I know so many people who have trouble losing weight. In fact, I’ve been that person! Whether your appetite feels out of control no matter what you do, or if you have crazy-strong cravings or it’s simply that no amount of dieting and exercising seems to do the trick, you’re going to want to read more.
Your cravings are more than habit.
Your appetite isn’t about willpower.
There’s a lot more to your body’s willingness to burn fat than how much you eat and how active you are.
A huge variable is…
Your microbiome.
In episode 951 of the Primal Potential podcast, we’re talking with Dr. Shawn Talbott about the ways the bacteria in and on your body influence your body’s signals to burn fat and store fat as well as their influence on your cravings, appetite and so much more!
Trouble Losing Weight? Here are a few things you need to know!
Your microbiome influences digestion, fat storage, fat burning, appetite, mood, cravings and more!
Many stubborn weight issues stem from gut issues
Intentionally optimizing your microbiome can make a difference even without diet and exercise changes
Making improvements to your microbiome can lower inflammation in your body which makes fat loss easier (even without diet and exercise)
I totally understand if you’re skeptical and doubt that your microbiome can address your trouble losing weight, but I promise it can! Dr. Shawn and I go into detail in episode 951 so be sure to listen!
Can a Quadbiotic Help?
In the episode, we talk about the role of a quadbiotic. If you haven’t heard that term, it’s because it’s a very new one and refers to a 4-part blend related to microbiome improvements.
Probiotic: In the episode, we talk about a specific probiotic that lowers inflammation throughout your body, decreasing resistance to fat burning. When there is excess inflammation, it makes your body less likely to burn fat.
Prebiotic: The prebiotic fiber we discuss helps reduce cravings and moderate appetite
Phytobiotic: The specific phytobiotic we discuss in episode 951 lowers stress and improves your body’s stress response which aids in fat burning and metabolism
Postbiotic: This is a “dead” probiotic (therefore a postbiotic) which specifically targets belly fat
If you want to give it a try for yourself, you can check it out here. Be sure to use the code BENTON to save $10 on your first order!
Trust me, you’re going to want to tune in to the full episode because it’s about to make health, metabolism and fat loss make a whole lot more sense to a whole lot more people!
We’ve all experienced, I’m sure. You have a clear goal. You know what you need to do to achieve and you’re ready! You’re fired up and determined to make it happen. That is, at least, until your motivation evaporates and you have no idea how to get it back.
I’ve been there. It’s not fun. It’s especially crappy when the ebb and flow of motivation leads to being consistently inconsistent.
In episode 949 of the podcast I’m sharing with you 3 keys to make sure your lack of motivation never gets in your way! This is one you’re going to want to listen to again and again!
3 Keys to Make Sure Lack of Motivation Never Gets In Your Way
Practice doing it unmotivated
Never forget that motivation is a feeling and no feeling lasts forever. With that in mind, you will become unstoppable if you develop a practice of executing especially when you’re unmotivated. Think about it this way: there are a lot of things you do without motivation. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been motivated to empty the dishwasher or carry out the trash. I do it because I want the result of those things. I do it because I’ve developed a habit out of sheer discipline.
Motivation doesn’t matter if you’re disciplined.
That’s what we’re after. We dive deeper into this in episode 949 with lots of examples, but I want you to seek out those moments when you just don’t feel like doing whatever is aligned with your goal or priority. Don’t feel like working out? Perfect. You need that moment. This is your chance. Be grateful for the opportunity and do the thing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 10 minute circuit in your living room or if you throw on your sneakers and head to the gym. Be on the lookout for those times when you just aren’t feeling like it…that’s the moment you need in order to become someone who is impervious to any lack of motivation!
Forget that motivation exists
Sounds weird, I know. Tune in to the episode if you need more on this one. In it, I share how a client once told me that she didn’t feel worthy of losing weight. I asked her, “What does worthiness have to do with it? Why are you even considering worthiness? Do it unworthy.” She brought worthiness into the equation even though it wasn’t serving her.
