Sep 14, 2020 | Blog, Mindset, Podcast
Hi friends, thanks for joining me for another episode of the podcast and blog! In today’s episode, I am talking about how to handle feelings of doubt and fear of failure when you are pursuing your goals.
But first, I want you to know that I take your time seriously. Through the Primal Potential podcast, people bring me along for walks, they bring me into their living rooms while they’re cleaning the house. You have a million options for podcasts you can listen to and blogs you can read, so thank you for being here.
Today, I have been dying to share the ah-ha moment that I had a few weeks ago with you. Listen or read along with me below.
A friend of mine is a business owner and podcaster who also works with clients. She came to me for advice because she had 2 clients reach out to ask for refunds for the first time. Here’s what I told her.
It doesn’t happen often, but 100% of the time, when people come to me to ask about getting a refund, what they are really looking for is reassurance. This is fear and doubt in play, and it is a huge opportunity for that person!
If we had full faith in ourselves or whatever we purchased to pursue our goals, we wouldn’t want our money back. If we knew we were going to do the work that comes along with investing in our program, we wouldn’t want a refund.
What people need is reassurance—sometimes it’s a lack of faith in themselves, sometimes in the program, sometimes it’s both, and all of them can be worked on.
I see this with clients but I also see this with myself. Literally every single time I have hired a coach, and when I decided to join a mastermind, there has been a moment of panic. Maybe I don’t verbalize it but I sink into thoughts of, “on second thought, maybe I shouldn’t have done this!”
I encourage my clients to not shy away from these tough moments.
4:00 Giving Doubt a Voice
We all know that sick feeling of doubt. It’s super uncomfortable to think that maybe you made a mistake by investing in yourself. It’s uncomfortable to admit that you don’t trust yourself enough to take advantage of an opportunity.
We don’t want to run from this feeling. Your doubt is telling you something. I don’t ever want to let a client run from this opportunity to face the fact that they need reassurance or to create more trust in themselves or whatever they are doing to pursue their goals.
“I don’t know if this is right for me.”
If you have ever had that thought, give your doubt a voice. Explore it. Sometimes you’re doing something that is not good for you.
Borrowing an example from my own life, let’s say you opt-in for some rigid, extreme diet and two weeks in you realize that you are miserable.
In that situation, giving your doubt a voice allows you to see if that feeling is coming from a pattern that you need to change or, maybe, that feeling is an indication that your decision wasn’t healthy or sustainable, that it’s not something you want to stick with it for the rest of your life.
Most times we say yes to something that we consider to be a great tool for growth and then the buyer’s remorse creeps in, this comes from doubt.
I don’t want to give the impression that we can’t ever course correct—we absolutely should—but I encourage you to lean in and explore what it is that you’re doubting.
Start with this quick exercise:
You might say, “I don’t trust that I’m going to do the work.” This is something we can work on
What do you trust?
What exactly is the work that you are second-guessing? Come up with 5 things.
Can you do that just for today?
6:32 Doubt Is a Powerful Compass
Sometimes we throw out entire opportunities that could transform every aspect of our lives because we don’t simplify or define what success looks like. We get overwhelmed and sidetracked by doubt and we can miss out on an opportunity.
I’ve straight up done that before. I have let that initial feeling that I don’t trust myself turn into a closed-door, turn into a no, turn into giving up.
Doubt is a powerful compass that can point us at something that really matters.
When we have this doubt or fear of failure, that tells us how important our goals are to us. They are so important to us that we’re afraid we will fail, so important that we question whether we can do it or not.
So we need to take some time to build confidence and set up for success. When people are working with me, I want them to give voice to their doubts to me, with me. Verbalize them. Give your doubt a voice in the Primal Potential Facebook group if you need a place. Give it a voice.
Ask yourself what else is true. If you feel doubt around yourself, the program, or a tool, ask yourself what else is true,
Maybe it’s true that you weren’t consistent before but that doesn’t mean that you will be inconsistent now. This feeling might be part of your process for change. In the past you turned away, this time give it a voice by asking what else is true. Don’t run away from that.
I use this tool often in business. My team and I ask this question for Primal Potential, for example, what would it take for us to feel confident in a new product?
Too many of us are stopping when it’s hard or scary. I want you to see doubt like we see talk about fear, as a doorway. When you recognize that you have doubt, like in your ability to do something, think of that doubt as being a doorway.
9:13 Fear of Failure
You can stand in front of that door, doubting yourself, or you can see every doubt as a doorway you must walk through. Pass through the doorway to get to the other side and see what is there.
This was very true for me when I started thinking about Crossfit. It looked cool. I was interested in weight-lifting and—above all—I was super excited by the community aspect, but I had the biggest doubts before I tried it. I thought, “I’m not fit enough for Crossfit or strong enough; what if people judge me because I am the weakest or slowest, I won’t be able to keep up.” Those doubts could have kept me out of a community that I love!
I don’t want to see people standing on the side of doubt and fear. I want us to see doubt as a doorway, as something we can explore if we take a step forward and see what else is there.
A lot of times, what drives doubt is what-if thinking. Maybe people don’t experience this as doubt but as panic or the feeling of being behind. This comes from putting energy, faith, and fear behind the wrong what-if. “What if it doesn’t work” is as powerful a question as “What if it does?!”
11: 30 Don’t Kill Yourself with Questions
I had such a breakthrough when my friend came to me about a network marketing opportunity. At first, my strongest thoughts were only around doubt. I’m not that kind of person. I don’t want to do that. What if it’s a waste of time? These thoughts were only one half of the equation.
I realized that If I was going to entertain all the reasons why it wouldn’t work, then I owed it to myself, even if it didn’t change my decision, to consider all of the reasons that it would work. Let me tell you, I had some work to do.
I thought, I know the 7-or-so reasons that I think it’s a bad idea, I owe it to myself to be a better thinker and explore the other side of those seven reasons. It turned out to be an incredible opportunity. As my husband Chris says, the first thing he learned in military basic training is don’t kill yourself with ‘what-ifs.’
Before my ah-ha moment, I had all of these different pieces in my head:
- When people experience doubt, they need to give it a voice, they need reassurance.
- Chris’s voice in my head saying, we don’t kill ourselves with questions.
- What-if statements work both ways.
Meanwhile, as all of these pieces revealing themselves to me, I am having a repeated conversation with my business team. Inevitably there are a million things going on in the business and when we set goals they can sometimes feel like a pipe dream. From our doubts and fear, we move to talking about what it is going to take for us to feel more confident in a decision.
We started using this tool with clients who are facing doubt. Clients ask me, what if I have been super inconsistent? I ask them, what if this is the time when everything changes? What if now is when everything cracks wide open for you?
What would it take for you to have more confidence in your ability to succeed? Answer that question. What would it take for you to have more confidence in your ability to change your behavior?
Don’t give a quick response and think that you’ve done the work–you haven’t. Give it a voice. Explore it.
Write this down and answer the questions:
If what-if works both ways, what are both sides (be specific)?
What would it take for me to have confidence in this outcome, in this process, in this change?
What would it look like if it was easy?
It would be easier if what?
18:30 What-if Goes Both Ways
As I was putting these ideas into a document, I was listening to an Elevation Church Sermon by Pastor Steven Furtick, who said, “Fear is faith in the wrong what-if.” We are putting faith in the wrong side of the equation. So what would it take for you to believe a little bit more in the other side of the equation?
This is a choice, so stop imagining scenarios that don’t favor you.
