powerlessness or you choose the perspective of the solution and your complete power.
You either choose to focus on the perspective of, “I need chocolate, I’m addicted!” or “What improvement am I able and willing to choose, just for today?”
A lot of this work comes down to identifying and refusing drama. I know everyone hates that word – drama – and doesn’t want to associate themselves or their patterns with it. However, telling yourself that you “need” chocolate is drama. We both know you don’t need chocolate.
When those drama-filled thoughts enter your mind – and they will – simply redirect to the drama free version of the story.
I don’t need chocolate.
I can talk myself into it or I can talk myself out of it. I can convince myself I need it or I can convince myself I don’t.
The power is mine.
Also worth noting: who said you have to quit sugar? Is that your goal? If it’s your goal, cool. But, if it’s not your goal, and you simply want to create an improvement, focus on creating that improvement. Why introduce the idea of “quitting” unless that is truly how you want to live your life – without any sugar ever. It’s all a story.
What story will you choose to tell yourself?
What will you practice today? The problem or the solution?
Nov 5, 2018 | Blog
Here’s what I believe: judgemental people don’t accept themselves.
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If you’re using your time and energy to judge me (or anyone else), it tells me a lot about you and nothing about me.
Judgement has it roots in comparison. Comparison is steeped in insecurity.
My friend, no one gets to make decisions or judgements of another’s shape, size, pace, progress or perspective.
If you believe there is a right size, that is true for YOU. That doesn’t make it true for others. You go right along being that right size.
If you believe there is a right pace, that is true for YOU. That doesn’t make it true for others. You go right along pursuing that pace.
If you believe there is a right way, that is true for YOU. That doesn’t make it true for others. You go right along doing it that way.
Let your judgement of others wake you up to opportunities you have to do work on YOU.
Oct 26, 2018 | Blog
For years, I’ve been a huge fan of the Detroit-based watch maker Shinola. When their recent product magazine came out, my friend sent me a picture of one of the ads. It’s perfect.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, click play. Otherwise, Keep reading below.
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While yes, this is a product ad, it could also be a prescription for an amazing life.
In a world that’s rushing, we stand for something different.
I love this. Part of my personal practice is not using the word busy. I remind myself that there is always enough time and I choose how I use my time and what I prioritize.
Our lives can be crafted, just like our products, with intention.
We can choose to be intentional in how we craft our lives. With intention, we can create a career we love, we can make time for the things that matter. Drifting is not intentional. Going through the motions is not intentional. A life you love is possible and can be crafted, like a product, carefully.
It’s about making time for the things that make you happy.
What makes you happy? First, get clear on that. Then, priortize it’s presence in your life! Regularly!
Investing in the things that are important.
Investing doesn’t mean recognizing. It doesn’t mean complaining, disregarding or taking for granted. Invest your energy in what’s important. Invest your time. Invest your money.
It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it.
Check your attitude, my friend. Show up joyfully. Travel light. Be a creative, energetic problem solver.
In a world that’s rushing, we stand for something different.
What do you stand for?