Whether it’s worthiness, motivation or anything else…if it’s tripping you up, take it out of the equation! It’s a practice, but with some intentionality you can completely eliminate your pattern of considering how motivated you are, or aren’t.
Take responsibility for your motivation
For those of you who are thinking, “But Elizabeth, I want to feel motivated!” – I’ve got you! This one will literally help you stay motivated. Create a file on your computer or in your phone – a living, breathing file that you continuously add to – of things that motivate you. It could be pictures, quotes, stories, people, podcasts, books or all of the above. I’ve done this in the notes app of my iPhone. While ultimately I prefer discipline to motivation, I like knowing that if I want to feel motivated, it’s just a click or two away. Just the other day some guy motivated the heck out of me via his Instagram post. I took a screen shot and added it to my “motivation” note. I do the same thing if I read something that fires me up. After doing it for a few days or months, you are able to motivate yourself on demand!
If you aren’t sure where to start, head over to the Primal Potential FB group and ask for ideas on pictures, quotes, books or ideas that motivate the other folks in the group! You could have a heck of a start by just asking that question and getting ideas from others!
Don’t forget to tune into episode 949! In fact, it might be something you add to your own collection so you return to it when you’re feeling a lack of motivation!
There’s a certain energy that comes with a new year, don’t you think? It seems like focus and drive get bumped up a little bit when January rolls around, at least for a while. If we want to leverage that energy to create change that actually lasts, we have to figure out the ways to stay consistent, otherwise it’s just two steps forward and four steps back.
I spent some time reflecting on what helped me stay consistent in the process of achieving big goals like losing 150 pounds, starting a business and writing two books. And now, as I work towards some new goals, I considered what fuels my consistency and what doesn’t.
In fact, I put together a podcast sharing these keys to consistency so if you haven’t checked out episode 947 of the Primal Potential podcast, you’ll definitely want to do that!
3 Things You Need to Know to Stay Consistent
First, I want to make sure you know the two things that are absolutely required for consistency. While there are a million things you could focus on like motivation or accountability, there are only two things you must have.
Specificity
Follow through
Specificity is the one that held me back for years. I was clear on my goals but I never really got specific which meant I wasn’t often taking action.
I’ll give you an example. When I weighed over 350 pounds, there was nothing in the world I wanted more than to lose weight. I thought about it all the time. I knew that I needed to eat better and that it would probably help if I started working out, but more days than not, I made excuses and didn’t do the work. I’d plan out how much weight I could theoretically lose per week and how long it might take to get to my ‘goal weight’, but none of those things created consistency in the habits I’d need to establish for a lifetime of being fit and healthy.
Specificity Is A Superpower
I actually talked about this way back in episode 563 – “Motivation for When You Feel Stuck” and it’s as true now as it was then. It’s something we talk about in this week’s episode, too (947). If you want to stay consistent, you have to focus more on the small picture than you do on the big picture.
I’m currently working on my third book and thinking about things like when it will be done and how much it will take to get there won’t move the needle. Instead, I focus on the small picture: when will I write today and for how long?
As I work on losing weight from my two back-to-back pregnancies, focusing on the small picture and being specific drive my consistency. Each day, I’m writing down the three action steps I’ll take to drive that goal. My action steps today aren’t necessarily the same as my action steps yesterday and they don’t need to be. What drives my consistency is specificity and focusing more on the small picture than I do on the big picture. I use the Change Makers Journal for this specificity of my daily focus. You don’t have to use that, but do have a process for daily specificity!
Follow Through
A lot of us make the mistake of relying on motivation but as hard as it might be, we have to divorce that notion. When you have discipline, motivation doesn’t matter!
What gets in the way of discipline, of course, are our excuses. One of the most important steps we can make to support our follow through, is to develop emotional maturity in our thoughts. Think about it this way: if you know you need to stay consistent in order to make progress, you can’t continue to justify not having time, not being in the mood or pledge to get back on track tomorrow.