Don’t put all of your resources in the what-if that doesn’t favor you. Don’t put your faith in the ‘what if it doesn’t work.’ Your life will change dramatically and your results will be different when you put your faith in the what-if that favors you. 20:14
This is going to hinge on your willingness to think differently and on the action of voicing your fears and doubts while also realizing that it goes both ways.
It’s not over. This year is not over. We have 15 weeks left in the year, more than 100 days left in the year. How much could you change your life in that time?
You get to decide which one version of the story you fuel with your attention, which you pour into, and which one you starve. Which what-if wins? Whichever one you feed.
We talk about this a lot in the 12 Weeks to Transformation. When you change the way you think you open doors to new opportunities, you also close the doors on your fears and past patterns, and it all hinges on the way you think.
What-if works both ways. Choose to tell the story that favors you and refuse to continue telling the story that doesn’t. Make today amazing.
To learn more about the 12 Weeks to Transformation visit primalpotential.com/transform.
Sep 12, 2020 | Blog, Podcast
Hi friends! My husband Chris and I are back for another podcast episode where we answer your questions (and announce the winner of the Saturday Giveaway)! The topic of consistency has been coming up a lot in the Facebook group, and it is the theme for today’s episode. We got a lot of really great questions about everything from how to win the battle of choice, the biggest barriers to consistency, how to be consistent when you’re busy and every day looks different from the last, and more.
If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to make a plan and stay consistent with it, this episode will be super helpful for you. Listen to the end to find out who won this week’s Saturday Giveaway!
2:50: What do you do when you are not winning the battle of choice?
10:09 I’m so good with my habits all week, but all of my good habits go out the window during the weekend. What do I do?
18:28 How do you develop a routine and remain flexible for last-minute stuff?
23:30 How can I be consistent when every day is different?
25:50 How do you stay consistent when you have a hard time saying no to someone who is pulling you in the wrong direction?
33:24 What is the biggest barrier to consistency, planning, routine, direction?
35:55 What is the most popular day to start something new?
37:44 Winner of the giveaway
To win next Saturday’s giveaway, leave a review of the Primal Potential podcast on Apple Podcasts, review Chasing Cupcakes on Amazon, or share an episode or lesson that you’ve learned on Instagram or Facebook (be sure to tag me)!
Registration opens up next week for the fall 12 Weeks to Transformation. This will be the final 12 Weeks, ever, so make sure you join the waitlist to save your spot (space is limited), get first access, and an exclusive waitlist discount (the best savings we’ve ever offered)!
Sep 7, 2020 | Blog, Fat loss, Mindset, Podcast, Weight Loss
Hi friends, it’s Elizabeth here, and I am so excited to share Episode 810 of Primal Potential with you! Today I am joined by the Chief Operating Officer for Primal Potential Suzie Barbour, and for the first time on the podcast, we are pulling back the curtain on why I have my coaching clients focus so much on mindset when many of them sign up for the 12 Weeks to Transformation with the goal of losing weight.
You’re not going to want to miss this conversation! Listen or read on as we do a deep-dive on my #1 coaching strategy for achieving any goal—transforming your mindset!
Why Not Weight Loss?
Several months back when Suzie started working for Primal Potential one of the first things she noticed was that everybody wants to hear strategies about fat loss.
From her perspective as the COO who is trying to grow the business, it would be a natural move for us to come up with a food plan or make content surrounding the typical themes that people associate with weight loss, like exercise and food, but I always say no. No to food plans and no to new products based specifically on the theme of ‘weight loss’.
Suzie says that people are inspired by my weight loss journey, having lost and successfully kept off well over 100 pounds, and this is what customers are saying they want. So she kept asking me, why not weight loss?
It’s not that I don’t want to help people with that goal, it’s that I want to help people with that goal in a different way that is going to be far more effective than a list of foods or a rule book.
A few years ago I did address weight loss directly. We had a program called the Fat Loss Fast Track that helped hundreds of clients lose weight. But we changed that program. We reshaped it into the 12 Weeks to Transformation and the reason I did this is because client after client was coming into the 12 weeks with the goal of losing weight, but they weren’t just doing that. They were transforming their finances, relationships, and fitness routines. They began taking better care of their homes, and becoming more organized.
We realized that it’s not about weight at all but what it really takes to create change.
(4:19) Why Not Create an Eating Plan?
In the Primal Potential Facebook group, someone wrote a post asking others to share what types of eating plans they are following. This person said they want to eat less, cut portions, but are feeling anxious and doubtful about the level of strictness to their diet, so they will probably revert back to a food plan they’ve tried before like Weight Watchers.
I hear this from podcast listeners all of the time who have had some success with a previous food plan, but can’t stick with it now. And let me tell you, I tried this for decades.
Anyone can follow a plan for a little while, but then stress, vacation, or illness occurs and people get derailed and think to themselves “why can’t I make myself do it” or “why can’t I get back on the imaginary wagon?”
All of this is a result of the way you think.
The idea of being ‘on the wagon’ is a start-tomorrow mindset and it stems from the way that you think—the way that your mind generates excuses. At Primal Potential we want to help people become better thinkers and problem solvers so that our excuses won’t keep holding us back.
I very strongly believe that there are dozens, maybe hundreds, of ways to lose weight. There is no one food religion we need to subscribe to. Success in this area is not a matter of routine but a way of thinking.
Suzie and I both know we could make a ton of money with a 30-day plan for fat loss that tells people exactly what to eat but that’s not what we do. We create lasting results for our clients. The way we do that is through mindset.
People find our program because they are seeking weight loss solutions, often having spent money on other programs. A lot of those people feel a sense of shame because they have invested time and money in weight loss solutions that worked for them in the past but don’t work in every season of their lives. There is no reason to feel shame around that. Before I lost my weight, I didn’t have the tools I have now and you don’t know what you don’t know.
But as Suzie explains in this episode, we see this all of the time in the 12 Weeks to Transformation. Once our clients have a grasp on this toolbox, they use their tools to create sustainable change in areas of their lives that they didn’t know they wanted to improve.
(10:34) If someone really wants to drop 20 lbs, should they focus on losing weight or only mindset?
I am not telling anyone not to focus on weight loss. There is nothing wrong with wanting to feel great in your body and get rid of excess body fat–either for cosmetic or health-related reasons. I’m also not saying that instead of focusing on weight, people should focus on mindset. What I am saying is that when you upgrade the way you think, you come at our goals in a way that is much more sustainable.
When we focus on mindset, we slowly take power away from our doubts and bad habits. I eat better now because I am a more well-rounded thinker. My old pattern was that I would get super stressed or have a bad day and tell myself that I didn’t care, I was going to eat ice cream and—whatever—I’ll do better tomorrow. That pattern only changed because I became a better thinker.
So if you say you want to lose weight, I want to help you help yourself, but in a way that addresses the real problem. The real problem isn’t that you don’t know what to eat—that doesn’t have anything to do with it! The real problem is that you aren’t following through on the things you already know will work. And that is happening because of the way you are thinking about it.
Nobody will ever coach you like the voice in your own head. Your outcome hinges entirely on the quality of the voice in your head. When the alarm goes off, and you hit snooze, you are actively being coached by the voice in your head. Make that coaching better and you get better in every way. (Read that again or listen at 13:20).
This is not about ignoring the science of weight loss, but the science alone is not enough. You won’t get results without changing your mindset to address inconsistency, bad habits, or an excuse-generating inner dialogue.