In order to decrease the appeal of your excuses, you have to become a more rational, objective thinker.
It’s a practice, and I give a bunch of examples in episode 947.
I am 100% on board for my goals this year, and I’m 100% on board to help you achieve yours, too! Get started by tuning in to episode 947 and if there’s anything I can do to help you, definitely let me know!
It feels like insecurity is more prevalent than ever, especially as people compare themselves, their relationships, finances, businesses, fitness, fashion and everything else against what they see on the internet. I decided to share my own tips for overcoming insecurity after feeling insecure about so many things while on a business trip to Cabo last month.
I caught myself low-key comparing my outfits, my business, my personality and my postpartum body while I could have been soaking in the sun and family time. I’ll tell you – it didn’t feel good and, left unchecked, can wreak havoc on our mental health and relationships.
I go through these 4 tools and how I apply them in episode 943 of the Primal Potential podcast so definitely tune in to that episode too!
4 Tools for Overcoming Insecurity
Evaluate what you have at the center of the story
Remember that it’s a focus before it’s a feeling
Ask yourself what matters most (and if you’re acting like it)
Remind yourself that you create your results and if you don’t like something, you can give your energy to changing it
You’re definitely going to want to listen to episode 943 to hear all the examples of each of these tools and how I use them in my own life, but I’ll give you a little insight right here.
Evaluate what you have at the center of the story
More often than not, we have ourselves at the center of the story when we’re feeling insecure. We are thinking about our bodies, our income or any number of other things related to ourselves. When you put something else at the center of the story like connection, another person, or a value you hold, the insecurity starts to fade away. (If you want more on this, tune in to episode 943!
Remember that it’s a focus before it’s a feeling
This is one of my most powerful reminders when it comes to overcoming insecurity. Everything is a focus before it’s a feeling! That means that if we shift the focus, we will change how we feel. I share in episode 943 how when I focus on my postpartum body in a bathing suit and what other people might think, I feel a certain way. However, when I shift my focus to how blessed I am to have a healthy baby to play with in the pool, I feel very different!
Ask yourself what matters most (and if you’re acting like it)
In the podcast episode, I share a moment when I had to stop myself in the middle of my insecurity and ask myself what matters most. I thought about how family and health matter most and realized very quickly that I wasn’t acting like it! In your moments of insecurity, stop and ask yourself these questions!
You create your results
There are always going to be things we don’t like about ourselves or our circumstances but here’s the deal: we create our results. You can either give your energy to how you feel about the problem or you can give your energy to what you’re going to do about the solution. You create your results. In my moments of insecurity, I remind myself that if I don’t like it, I can change it! Time to get to work!
Tune in to episode 943 for a deeper conversation and be sure to let me know what you think!
I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking to make change easier. More often than not, it feels anything but easy!
I lost over 150 pounds and most of the time, it felt anything but easy. I’ve tried to change so many habits, big and small, and I kind of thing that’s just the way it goes with change…it doesn’t feel easy!
Fortunately, there are things we can do to make it easier.
I was emailing back and forth with a podcast listener the other day and she shared with me that she got some ‘borderline’ tests back from her doctor. The doctor wanted to put her on meds but she really wanted to try tackling it from a diet & lifestyle standpoint first. Even with the motivation to avoid medication, she was reluctant to make the lifestyle changes. She said, “It feels like I have to give up everything I enjoy!”
Enter: one tool that will absolutely make change easier.
Practice intellectual maturity.
Be more honest with yourself. Ditch the drama.
Sometimes our thoughts happen so fast that we don’t even notice our own intellectual immaturity. We accept the thought and the impact it has on our mindset, outlook and motivation.
Let’s revisit what this particular listener said regarding making some improvements to her diet and lifestyle:
It feels like I have to give up everything I enjoy.
Everything? Really? You have to give up your favorite TV show? You have to give up girls’ night? Sex with your spouse? Laughing with your kids?
You most certainly don’t have to give up everything you enjoy.
Not only that…why would you tell yourself you have to “give up” anything, never mind everything! Making improvements has nothing to do with “giving up” anything and certainly not everything.
However, in our intellectual immaturity, we paint with a broad brush and feel discouraged before we even start.
We break this down in episode 941 of the Primal Potential podcast and when you take on this practice, there’s no doubt that change will get easier!
Every single day I have a green protein smoothie, usually for breakfast. Almost every day I share a picture of it on my Instagram stories and, almost every day at least a dozen people ask me for the recipe.
Until now, I’ve always said, “I don’t have a recipe – I just wing it.” I’m not a recipe girl, to be honest. Whether it’s my green protein smoothie or any other meal, I just throw things together and hope it turns out okay. But, after being asked for my protein smoothie recipes several hundred times, I figure it was time to slow down, measure out what I’m doing and share it with you!
There are many variations of my daily protein smoothie, but let’s start with my current fave. It’s not only delicious, but it keeps me full for hours, is packed full of tons of nutrients and is a reproductive health powerhouse!
Green Protein Smoothie Recipe
2 cups unsweetened almond milk (you can use flax milk, cashew milk or anything of your choice)
Yesterday on episode 900 of the Primal Potential podcast, someone asked a question that really got me thinking. Basically, she asked how to make hard choices. How do you eat well when you’re tired? How can you eat healthy when it is so convenient not to? Actually, let’s not paraphrase. Here’s exactly what she asked:
“On days where you don’t get enough sleep, how do you manage eating healthy? It sounds ridiculous as I type this, but I struggle when I work thirteen hours then come home and work another 3. I’m just exhausted so I eat convenience food.”
Oh man, I can relate. Can you? That was my story for years. I worked a long, stressful day and I just wanted a bit of an escape from things that felt hard. If ordering pizza felt easier than cooking up a healthy dinner, I made the easy choice.
Fortunately for me, I think about things differently now and that helps me operate differently. Here’s how I see it…
I make it as convenient as possible to eat healthy and as inconvenient as possible to eat unhealthy.
Here’s what I told her in episode 900: if your convenience foods are unhealthy, change that. Make healthy food convenient and make unhealthy food inconvenient.
It’s super inconvenient for me to make unhealthy food choices (compared to healthy ones). I’d have to load up the baby in the car and drive to the grocery store. But, that’s not enough! I have to make healthy choices more convenient (otherwise, I just have two inconvenient options and the most appealing one will win.)
There are lots of ways to do this, but I’ll tell you how I’m doing it now. About 2 weeks ago, I made a shift to make healthy eating way more convenient. I returned to using a meal delivery service. I either buy pre-cooked healthy meals or pre-cooked bulk items like grilled chicken, steak, salmon, cauliflower rice and sweet potatoes.* Usually, I haven’t had to go this far (or to this expense) to make healthy choices convenient, but with a full time job and a new baby, this is what makes it easy for me.
That might not be what it takes for you, but do consider what you need to do to make whatever change you desire more convenient. If it’s food related, maybe an hour of food prep each week is the game-changer. Or maybe it’s automating one of your meals each day (I do this by having the same thing for breakfast every day – a protein smoothie** that satisfies me for hours.)
Be sure to consider this outside of food and health, too!
What do you need to shift to make staying organized more convenient? What do you need to shift to make being financially responsible more convenient?
If it feels inconvenient, that’s an opportunity. It’s information you can use to switch things around to make it convenient. It doesn’t need to feel easier to make unhealthy choices than healthy ones. That’s on you!
For more on this, listen to episode 900 of the Primal Potential podcast! You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or anywhere else podcasts are found.
* I’ve been using Paleo Power Meals and their sister company Just Eat Clean. If you use the code Primal20, you can save 20%!