This is especially true in a challenging year like 2020. Hard times are when we need mindset the most. When life is bonkers we are going to grow so much more. If we wait for a season of life that is settled, then we will have missed a huge opportunity to learn, to be in the trenches with the tools.
(18:41) What about people who don’t believe that mindset is actually what they need?
I was that person for so long and I wish I could go back in time and talk some sense into myself. People told me for years that weight loss was all in my head. But I thought they were saying that it wasn’t a weight issue and I was sure that it was. I was defensive because I was scared that focusing on mindset meant not focusing on weight, and I wasn’t willing to not focus on weight. It was only when I took this other approach that I experienced lasting effects.
What I’m telling you is the way to get results with your physical body is by changing the very decision maker in your life. It’s not that we don’t know what to do, it’s that we don’t hold ourselves to the standard of doing it.
Plenty of people have the approach of body acceptance or health at any size and that is not my personal standpoint. If you want to reduce your body fat and feel better in your skin, then I want to do it alongside you. I am connected to that outcome and I recognize that the thing that keeps us from those results is the way we think, make decisions, and talk to ourselves.
When you start the day fired up to make healthier choices but, the next thing you know, you blow the first opportunity you get, that’s mindset. This is what we have to change.
(21:52) The Myth of “I Don’t Care” & Defining Mindset
People tell themselves that they don’t care but that’s not true. People with weight loss concerns care deeply. But when you try diets and programs that don’t work, no one is hearing you say “I don’t care” and challenging you on that idea.
You get a craving for junk food and the coach in your head starts talking to you, saying it doesn’t matter, you’ve failed before, start tomorrow, this one thing won’t hurt. People say they aren’t consistent, but they are. They are consistent with skipping workouts, hitting snooze, or being disorganized. This kind of thinking is what we upgrade in the 12 Weeks to Transformation. We work on shifting the voice in our own heads because that’s where the magic is.
People tell me that they are apprehensive about signing for the 12 Weeks because of a fear that they will disengage. They say, “Elizabeth, I really want you to hold me accountable and prevent me from drifting.” And I say back, I want them to hold themselves accountable and that I will give them the tools to do it.
I’m not always going to be there but the coach in your head will be. And we have to make that a great coach. We are all capable of being great, passionate, purposeful coaches—that is the work we have to do!
I don’t want to create codependency with my clients. My goal is for you to not need me. I want to set all of us free. We have all that we need (and then some) to create change in our lives.
Okay, maybe your mindset needs to change a bit, but I can give you the tools to trust yourself. This is totally possible, especially for those who think it isn’t.
(36:48) My Final Words on Mindset
There are only a few tools that we need. We don’t have to first master weight loss, then finances, then relationships. The reality is that as we use these tools on repeat, every aspect of our lives begins to shift.
No matter who you listen to, gurus, influencers, or trainers, nobody will coach you more than the voice in your head. As you interact with your spouse, when your alarm goes off, when you stand in front of the fridge at 10pm, everything gets easier when you upgrade to the right tools and that’s what we focus on in the 12 Weeks to Transformation.
To learn more about the 12 Weeks to Transformation visit primalpotential.com/transform. For a limited time, anyone who joins the waitlist for the 12 Weeks to Transformation will receive totally FREE access to my new Client Preview Series with me where we tackle topics like consistency, resilience, goal achievement, fat loss, and more!
Sep 5, 2020 | Blog, Podcast
Listener-favorite, my husband Chris, is back for another podcast episode where we answer your questions (and announce the winner of the Saturday Giveaway!).
(03:35) How do I work through my fears and do the thought work to get beyond them?
Your fear is faith in the wrong ‘what if’. This idea comes from a Steven Furtick sermon; he says that ‘what if’ works both ways. If you’re afraid of the dentist, for example, and what-ifs are circling your mind, asking what if it hurts, what if I have a cavity, what if my dental work costs a lot of money?
That fear can be very real to us but what we have to remember is that those what-if questions work both ways! There is a whole other side to explore.
What if it doesn’t hurt? What if during your visit you meet someone and a conversation turns into a new opportunity? What if you feel great after your visit? Don’t put your faith in the wrong what-if.
I have a long time fear of needles. I despise needles but I decided to see an acupuncturist. How do I handle those fears about everything that can go wrong, with detailed thoughts of how painful and terrible the experience will be?
I see fear as a doorway. I can stand on one side of it, telling the worst version of the story, or I can decide to live on the other side. I can agonize about the experience of being stuck with needles or I can ask different questions. What if acupuncture accelerates my healing? What if the experience cures my fear or needles?
Experiencing fear is different than experiencing danger. One is an innate, healthy response that helps us avoid harm. The other is a result of what we tell ourselves in our minds. I like to think about these thoughts as music tracks and I am the DJ. I can play myself a better song, a more helpful song.
(9:00) How do you curb Covid anxiety?
I am not an expert on Covid or virology or anything like that. My approach to dealing with Covid anxiety has been to focus on doing what is within my realm of control. I choose to focus on the brilliant machine that is my body to protect me. I choose to focus on improving my immune system.
There is no doubt that individuals with more robust immune systems are more protected against threats of illness, against viruses, the flu, bacteria.
There is so much we can do to improve our immunity and get healthier. Quell the anxiety over the things you can’t control, like the existence of a global pandemic, with the things you believe will help you and that you can control, like wearing a mask, washing your hands, and improving your health.
From the very moment I realized that Covid was a thing, my family pivoted to limiting exposure and focusing on health, including things like sleeping, eating well, and supplementation. Those things go a long way. We don’t have to perseverate about the worst version of the story. Use your energy for what you can control.
This is just one woman’s opinion, but I aim to live fully and take care of my health, the rest is out of my control.
(14:30) How does one stop imposter syndrome?
Imposter syndrome comes from the notion that you don’t know enough or that you’re not smart or experienced enough to do what you’re doing, and you feel like a fake or a phony. This fear of not being good enough is rooted in comparison, fear, and insecurity, but it’s also rooted in the belief that having room to improve is a bad thing. This kind of thinking puts you at a deficit.
I could write a mile-long list of my competitors who have more clients, podcast downloads, and revenue than me, but I don’t because this kind of thinking is pointless. These comparisons have nothing to do with what I uniquely can do today. This doesn’t mean that I try to hide or ignore my weaknesses. My weaknesses are either opportunities to improve or they are simply facts that are reflective of where I am. I own them; I talk about them.
You will suffer from imposter syndrome if you are ashamed of your vulnerabilities, if you think they are somehow a liability. I don’t see my vulnerabilities as a liability I just see them as facts.
It’s cliche but true, comparison is the thief of joy—and it’s optional. We all have weaknesses, I don’t think we should hide them. My peers are where they are and that has nothing to do with where I am.
It really comes down to where your focus is. So get over feeling like an imposter by getting out of the realm of comparison.
(20:32) Why Can’t I be consistent?
You’re asking the wrong question.
When we ask ourselves a rhetorical question, our brains automatically attempt to answer it, to give evidence and proof. Your brain is always on and working. So if you ask yourself a question like this, why can’t I be consistent, then your brain is going to give you a list all of the reasons, because you make excuses all the time, because you can’t say not to sugar.
The problem is that this process reinforces the very thing you are trying to overcome. You’re asking the wrong question, solving for the wrong thing.
A more powerful question would be, what does it look like today to be consistent?