** My daily protein smoothie includes plant protein, probiotics, frozen cauliflower rice, cashew butter, unsweetened almond milk and 1/2 a banana.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.
This blog contains affiliate links to some things I love because I think you might enjoy them as much as I do!
If you haven’t seen my posts on Instagram, on Sunday May 2nd we welcomed our adorable son Roman into the world. As I write this, he’s not quite three weeks old but I’m out of the fog enough to be thinking about postpartum healing, postpartum weight loss and generally getting back to feeling good in my skin.
After two back-to-back pregnancies and two c-sections less than 14 months apart, I can definitely say that physically I’m not feeling my best. Of course, it’s not just about weight loss and I’m genuinely not in a rush to lose the baby weight (times two). I am, however, eager to feel my best and there’s a lot that goes into it.
I recently shared on the podcast that I’m going to be going through the 12 Weeks to Transformation and I’ve invited you to join me – I’ll be sharing the day-in and day-out process with those who are on that journey with me – but I wanted to share my general approach here on the blog.
First, let’s get on the same page about my starting point:
I’ve had two pregnancies in 2 years plus two c-sections less than 14 months apart
My first born, Dagny, died unexpectedly at just 14 days old making grief and emotional well-being a massive priority on this journey
Walking will be my only form of exercise until at least 6 weeks post-op
Balancing my hormones naturally is a greater priority (for me) than weight loss
I’m exclusively breastfeeing (which plays into nutrition and weight loss)
I’m going to break down my postpartum approach into a few separate categories: mental health, nutrition, supplementation and movement.
Postpartum Mental Health
This most recent pregnancy coincided with the most challenging time of my life. Our daughter died traumatically and unexpectedly as 14 days old and I found out I was pregnant again exactly 6 months after she was born. Not only have I been navigated the rough waters of grief, but I knew that bringing home a new baby would be loaded. On the one hand, I’m tremendously grateful for Roman. I’m able to appreciate every second with him in a way I don’t think I’d be able to if not for having lost Dagny. Even when he’s up all night or having a total meltdown, I’m acutely aware of the fact that those moments are gifts I’d give anything to experience with Dagny. I know a long life isn’t guaranteed for either of us, and that makes it easy to love and cherish the good moments and the tough ones.
On the other hand, when I sat on the couch with Roman for the first time, holding him where I held his sister, I had an epic meltdown. I cried hysterically on the way to his first pediatrican appointment and when it hit me that I’d never take pictures of him with his sister. My heart drops every time someone asks me, “Is this your first?” This is a beautiful season and also a painful one.
For those reasons (as well as the normal hormonal upheaval that comes postpartum and guaranteed sleep deprivation), my mental health is a top priority when it comes to my focus on health at this time.
I shared this on social media and it might seem a little silly, but one thing that’s helping me a lot is the song “Keeping Score” by Dan + Shay. If you haven’t heard it, definitely take a listen. I play it a half dozen times or more each day, generally when I’m nursing baby Ro, and lyrics help me get my head in the right place.
Someday we’re gonna blink twice
Say it happens like that
How much money we saved up
For the time that we gave up
Well, it’ll all just be math
I know I’m only human
Don’t know how many sunsets I got left
And I don’t wanna ruin
This moment by wondering what comes next
I just want to love you
Like it’s all I’m living for
Hold you close, enjoy you more
And spend a little less time keeping score
Sometimes I’ll catch my mind drifting to what a disaster the kitchen is or how I’m going to find time to write this blog or what I can do to make sure my next book is a big success. But you know what? It really doesn’t matter. What matters is that I stay present in these moments with my family. If the emails wait another day or the dishes pile up in the sink, that’s perfectly okay. With the right perspective, those things won’t stress me out or overwhelm me, I just have to keep choosing that perspective, and this song helps me do just that. I don’t want to ruin these moments by wondering what comes next.