People tell me they want to be more consistent but when I push them to break that idea down and define it, they can’t. They tell me “I want to eat better” and “I want to work out more” but that is not specific. That tells me nothing about what consistency looks like for them.
When you say that nothing works (“what’s wrong with me?!”) you are focused purely on the problem, not the solution. Ask a different question. What does consistency looks like specifically and what you can do today?
I recently did a free training workshop on this, the replay of which is available on www.primalpotential.com/transform, where I talked about how people get stuck thinking that consistency is an aspiration. It’s not. For more specific examples, I go into a ton of detail in this workshop on the specific process for becoming consistent.
(23:13) Do you do a famous diet plan like Weight Watchers?
Short answer: No. I don’t like the notion of following someone else’s rules when it comes to food. I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all eating plans.
Because of shifts and fluctuations, our bodies require different amounts of calories, day to day. The diet that serves me on a day where I got a lot of sleep may not be as effective on a day where I didn’t sleep well. And that’s is just one of many factors that can affect what food choices I make.
Beyond that, my goal right now is not about fat loss, but feeling amazing. To feel amazing, lately my food choices have been largely centered around whole foods, minimizing sugar, processed foods and starch, and eating veggies, plant-based fats, and proteins.
(25:35) When is the best time to eat carbs? Do I have to go 100% Keto?
My only answer I can give to this question is I don’t know. I can’t answer that question without knowing what your goals are, what your habits are, or what your exercise regimen is. It’s not fair to compare different people with varying extremes of lifestyles.
The best time to eat carbs is personal, it depends on an individual’s goals, their metabolism and body composition. For example, If you’re training for a marathon in the morning, then, yes, replacing glycogen stores around that time makes sense.
To the second question, what exactly is 80% Keto? In this episode, Chris and I joke that if you are 80% vegan then you are in fact 0% vegan. But seriously, like Chris says, you don’t have to do anything.
You can lose weight on any diet. You can lose weight as a vegan, pescatarian, vegetarian, on a keto diet, using Weight Watchers or the golden rules of carbs and fat loss, so no, you don’t have to go 100% Keto.
30:33: Announcing the Saturday Giveaway Winner
To win next Saturday’s giveaway, leave a review of the Primal Potential podcast on Apple Podcasts, review Chasing Cupcakes on Amazon, or share an episode or lesson that you’ve learned on Instagram or Facebook (be sure to tag me)!
Sep 3, 2020 | Blog, Podcast, Weight Loss
I get a lot of questions about what clients can expect from the 12 Weeks to Transformation. They want to know what those twelve weeks look like and—more importantly—they want to know what they walk away with at the conclusion of the program.
In this episode, hear directly from one of my current 12 Weeks to Transformation clients, Beth, who joined the summer session with the goal of losing a few pregnancy pounds and in the process saved $4,000, transformed her family life, and, yes, her weight is down as well. This is Beth’s experience.
04:35 Everything Was Going So Well
Beth’s hardships this year are painfully familiar. A stay-at-home mom of two small children, Beth was interviewing for her dream job. She was in the final stage of the interview process and she found the perfect daycare, everything was lining-up. Then Covid hit and everything fell apart.
Beth was in a bad place, binge-eating, spending too much money, just trying to cope with the stress. Having read my book Chasing Cupcakes, Beth was aware of me and The 12 Weeks to Transformation. She was hesitant about joining because she’d already spent money on other programs that didn’t give her the results she had hoped for. She sent me a message and we talked about her doubts and the embarrassment she felt about spending more money in the middle of a self-described “covid-spending binge”.
With the stated goal of losing her last baby pounds, Beth joined the 12 Weeks to Transformation. As of the time we recorded this podcast episode, the 8-week mark, it was becoming clear to Beth that the transformation was manifesting in other areas of her life. After eight weeks, Beth has saved $4,000.
9:30 Big Changes in 8 Weeks
What changed? Beth went from making covid-guilt-ridden purchases, buying stuff to comfort her son about not seeing his school friends, to saving $4,000 in less than 2 months.
In the 12 Weeks to Transformation Beth found tangible tools. She made a plan, started a budget, and took control. She learned to direct her focus to finances with a new journaling practice where she writes down her purchases and really thinks through the intentions behind her spending impulses. With her identity journal, Beth makes the time and space for those changes to resonate.
She also flipped her view of the situation. Working with her husband, Beth and her family figured out a way to make saving money fun for them. By tying the process to her husband’s vinyl record hobby and instituting a fun Friday ritual, the whole family is engaged and enjoying it. Beth says it’s a better way to live.
17:00 The Lingering Problem of Binge-Eating
During our conversation, Beth also describes the challenge she’s faced by being in a repetitive cycle of binge-eating, followed by restricting eating.
Most people don’t know how good it feels to feel good. For so many of us, normal is the binge-restrict cycle or it’s inconsistency. What’s working for Beth is a change in mindset. She’s not eating to lose weight, she’s eating to feel good and to be less moody.
She told me (20:25) I am so addicted to the peace that I feel around food if I don’t have sugar. I can’t imagine having carbs in the middle of the day, or sugar in the middle of the day, ever again.
For me too, my mood stability hinges on how I eat and drink. So I can expect the struggle to be worse if I consistently make food and alcohol choices that don’t serve me and that make me emotionally volatile.
Yet, most people don’t know how they would feel if they made different choices. This is something that I wrote a chapter about in Chasing Cupcakes. Give yourself the experience of giving maximum effort. You can always go back to the way things were before, but giving yourself the experience is powerful because you will actually know how it feels.
26:20 The Most Helpful Tools
For Beth, the most helpful tools have been:
1. The Identity Journal
When Beth is thoughtful about her journaling, it helps her, not just track her spending choices, but figure out what went wrong the previous day.
2. Affirmations
Beth shared her two favorites:
I am a creative and energetic parent. She says this affirmation empowers her as a parent by helping her to identify as that kind of care-giver.
I am willing to be uncomfortable to see what I am capable of. Beth uses this one when she’s stressed out, wants to eat something she shouldn’t and “numb-out”. She tells herself, we don’t do that anymore, it’s going to be uncomfortable, and then 15 minutes later she’s moved on.
*This is how uncomfortable things become comfortable!*
3. Working Out
Beth says, “I eat and move through the world to feel amazing. It doesn’t feel amazing to snap at my husband, to yell at my kid.” Beth has realized that when she’s feeling low-energy and moody, there’s no better way to feel better than working out. She describes how taking care of her body helps her mood, in turn making everyone in her family happier.
4. Gratitude
Looking for gratitude is part of the 12 Weeks to Transformation process and it’s one of the first things that Beth noticed, one of the first of many shifts she felt.
33:30 Trusting Yourself to Make Change
I asked Beth what she would tell someone who doesn’t trust themselves to actually do the work if they invest in the 12 Weeks to Transformation. Here’s what she said:
The reason that you want to do it and that you feel like it’s something that can help is because it can and YOU can and you want to do it because you want to change.
The thing about this program is that it’s not for everyone because if you don’t want to do the work, don’t bother, it’s not easy.
You feel the pull because you know that you are capable of better than this, and you know you can feel better than this.You have to take that step to find out because it’s there and you have it in you, you just have to let yourself succeed.
To learn more about the 12 Weeks to Transformation—opening again in September—visit primalpotential.com/transform. For a limited time, anyone who joins the waitlist for the 12 Weeks to Transformation will receive totally FREE access to my new Client Preview Series where we are tackling topics like consistency, resilience, goal achievement, fat loss, and more!
Aug 24, 2020 | Podcast
Hi, friends! I am so excited to share Episode 804 of Primal Potential with you! Today I am joined by Dr. Beth Westie, author of the best-selling book The Female Fat Solution, host of The Female Health Solution Podcast, and a personal friend of mine. Br. Beth uses nutrition to help women work with the natural cycle of their bodies to achieve lasting weight loss results.
In this episode, she and I discuss my experience with hormone testing and how a simple test—done conveniently at home—can help women understand their individual hormone profiles.
After everything my mind and body have been through this year–pregnancy, a c-section, stress, and trauma–Dr. Beth and her business partner were among the first to reach out to help me after my body went through so many changes. I want to be healthy, heal my body, and grow my family and I had near-endless questions for Dr. Beth–and I have the text receipts to prove it!
To get the answers to my questions, Dr. Beth recommended that we test my hormones (especially my cortisol and estrogen levels) and after putting it off for way too long, I finally did the DUTCH test and I’m so glad that I did.
What is the DUTCH Test?
The DUTCH Complete, which analyzes 35 different hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA-S, and cortisol along with their metabolites, is the most advanced hormone test available. An acronym for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones, DUTCH test results are used to identify symptoms of hormonal imbalances, while an assessment of the test results enables you to clearly see your hormonal health profile. It is also a tremendous help in accurately targeting an approach for healing.
Who is it for?
The DUTCH test is for women at any stage of life who suspect that something might be off with their hormones. Many people find DUTCH testing because they want to get to the bottom of why their menstrual cycle is irregular, painful, or heavy, or because they’re experiencing hot flashes, para menopause, or have gone through menopause already but are still having hot flashes. Trouble sleeping, acne, hair falling out, and weight gain can also be signs of a hormonal imbalance.
According to Dr. Beth, sometimes people are scared to do hormonal testing out of a fear that nothing will be wrong, but those of us who have noticed a change over time can really benefit from pulling back the curtain to see what is really happening inside.
Instead of guessing, hormone testing paints an exact map of what you’re experiencing hormonally and what your body really needs. As opposed to taking a blood test where you get stuck once in the doctor’s office, this kind of hormone test takes samples from different times of day, illustrating the pathway that your hormones take from early morning to evening.
How does it work?
The test kit is shipped to your house with paper collection strips, simple directions on how to use them, a health questionnaire, and a sealable envelope to mail back your test. At certain times of the day, you pee on the collection strips (similar to how you would use an at-home pregnancy test), the urine dries, and you ship the test back.
After your test is returned and analyzed, you will set up a phone consultation to go through the results and receive recommendations based on your results.
What can you learn from the DUTCH test?
There is a lot to learn from hormone testing. If you’ve ever suspected that you might have adrenal fatigue, PCOS, estrogen dominance, or any number of hormone-related issues, get the data and find out!
Along with a complete assessment of your various hormone levels, for example, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA-S, the DUTCH test identifies daily cortisol patterns which give insight into your adrenals, oxidative stress markers, melatonin, and organic acid tests include markers for vitamin B12, vitamin B6, dopamine, and norepinephrine or epinephrine. Dr. Beth’s analysis also shares a graphical representation of your results and video tutorials to assist in the hormone assessment.
This kind of testing gives you the specific data on your hormone levels but it also shines a light on how you personally can manage stress better, how to make your goals more achievable, whether you need to reduce sugar, and even which foods and supplements to target.
To check out Dr. Beth Westie’s DUTCH testing analysis and get the hormonal insights you need, use this link https://bit.ly/EBDutch.
Aug 13, 2020 | Podcast
Hi, friends! It’s Elizabeth here, and I am so excited to share Episode 796 of Primal Potential with you today! Primal Potential is a podcast all about you — your ability to change is not defined by yesterday and doesn’t need to wait until tomorrow. Your transformation is now, no matter what stage you find yourself in life!
Today I want to talk to you about a very popular topic: journaling. You guys know that I’ve been journaling for a long time. I think it’s one of the most important daily practices we can implement. Journaling helps us create awareness, and self-awareness is essential to changing your habits and transforming your life!
But more recently, I’ve started bringing a new practice into my daily journaling — It’s called manifestation journaling, and I love it. I learned about this technique during my powerful interview with Rachel Luna on Episode 777 — which you should absolutely listen to! I actually love the practice so much that I’ve tweaked the identity journal I mail out to all my 12 Weeks to Transformation clients to include a manifestation section.
So today, I’m going to dig into manifestation journaling! I want to talk a little bit about what manifestation journaling is not — spoiler: it’s not about making things appear out of thin air. I want to get into why I think this kind of journaling works. And along the way, I want to give you guys some essential questions you can ask yourselves to implement this practice into your journaling routine. If you want to identify your desires and start exploring ways to bring them into reality, this episode is for you! Let’s dive in!
What Is Manifestation Journaling?
Before I get into any specific journaling techniques, I want to break down the term “manifestation journaling” and give it a solid definition. Or rather, I want to define what it’s not so that it’s easier to understand what it is.
First of all, let’s talk about journaling. I hear this all the time from my clients — journaling is hard! It’s challenging to consistently sit down with a pen and paper or an open document on your computer and write down your thoughts.
But I think the reason it’s so tricky is that most people aren’t defining journaling correctly. Journaling is not just keeping a diary. It’s not about writing, “Dear Diary, I had cereal for breakfast this morning.” Journaling is about intentionally exploring your goals and dreams and generating enthusiasm for those things. Journaling is simply the process of becoming aware of your thoughts, habits, and patterns by writing them down so you can bring new change and transformation to your life. What’s more exciting than that?
Now, let’s look at the word “manifestation.” I recently saw a comment on one of my Instagram stories from someone who said she hates the word manifestation because it seems like you’re pulling things out of thin air. Not true! While I think the word “manifestation” has been used that way in other contexts, that’s definitely not what I mean here.
When I talk about manifesting my dreams into your reality through journaling, I don’t mean that I make things suddenly appear. I’m not a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat! I know that I still have to put in the work to reach my goals. Instead, when I talk about “manifestation,” I’m talking about bringing something into reality by establishing expectations.
If you expect something to happen, it almost certainly will. If you expect yourself to get up in the morning, immediately scroll through your social media for an hour, roll downstairs, skip your workout, and eat donuts for breakfast, you probably will. But if you expect yourself to rise and shine early in the morning, get in a good workout, and then enjoy a healthy breakfast, you’ll be significantly more likely to do that instead!
That’s what manifestation is all about. It’s about creating new neural networks — to use the science-y term — in your brain. By that, I mean that you establish new expectations for yourself so that you will put in the work it takes to bring your dreams into reality.
And when I talk about this process in relation to journaling, I mean that you need to write those new expectations down. That’s the best way to build those new neural pathways in your mind! By writing down your goals, you establish the expectation that you can achieve them, and you start to manifest the things you want into your life!
So how does this whole thing work? How can you engage in this process of manifestation journaling to create new expectations for yourself and manifest changes in your life? Believe it or not, it’s actually a pretty simple process. If you can follow these three steps, you’re guaranteed to create new neural networks and set yourself up for greater success!
Step One: Get Clear On Your Desires
Many people get stuck on the idea of manifestation journaling because if they’re honest, they just don’t know what they want. If that sounds like you, I want you to know that it’s okay! You don’t have to know exactly what you’re trying to manifest to start practicing this kind of journaling!