How I’m thinking matters most. It matters more than how I’m eating, it matters more than if I showered, it matters more than getting things done or fitting in time for exercise.
However, a very close second is nutrition and I’ll tell you why: if I eat well, I feel better. If I don’t eat well, I feel worse. It’s easy to make excuses like I’ll start tomorrow, this one thing won’t hurt or I need the extra calories for breastfeeding but at the end of the day it’s really quite simple. I’m happier when I eat well. I enjoy life more when I eat better. I am in a better mood when I eat better. I’m more confident, more energized and more likely to be social when I eat well.
Postpartum Weight Loss
Weight loss is only one of a hundred or more reasons to eat well. As I’ve shared on the podcast, I hadn’t lost the “baby weight” from my first pregnancy when I found out just a few months later that I was pregnant again. Though I didn’t gain as much weight with my second pregnancy as I did with my first, I’m still heavier than I’ve been in years and it just doesn’t feel great. I don’t have a time frame for this postpartum weight loss, but I am still looking to feel as great as possible and every choice is an opportunity to create that improvement.
I’ll be sharing the daily details with those who are going through the 12 Weeks to Transformation with me, but for now, I want to share what it looks like at a high level.
Do you hate wasting time wondering what you’ll eat for your next meal as much as I do? Frankly, as an entrepreneur with a newborn, I just don’t have time for it. For that reason, the only meal decision I have to make is dinner because I keep breakfast and lunch basically the same every single day. It makes grocery shopping easier, it makes asking for help easier, it makes eating healthy easier and it eliminates most of the food decision-making.
At least six days a week breakfast is a protein smoothie. Fear not – if you’ve ever had a nasty protein shake, that’s not what I mean! I’ve tried just about every protein powder and ready-to-drink protein beverage under the sun and most of them SUCK. I won’t go near them with a ten foot pole! Plus, one of my primary food rules is eat foods you love that love you back. If I don’t enjoy it to the point that I look forward to consuming it, it’s off the list and out of the running! This protein smoothie is something I really enjoy and look forward to. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t drink it. Here’s what it looks like most of the time:
Unsweetened almond milk
Frozen cauliflower rice (no, you can’t taste it) I add this because it makes the drink cold and it adds nutrients, volume and creaminess. Do make sure you have a high quality blender so that it blends perfectly smooth and creamy
Plant protein (this is the one I use because it tastes amazing, blends well, is very low sugar/carbs and is super clean – no junk fillers, no artificial flavors/colors/sweeteners, etc)
1/4 banana
Probiotics
Greens powder or seed fiber (I typically rotate these using one on one day and the other the next)
It keeps me full until my next meal – I never feel the need to snack between my smoothie and lunch which is also super important to me. Any breakfast option that leaves me feeling hungry after an hour or two or not an option for me!
Lunch is either my “famous” cabbage salad bowl or a traditional green salad. No wimpy salads here! I LOAD UP on the veggies. We’re talking at least 3 cups of veggies.
The cabbage salad bowl is usually:
shredded raw red and green cabbage
1-2 slices bacon (crumbled)
1/2 avocado
a sprinkle of goat cheese
2 eggs (sometimes hardboiled, sometimes over-medium)
There’s no need (for me) for dressing because the avocado, goat cheese and egg mix up to add a lot of moisure. I mix everything together with my Oxo Salad Chopper (this and my blender are my most-used kitchen tools!)
If I have a regular salad, it’s only a little difference. Instead of using raw cabbage, I’ll use any organic greens. Do you want to know one of my healthy-eating hacks? I’ve found that growing my own veggies makes me want to eat better. It’s a lot like how getting new workout clothes can make you want to workout. You can grow your own veggies easily no matter the time of year! I always have sprouts growing inside (it’s super easy – you can read about it here) and lately I’ve become obsessed with my GreenStalk planter for outside where I’m growing a variety of greens plus tomatoes, herbs, peppers and cucumbers. I reached out to GreenStalk and they gave me a discount code for you! The code PRIMAL will save you $10!