The important thing is that you take the time to figure out what you want. Ask yourself: What do I desire in my career? What do I desire in my relationships? For my physical fitness? Personal choices? Pick any category and get started.
Once you’ve gotten those juices flowing and you’re thinking about what you want for your life, take it a step further — why do you want those things? Why do you want to transition to a new job? Why do you want to lose 20 pounds? Why do you want new friendships in your life? When you figure out why those things matter to you, you gain a clearer picture of the future you want for yourself.
And finally, you can ask yourself my favorite question: What does my ideal life look like? If everything were perfect, what would your life be like every day? Would you be a mom? Would you be running a company? Would you be sipping coconut juice on a beach somewhere? Allow yourself to dream and be creative — this step is about figuring out who you are and what desires you have at your core.
Step Two: Ask Yourself, “How Do I Need to Show Up Today?”
Once you’re absolutely clear on what it is that you want, you’re ready to move on to step two! This is when you start thinking about your actions. Ask yourself questions like, “What do I need to do to bring those things into my life? How do I need to show up for myself today?”
For example, say you’re up for a promotion at work. You really want this new job because the position is more in-line with your professional goals, the pay raise will help you live the lifestyle you want, and you’ll be able to work a more convenient schedule for you and your family. Ask yourself, “What do I need to do to get that promotion?”
How could you make yourself a more competitive candidate for the position? What initiative could you take at work? What conversation could you have with your boss? How can you show up for yourself and build the confidence you need to stand out as a leader?
Write down all your answers to those questions in your journal. Be as specific as you can be, and remember to be creative here too! Remember: by writing down the things you need to do to reach your ideal life, you begin to establish the expectation that you’ll follow through and take action to manifest your new reality.
Step Three: Practice Gratitude
Once you’ve discovered what you truly want and figured out what you need to do to get it, it is essential to practice gratitude for the process. Ask yourself, “What excites me most about my future?” When you’re thinking about how excited you are to be building your future the way you want it, you’re so much more likely to get up in the morning and start being productive and working toward your goals.
How can you demonstrate gratitude for the things you’re bringing into the world? What have you done already that deserves to be celebrated? And what are you thankful for as you make progress toward your ideal life?
When you bring an attitude and a mindset of gratitude and excitement into your work, you are much more likely to attack your action plan with enthusiasm — and that’s how you get results. I probably don’t have to tell you that when you’re feeling grumpy and tired and resentful, you don’t want to make healthy choices. You don’t want to workout. You don’t want to go the extra mile at your job. I know I’ve been there, and I also know that change does not happen when you’re in that place.
But when you’re practicing sincere gratitude and demonstrating thankfulness for who you are, where you are in your journey, and the opportunities you have to grow, you are willing and able to transform. You have the energy, enthusiasm, and drive to change your habits. And as we know, changing your habits changes your life! So make sure to include gratitude in your manifestation journaling practice every day.
Your Transformation Is Just Around the Corner
I hope this episode cleared up some misconceptions for you! Manifestation journaling isn’t about writing down whatever you want and then expecting it to show up magically. Manifestation journaling is about creating the expectation in your brain that the life you want is coming to you. It’s a method of creating new neural networks that will help you feel motivated to take positive action, transform your life, and demonstrate gratitude and excitement along the way.
If you want to start practicing manifestation journaling, remember these three key questions you can ask yourself:
- What specifically do I want to bring into my life?
- How do I need to show up for myself in order to have that life?
- How can I practice gratitude today?
If you remember those three questions and take a little time each day to write down your answers, you will start to see a change in your life. You will find yourself taking more positive action, and the life of your dreams will feel nearer than ever before. Your transformation is just around the corner, so start implementing this practice of meditation journaling today!
And if you’d like some extra support, a little more coaching, and accountability — I want you to get on the waitlist for our next 12 Weeks of Transformation! In this program, I work with people in a much more personal and structured way to create change. We tackle our excuses head-on and find the core values that will motivate you to take action. If you’re not sure what to do next, I encourage you to check out 12 Weeks to Transformation and get on that waitlist!
I’d also love to connect with you via text! I send out encouraging text messages with my daily mindset upgrades. I know they will encourage you and empower you on your journey!
Thanks, everyone! I’m so glad you chose to join me today. Now grab a pen and paper or a computer and start journaling! I can’t wait to see what you’re able to manifest into your life.
Elizabeth Benton
Aug 13, 2020 | Podcast
Hi, friends! It’s Elizabeth here, and I am so excited to share Episode 795 of Primal Potential with you today! Primal Potential is a podcast all about you — your ability to change is not defined by yesterday and doesn’t need to wait until tomorrow. Your transformation is now, no matter what stage you find yourself in life!
Today, I’ve got a very special episode for you that I hope will completely change your outlook on life. I’m going to be talking all about scarcity and abundance and how it is absolutely essential for you to live with a perspective of abundance. I cannot stress this enough, friends, that living with a perspective of scarcity is toxic and unfulfilling.
I started thinking about this subject recently. I had to update my trust and will since Dagney passed away, and I was talking to Chris about money and death, and I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by it all. I started looking over some of my finance books and came across Lynne Twist’s The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life. I wanted to share some of the lessons from that book and some of my notes that I took while reading it. The lessons helped me in that moment, and I know that they can help you too, so let’s get right into it!
Living in Abundance Rather Than Lack
A crucial part of Lynne Twist’s The Soul of Money is the natural Law of Abundance. Abundance flows through the entire universe, but abundance will not flow if you’re living with a perspective of lack and limitation. Abundance will not occur if you’re living with limiting beliefs.
We’re living a world that is dominated by conversations of lack. How often do you hear or say that there isn’t enough of something? Not enough time. Not enough energy. Not enough money. Every day, people engage in this narrative that they don’t have enough of something, and I’m here to tell you that if you find yourself doing that frequently, “not having enough” will be your default state of mind. You begin to see everything through the lens of “not enough,” and everything seems inadequate.
People use the belief of scarcity to justify their unfulfilled lives. They fall back on, “Oh, I don’t have enough time,” or “I don’t have enough money,” and therefore, they can’t do something. They use their beliefs in not having enough resources to justify not following their dreams.
There’s an excellent quote from The Soul of Money that says: “Scarcity is a lie. Independent of any actual amount of resources, it is an unexamined and false system of assumptions, opinions, and beliefs from which we view the world as a place where we are in constant danger of having our needs unmet.”
Scarcity comes from opinions and beliefs rather than the resources that people actually have. And comparison plays a significant role in this. People think that they don’t have enough because of what others have. If you approach life with the mindset that you don’t have enough, you’re never going to have enough. No matter what you have, you’re going to want more because you’re locked into that mindset of “not enough.” How are you ever going to be satisfied if you’re always thinking about wanting more?
Rather than focusing on not having enough of something, you need to focus on how to better use the resources that you have. You focus on how you can better use your time or money or whatever else that you feel that you don’t have enough of. You have more than enough in your life, but you need to better utilize your resources, friends!
Changing Your Narrative from Scarcity to Abundance
Whatever it is that you think that you don’t have enough of, you can change your way of thinking so that you recognize your abundance and can better utilize your resources.
I’ll use time as an example. How frequently do you say, “I just don’t have enough time”? Everyone has the same amount of time — you just need to use it more wisely. Whenever I feel like I don’t have enough time, I write down everything that I need to do for the day. I then determine what on my list is critical — meaning that something terrible will happen if I don’t get it done. My list often involves recording my daily mindset upgrades, spending time in my different Facebook groups, and working on my podcasts. After I write everything down, I determine what is actually critical. 99% percent of the time nothing is critical on my list. I can delay the things that are on my list, and nothing catastrophic will happen.
When I approach my time with that perspective, I realize that I have an abundance of time. I have filled my time with the things that I want to do rather than critical things.
You can also extend this line of thinking to another common problem: money. Rather than approaching your financial situation with the mentality of, “I don’t have enough money,” you can think about how your financial situation is much better than you realize. You have possessions that you can sell, and you can cut back on your spending. For example, you can cancel subscriptions, or you can eat out less.
My point is that you should approach your financial situation with the mentality of making your finances go further rather than approaching it with the mindset that more is always better. If your default mode is “I need more,” you’re never going to have enough.
Stretch Rather Than Chase
Today, I’m going to share with you a lesson from my veteran level 12 Weeks of Transformation program that will help you approach your life with abundance rather than scarcity. I challenge you to adopt the mentality of stretching rather than chasing.
When I say “stretching,” I mean that I want you to stretch the resources that you already have rather than chase more. I want you to utilize your time better rather than wish that you had more time. I want you to think about how you can get more from your current relationships rather than thinking that you need to build more relationships. I want you to think about how you can better utilize your finances so that you don’t feel like you need to chase more money.
Approach your life with the mentality of making your resources go further rather than thinking that you don’t have enough.
You can also think about how you can get more from the things that you already know rather than thinking that you need to learn more. If you approach your abilities with that same “not enough” mindset, you will never feel that you know enough to do something. You might think that you need to read more books about money management before actually utilizing what you’ve already learned. You need to utilize the tools that you already have rather than chase new tools.
If you’re living with the “chase” mindset, you’re always going to be looking towards the next thing rather than what you’re currently doing. You’re always going to be thinking about how more is better and it will never be enough. You’ll always be chasing the next thing rather than appreciating what you have.
Find Adult Electives and Have Fun
Something that I think very much goes along with living with the perspective of abundance is taking the time to enjoy things. Often people say that they don’t have enough fun. Well, you can change that if you take the time to do activities.
The entrepreneur Jesse Itzler said something fascinating about adulthood and hobbies. Do you remember when you were in school — whether college or high school — when you would take electives? You studied something outside of your career focus, and you did it because you enjoyed it. Jesse pointed out that once people leave school, they drop that mentality of doing productive, fun things. People stop learning subjects that aren’t related to their careers.
Jesse challenges people to identify adult electives — activities that you’re interested in that have nothing to do with your career — and I’m going to challenge you to do the same thing. It can be a variety of things like yoga, basket-weaving, sculpting, or whatever else. Right now, Chris and I are looking into doing different kinds of cooking classes. It’s not going to advance our careers or make us more money — we’re doing it because we’re interested in learning how to cook new things, and we think it’ll be fun!
What’s on your calendar that you would consider an adult elective? What’s an activity that you’re doing because it’s fun or it interests you? And I know that it’s tempting to say, “I just don’t have enough time for that,” but, again, that’s coming from a perspective of scarcity rather than abundance. Do you have time to watch Netflix or check your social media? You can better utilize your time so that you can engage in fun, fulfilling activities!
Another excuse that you might make is that you don’t have enough money to take up a fun activity. If you stretch your financial resources, you’ll find the money to do a hobby. Maybe you need to sell some stuff that you’re not using or cut back on excessive expenses, but if you stretch, you’ll find the money to fund an elective.
Reject Scarcity and Excess
Even though the scarcity mindset of not having enough dominates our society, people also heavily struggle with excess. People are spending more and more money on unnecessary items and collecting physical and mental clutter while doing it, and then they say that they don’t have enough. Again, you need to stretch and better utilize what you have.
Once you start stretching your current resources, you’ll realize that there are unnecessary things in your life that are causing you to think that you don’t have enough. You can rid yourself of physical clutter, and that can oftentimes clear your mental and emotional clutter.
Today, I want to challenge you to approach your life with the perspective of abundance and begin stretching your resources. I want you to find a starting place and do it. Maybe your starting place involves getting rid of clutter in your home so that you can better utilize your living space, or maybe you need to take a hard look at how you use your time so that you can do more fulfilling things with it.
Now is the time for you to stretch rather than chase. I believe that if people adopt this mentality of doing more with what they have rather than chasing new things, they can drastically improve themselves and society. People would be satisfied with what they have rather than think that they need more.
Friends, you can do this! You can approach your life with the mentality that you do have enough.
If you need additional help approaching your life with abundance and removing “I don’t have enough of …” from your vocabulary, I encourage you to get on the waitlist for our next 12 Weeks of Transformation! In this program, I work with people in a more personal and organized approach to help them overcome their perspective of scarcity and unlock their full potential! If you’re not sure where to start in accessing a perspective of abundance, then you should definitely check out my 12 Weeks of Transformation!
I also recommend that you sign up for our daily mindset upgrades during these difficult times. I send out daily texts of encouragement to help you think of ways to stretch your resources.
Remember, you’ll never be satisfied if you live with the “never enough” mentality. Do more with what you have and live in abundance rather than scarcity!
Elizabeth Benton
Aug 13, 2020 | Podcast
Hi, friends! It’s Elizabeth here, and I am so excited to share Episode 793 of Primal Potential with you today! Primal Potential is a podcast all about you — your ability to change is not defined by yesterday and doesn’t need to wait until tomorrow. Your transformation is now, no matter what stage you find yourself in life!
I know many of you will be excited about today’s episode because it’s pretty science-y! I get many requests from my long-time listeners for more science-y episodes, so today I am bringing on the science.
I’m going to be talking to you about a topic I get a lot of questions about: adaptogens. Now, if you’re thinking, “Um, what the heck are adaptogens?” that’s okay! We’re going to go there.
Put simply: Adaptogens are natural supplements that help your body adapt to stress.
But there’s a lot more cool science to adaptogens than that! So today, we’re going to get into the details of what adaptogens are and why they’re important. We’re going to talk about a few different types of adaptogens and how you can find out which ones might be right for you.
Now before we dive in, I want to make one thing clear: what’s right for one person isn’t necessarily right for you. Some adaptogens are going to work well for one person and their needs, but your body and your needs are different.
That’s why I’m not going to share exactly what adaptogens I take in the episode — I don’t want anyone to think, “Oh, Elizabeth takes these, I should take them too!” Your needs are different from mine, and it’s essential to figure out what supplements are right for you.
If you think adaptogens are right for you, and you’d like more information, feel free to DM me on Instagram! I’d be happy to share more details with you, talk about the specific adaptogens I take, and even make a follow-up episode if enough people request one! But remember: adaptogens are all about what your body needs, so make sure you’re not just following my or anyone else’s program.
With that, let’s dive in! First, I want to talk to you about stress…
Stress: It’s Not Just About Worrying
Before I get into any specifics about certain adaptogens, it’s essential that we define stress.
Stress is not just mental and emotional stress. It’s not just about your experiences of anxiety or worry in your day-to-day life. It’s not just something that makes you feel crappy. It’s not even about the big emotional stressors that we experience — like dramatic life changes or traumas.
When I talk about stress in this episode, I’m talking about physical stress. I’m talking about the stress your body experiences due to certain stressors.