With a regular salad, I’ll toss in a handful of homegrown sprouts!
That leaves dinner as the only daily decision and we have a short list of favorites that we rotate between based on what we’re in the mood for (having this short list of favorites also really helps with the grocery shopping)! Here are our current favorites:
Burrito bowls made with cauliflower rice
Shepards pie with cauliflower instead of potato
Bunless burgers
Steaks with a side of broccoli or brussels sprouts
Grilled chicken thighs
Beanless chili
Spaghetti squash with ground meat and tomato sauce
Some of you might be wondering about snacks. One of my goals with meal selection is to choose things that fill me up so I’m not always hunting for a snack. With that said, some days I’m hungrier than others or I just want a little something after dinner. On hand for snacks we keep:
almonds or pistachios
cheese slices
frozen fruit (I got really into frozen peaches and frozen grapes when I was pregnant)
if I really want a treat I’ll pop some popcorn
Halo Top ice cream
Postpartum Supplementation
Let me first say that supplementation is completely unique to each individual and their goals. While I’m happy to share what I’m currently taking, keep in mind that it works for me because of my goals and priorities. You might need something all together different. Right now, my biggest priorities are hormone balance, stress management, nutrient diversity for me and the quality of my breast milk, fertility and weight loss. I’ll start seed cycling at about one month postpartum but because I’m not there yet, I haven’t included it in this list. Here’s what I’m currently taking.
For the first two weeks after my c-section, I followed doctors’ orders and stayed on the couch most of time. Getting up and down to do things around the house and take care of baby Roman was about all there was. Right at the two week mark, I went for a 1.5 mile walk. Since then, my exercise has been limited to walking around the yard but I’m planning to take baby to the water for walks along the canal more regularly. Now that we’re about at the 3-week mark, here is the very simple standard I’ve set for myself:
Walk at least 1 mile with baby every day.
That can be on the treadmill, around the yard or down at the canal, but that’s the standard I’m committed to keeping.
Once I hit the 6 week mark post c-esction, I won’t be rushing back to CrossFit. I’m not sure what it will look like yet, but I’m eager to get back to weight lifting even just here at the house as soon as my body is ready. Weight lifting is such an important part of health and weight management! For now, it’s just a daily walk but I’ll be sharing how exercise evolves with those going through the 12 Weeks to Transformation with me!
If you want or need a little positive peer pressure around your goals as we go into the summer, I’d love for you to join me! You can learn more or get started right here.
If you follow me on Instagram, I recently shared that I have an incredible new hobby that I am beyond excited about! Today, I’m sharing it with you and going into all the amazing details.
What’s my new hobby? You might have already guessed but it’s growing sprouts, at home, in my kitchen. Hang with me…this is the FASTEST and cheapest way to make some of the healthiest food you could possibly eat!
I have to turn down my excitement so I can take you through this step by step. I want to tell you how to grow sprouts at home and share everything you’ll need, but first I want to tell you WHY you should be super excited to grow sprouts at home!
They’re incredibly healthy When we talk about growing sprouts, it’s important to first note that you can sprout just about any seed. You can sprout broccoli seeds, cauliflower seeds, sunflower seeds and all kinds of lentils, just to name a few options.One of the most studied sprouts is the broccoli sprout. It’s been extensively studied for its anti-cancer properties. (If you haven’t listened to episode 153 of the Primal Potential podcast to understand more about broccoli and other cruciferous veggies, definitely start there so you have the essential foundation.)Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables contain multiple anti-cancer compounds, but these are broken down when the vegetables are cooked. When you sprout these vegetable seeds, not only are you getting a digestible version that doesn’t require cooking, but broccoli sprouts contain anywhere from 10-100 times the amount of the cancer protecting compounds as compared to regular broccoli! Honestly, we could stop right there. Sign me up! Beyond that, sprouting these seeds reduces the amount of phytates and lectins contained in their typical (non-sprouted) form.This doesn’t even scratch the surface of the health benefits of sprouting and if you want to learn more, I suggest picking up a copy of The Sprout Book by Doug Evans.