For example, one of the most common stressors is overeating. Overeating causes physical stress on your body, and the stress gets worse based on the degree to which you’re overeating and the frequency of your overeating.
Other stressors include sugar, gluten, and anything else you have a specific sensitivity to. I’m sensitive to certain types of dairy, so ice cream — when I eat too much of it — puts stress on my body.
And it goes beyond food. Illness is a stressor. When you have an allergy attack or the flu, your body is under stress. Injury is also a stressor — when you roll your ankle, your body experiences physical stress. And finally, lack of sleep is a major stressor a lot of people experience. Maybe you think you can make it work on just four hours of sleep, and I’m sure you can, but your body is not meant to function that way long-term.
Now not all stress is bad! When you exercise, you put stress on your body. But your body heals from that stress pretty easily. It’s when you engage in chronic activities that cause stress that you run into trouble.
And I’m talking about real trouble. I want you guys to hear me loud and clear when I say this: Your body is not meant to handle chronic stress. We were not designed to handle constant overeating, lack of sleep, illness, and injury.
Those things have serious consequences for our bodies. The symptoms may not show up immediately, but they will come up, and you can start having major health problems. That’s why I’m saying that stress can kill you! Our brains can actually degenerate, and we can create a whole range of severe health problems just by consistently putting our bodies under the kind of physical stress caused by any of the stressors I just listed.
But there are ways to combat that stress and help our bodies recover faster and keep working at optimum levels. That’s where adaptogens come in!
Adaptogens: What Are They, and How Do They Work?
Adaptogens are naturally occurring herbs and mushrooms that help your body respond to stress. They can be a fantastic way to help your body with its natural hormone production to ease healing, boost immunity, and raise your energy levels, among other helpful things!
Keep in mind: Adaptogens — like any other supplement — are just one drop in the bucket. If you don’t have a healthy diet, if you aren’t exercising, and if you don’t get enough sleep, adaptogens are not going to solve your problems. They’re not going to heal your body from chronic stress as if by magic. Like any supplement, they will support your body’s natural process when you’re already taking good care of yourself.
That said, adaptogens can function in a vital role for you!
One of the main things they do is support your adrenal system. You have two glands called your adrenal glands. They sit right on top of your kidneys, and they produce hormones that you absolutely cannot live without.
For one, they produce cortisol, the stress hormone — which you do need to survive. Your adrenal glands produce a lot of your sex hormones too. You cannot function at your best without well-functioning adrenal glands!
But sometimes, the physical stress we put on our bodies can cause our adrenal glands to work overtime, and they’re just not meant to do that.
For example, it’s a popular myth that when women enter menopause, they don’t produce as much estrogen and progesterone. Not true! The difference is that ovaries start to produce less of those hormones, and your adrenal glands pick up the slack. That is totally normal and healthy!
But remember, your adrenal glands are already producing hormones that help your body function and heal normally. So if your adrenal glands are already working overtime to keep up with chronic physical stress on your body and then they have to keep up with estrogen and progesterone production during menopause, they just get overworked. They don’t have enough bandwidth to keep you functioning at your best.
That’s why many women experience weight gain, mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, and other uncomfortable symptoms during menopause. We’re not meant to experience those things! They’re the result of our adrenal glands’ inability to keep up with the demands of hormone production we’re putting on them.
That’s where adaptogens can help. Adaptogens can support your adrenal glands and help them to naturally produce more of the hormones your body needs so you can experience a healthier menopause!
Which Adaptogens Are Right for You?
First of all, I just want to say — I am not a pharmacist. I am not an expert, and I have no place prescribing anything to anybody. If you want to incorporate adaptogens or any other kind of medication of supplement into your health regimen, I’d suggest consulting a doctor or pharmacist, or at least doing some pretty thorough research first. (In just a moment, I’ll give you a great resource you can use to research different types of adaptogens and tell you what to look for!)
When you’re looking for adaptogens, remember what I said earlier: your body and your specific needs are the most essential thing to consider. That’s why the adaptogens I take may not work for you! Consider what effect you want adaptogens to have.
For example, if you want to support your adrenal glands like I talked about earlier, ashwagandha may be a good choice for you. Ashwagandha is a naturally occurring herb with properties that help with stress release and relaxation. It can reduce cortisol and moderate your stress, and a good side effect of that is improved cognitive function. It’s a good option if you’re looking to help your body respond better to stress.
But maybe instead of help relaxing, you’re looking for a supplement that will boost your energy levels and stamina. In that case, maca might be a better choice for you. Maca is great for adjusting your hormone levels to giving you increased energy.
There are also various types of maca that have different functions. Black maca, for instance, is excellent for male fertility, while yellow maca is more for female fertility and energy. Again, it’s important to consider your individual needs when you’re choosing the right adaptogens for you.
After you consider your specific needs, it is absolutely essential to research the products you’re using thoroughly. Some supplement companies do shady things, and you don’t want to be taking low-quality products.
A great resource you can use to research different herbal supplements is PubMed.gov. This is a fantastic resource where you can find peer-reviewed clinical studies on almost any drug or supplement you can think of. I highly recommend using it as a tool to research any adaptogens you’re interested in to confirm that they’re right for you.
And when you’re researching, there are a few things you should consider. The number one thing is: what ingredients are being used? You want to make absolutely sure that the particular product you’re considering is manufactured with the highest quality ingredients and the same ingredients that have been studied in clinical trials.
Some companies will try to use cheaper versions of ingredients to cut down on costs and make higher profits, but those ingredients haven’t been tested in clinical trials. Make sure to find adaptogens made from the same high-quality ingredients that have been studied!
Number two is: make sure that the amounts used in the products you’re considering are the same amounts that have been studied. You want to make sure you’re taking the correct amount of any supplement, and sometimes shady companies will try to sell you a lower dose so that you have to purchase more of the product, and they make more money. So do your research or contact a trusted source and make sure you’re only buying and using adaptogens that have been thoroughly studied and proven effective!
Stress Is a Killer, but Adaptogens Can Help
I want to drive this point home: Our bodies are not meant to cope with chronic stress. When we experience stress from sources like sugar, illness, injury, lack of sleep, or overeating too often or for too long, our bodies start to break down. Our brains can actually degenerate, and we can create severe enough health problems to kill us.
And the truth is, adaptogens are not going to help you all by themselves. If you have a garbage diet, never exercise, and consistently get too little sleep, your body will be under too much stress no matter what adaptogens you take.
But along with a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep routine, adaptogens can be a fantastic way to help your body adapt to stress and function at an optimal level! They really are incredibly helpful for me and my body, and if you’re interested, I highly recommend doing some research and finding the adaptogens that are right for you!
If you want to get more information about adaptogens or request a follow-up episode, reach out to me on Instagram! I am always happy to receive your messages there, so please feel free to DM me with any questions to have!
And if you’d like some extra support, a little more coaching, and accountability — I want you to get on the waitlist for our next 12 Weeks of Transformation! In this program, I work with people in a much more personal and structured way to create change. We tackle our excuses head-on and find the core values that will motivate you to take action. If you’re not sure what to do next, I encourage you to check out 12 Weeks to Transformation and get on that waitlist!
I’d also love to connect with you via text! I send out text messages with my daily mindset upgrades and daily encouragement. I know they will encourage you and empower you on your journey!
Thanks, everyone! I’m so glad you chose to join me today. Now go do your research and consider what adaptogens might help you be your best, healthiest self every day!
Elizabeth Benton