They’re the most affordable way to pack in nutrients (ever) If you purchase sprouts at the grocery store, not only will they be far less fresh than the ones I grow at home, they’ll also be dramatically more expensive. Sprouting at home is a tiny fraction of the cost of almost any vegetable you can find at the grocery store.
They grow in just days From seed in a bag to food on your plate, we’re talking as few as 3 days or as many as 6. I started my first sprouting attempt on a Saturday afternoon and had them for lunch on Tuesday.
It’s insanely easy I kill every plant I bring into my home. My attempts at gardening have all failed. But sprouting? It’s so easy. If I can do it, you can do it. If you can measure seeds, pour water in a jar and drain it, you can grow sprouts at home. I promise. I’m going to tell you the steps, but I want you to know it’s easier than cooking dinner.
They’re safe (don’t let sprout myths confuse you) Some of you have probably heard that pregnant women shouldn’t eat sprouts or that sprouts caused a food borne illness outbreak at Jimmy Johns a while back. Sprouts have dramatically fewer incidents of causing food borne illness than chicken, beef and basically all other foods.Growing sprouts at home is far safer than buying them at the grocery store because you control the environment and keeping them safe. Like spinach and other vegetables often eaten raw, sprouts can come in contact with animal fecal matter when grown on a traditional farm or grow house. This can cause e-coli infection or similar issues. If you clean your equipment well and rinse your sprouts as directed, the chances of any infection are very low – far lower than your risk of illness from the chicken you cooked last night. If your sprouts smell weird, don’t eat them. Also, you can use things like grapefruit seed extract as a natural disinfectant if you want. I’m currently pregnant and feel totally safe eating the sprouts I grow at home.
It’s fun Call me crazy, but I think growing your own food, in your own kitchen, regardless of the climate, in a matter of days is really fun. I enjoy watching them grow and experimenting with different kinds of seeds and flavors!
It’s a great way to educate kids Honestly, I can’t imagine why anyone who has kids at home WOULDN’T do this. It’s an awesome way to get your kid excited about real food and nutrients!
How To Grow Sprouts At Home
There are lots of ways to do it and a great place to learn all the ways is by reading The Sprout Book by Doug Evans. I’ll tell you how I do it.
Buy seeds on Amazon. I started with broccoli seeds, french lentils and a seed blend. You can start with these or pretty much anything else. I made sure to purchase seeds that are organic.
Get a glass jar. I bought these but you could use a glass jar you already have and put a cheese cloth over it, secured by a rubber band. You just have to be sure the top is breathable and drainable.
According to the directions on the seeds you purchased, soak the seeds. For example, I started with 1/4 cup of broccoli seeds and I let them soak for 8 hours.
After soaking, drain your seeds fully. Make sure there isn’t excess water but be gentle in your shaking. It’s not a tamborine – treat your seeds gently.
Turn your jar upside down and set at an angle. I bought these jars because them came with the holding tray that allowed me to set them at an angle but you could put your jar in a bowl for the same effect.
Twice a day, rinse your seeds with cold water. Drain thoroughly but gently. Always return to resting in that slightly angled upside down position.
Do not store in direct sunlight or in a closed container. They need to breathe. I keep mine on my kitchen counter away from the windows.
Different seeds take different amounts of time to germinate. I ate my french lentil sprouts on day 3. I ate my broccoli sprouts on day 4.
I bought this grapefruit seed extract in case I wanted to take the extra step but I haven’t used it and don’t know if I will.
I also bought and read The Sprout Book and think it’s a great resource!
I share more of my getting started story in this episode of the Primal Potential podcast and feel free to connect with me on Instagram if you have any questions!
