The Key To Looking + Feeling Your Best—Long Term!

Hey trubeautys!

Pictured here is a peek into my bedroom at my 8-week BARELY THERE baby bump that I posted on my Instagram Story a few weeks back that was very popular with you guys!  After posting, I received many personal messages asking about my eating habits, fitness routine, healthy pregnancy, and POST-partum weight loss tips!  I loved connecting with you all and was happy to respond individually and then decided to make it into a blog post to reach more people, because I think my *NOT OBSESSIVE* approach to food and fitness both surprises and (hopefully) inspires many people to realize you don’t have to ditch fun & enjoying the great foods you love to be fit and live your best life! Anyone who has spent a week with me or knows me well can vouch for the wellness lifestyle I prioritize and aim to live on the daily—along with my deep belief in DAILY dessert! I mean, you gotta have balance right?! 😉

HOW I GAINED 40 LBS, THEN LOST IT IN 5 MONTHS

If you’ve been following me for awhile and followed my last baby bump, you’ll remember I gained a ✨HEALTHY✨ 40 lbs from 133lbs–173lbs (no, I’m not 115 lbs like many people assume lol… I’m 5’8” girl, 115 lbs would be ridiculously UNhealthy on me). I then lost the 40lbs in 5 months postpartum & I didn’t obsess about it either… I practiced yoga, worked out, chose healthy verses giving into more convenient unhealthy options, still splurged in moderation to stay motivated and over time the hard work paid off! While I want this blog post to spark your interest and inspire, I think following me and the content I share will provide more specifics than I could ever write in just one blog post. When you see what my positive habits are on the daily and the specifics tips I share in my blog posts and videos, my intention is that it will inspire you to know that you don’t have to be obsessive to get the results you want. That you don’t have to live at the gym and constantly be thinking about the next meal your eating in a calculating way that is extremely unhealthy for your motivation and mindset over time; that prioritizing wellness is always going to lead to the results you want, because wellness leads to joy and joy looks damn good on you (…& me, and everybody)!

WHAT INSPIRED THIS POST

So let’s start with one of the messages that inspired me to write this blog post to begin with: I had a follower (who would prefer not to be tagged and stay anonymous) ask me if I get nervous about pregnancy and weight gain, since I’m so into wellness and fitness and my answer was NOT. AT. ALL. Now let me be clear, I think a lot of that belief comes from the fact that I’ve done this whole pregnancy thing before. I DO remember being more nervous the first time, because it’s all so new and you hear horror stories about stretch marks, saggy boops, and weight gain. I remember wanting to prevent as much as possible, while still embracing the beauty of motherhood. Pregnancy really is an incredible journey and transformation and it is my belief that it should be less about obsessing over YOUR body and more about how to bring the healthiest little one you can into this world!

That being said, we are all human and naturally want to look + feel our best and that’s not vain that’s the world we live in lol. When we feel good, we look good and when we look good, we often feel good too (notice the order I put that in). Plus, vanity aside, there are NUMEROUS studies on how reaching for healthy bites, an appropriate low-impact workout routine, & calming meditation rituals is ideal prenatal and postpartum for BOTH mama and baby alike! So as I shared with this follower, while I’m going with the flow and splurging often like any sane pregnant woman would do, I don’t plan to stop reaching for the healthiest possible foods or any of my wellness routines just because I’m pregnant. The key I’ve found is maintaining healthy habits (while adjusting for the safety of me and our baby) so these healthy habits don’t fade away. Destroying healthy habits is easy to do, creating and maintaining them is straight-up hard work and takes lots of self discipline.

SPECIFIC HABITS THAT HAVE BROUGHT ME GREAT SUCCESS

So, what exactly is my trick to staying lean + fit then?  In a word… BALANCE!  In a few words… MIND-SET SHIFT! Sorry guys, there’s no magic pill, it truly is a lifestyle for me focused on wellness and not an “all or nothing” mentality, which is easy for my personality to do.  A few specific tips and healthy habits I’ve adopted with great success over the years are listed below:

• I NEVER EVER count calories, carbs, macros, or any other “diet-y” thing
• Speaking of diets, I NEVER “go on a diet”… like EVER
• I NEVER weigh myself (I literally get weighed once a year at my annual MD check up and it’s always quite consistent give-or-take 5lbs); right now being pregnant, I get weighed at my OBGYN visits and she just told me I’ve gained 15 lbs (most women gain 5-7 lbs at this point) and I didn’t fret or change anything—I trust my body.
• Instead of weighing myself, I base things off how I FEEL and how my clothes fit, which is way more empowering and way less obsessive in my opinion. This was something my Mom taught me in high school, when girls get in the unhealthy mode of comparing themselves to other girls too much. My mom told me that everyone’s height, bone structure, muscle mass is different and effects the number on the scale. That really spoke to me as an impressionable 17 years old, who looking back I’ll admit was being a bit too obsessive. As I stopped comparing myself to others and based what I reached for on wellness verses weight loss, ironically I slimmed down as the years went by (I’ve always been tall and slim, but there is no doubt that I am in the best shape of my life now compared to my high school or college days).
• As I’ve shared on my Instagram Stories, I aim to eat healthy 80-90% of the time and splurge and enjoy whatever I want whenever I want the other 10-20% of the time!
• I have healthy routines like drinking 16 oz. of lemon water right when I wake up, juicing, and a holistic morning wellness routine that nourishes my mind | body | soul, mixed with fun rituals like ordering pizza, healthy takeout, and weekly date nights with my hubby (see my new “Splurge” & “Soulmate” Highlights on Instagram)
• No deprivation here… Like I mentioned before, I eat dessert daily!  If I want cookies, ice cream or candy during the week—I get it! At the same time, I always aim to get healthier/lower calorie/carb versions of what I’m craving as much as possible. I’m obsessed with healthy alternatives of junk food lol.
• Wine, bread, whatever else… I do it. On the daily, we choose healthier whole grain carbs like couscous, whole grain rice + quinoa blend. I also love when I can have veggies cooked in a way that acts like a carb, but way healthier and higher in protein and fiber (like spaghetti squash, black bean, or edamame pasta for example).  However, choosing those healthier carbs on the daily is what allows me to not feel an announce of guilt when I’m out at a restaurant or my husband brings home a baguette with wine (well, the wine was before getting preggo haha, but you get the idea) 😉
• My hubby and I have a “cheat day” as people call them… we actually call it “Sunday Funday” and have done for going on 10 years! When we first met we created it as a fun day of dating adventures and splurging and it was exciting… like date night, over the years it just kind of became a thing for us! When we moved from Utah to Los Angeles, it was fun being in a new city and exploring different pastry or doughnut shops in the morning and now it’s totally a tradition we look forward to in our family whether we bring something home or head out for spontaneous experiences together! However, I’m not kidding when I say after having for years and being able to have virtually whatever I want, sometimes I go all out and other times I prefer healthier options later in the day, because my body just feels better. I don’t like fast food, so for me “going all out” is typically pizza (I prefer thin crust, which is healthier), a cheese platter which consists of a baguette, oil/vinegar, fancy cheese, grapes and candied pecans, or nachos (which I also make healthier with leaner cheese, healthier chips, salsa, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and guacamole galore)!  Sometimes I get bored and would rather get a great salad and indulge in dessert.
• When we go grocery shopping for weekly routine items, I’ve been told our fridge and pantry looks like an ad for a health foods store overflowing with tons of fruits, veggies, lean protein, whole grains, along with “organic” “superfood” labels—what a compliment!!
• I choose organic, low-processed, whole foods as much as I possibly can, which I believe makes a difference in your results (it’s not just about cutting calories but the QUALITY of food you consume). Based on my expert experience in the wellness industry and knowledge of the negative effects of man-made chemicals on one’s health (both in foods and cosmetic/beauty products) this is very important to me. Some people get it, others are learning and some are still in the dark… I love to enlighten others who may not be as familiar with the harmful effects, helping them shift to a healthier lifestyle.
• …& probably so many more little tips that I’m not even thinking of at the moment!  Again, it’s a lifestyle, not just one thing.

Just as my mom showed me how foods are full of anti-oxidants when I was a child, we pass along these same healthy eating habits onto our almost 3-year old daughter (the kid eats salmon with olive oil, purred spinach/kale, organic crackers and for the longest time she literally thought blueberries and vanilla Greek yogurt were dessert, until she tasted her first cookie and french fry lol)! For us, it’s not about being holier-than-thou like I think some people act who work or walk the wellness lifestyle path, making others feel bad about their food choices or options. Healthy food is expensive and hey, I LOVE a good Dominos pizza + side order or brownies, which for the record we do about once a week and will likely do tonight as I’m writing this post. But overall, to us food is medicine, food is energy, food is nutrition, food is fun, food is celebration… food is life.  Sometimes to make the biggest change, you have to understand both sides of the coin and not alienate one certain group.

MINDSET IS KEY

I read, follow and look up to some of the most incredible high-performers in the world and love to learn from them and their routines. I’m CONVINCED mindset is key to your health, wellness, and the results you get!!! I’m all about enjoying life and I’m a firm believer when you obsess you pack on the lbs, because you have limiting beliefs about yourself and what you’re capable of. When you have the mentality of freedom, choose healthy/organic as much as you possibly can, choose healthy carbs (vs extreme no carb fad diets that never last), and truly believe there are no “bad” foods in moderation, mixed with moderate, consistent workouts… there is no stopping you!  Sure, there are trendy diets like the latest KETO Diet that also has been linked to major health benefits in recent research and those always interest me, because I’m all about living my healthiest life.  However, I always come back to balance as the core, mixed with focusing primarily on lean proteins, lots of fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, low sugar and healthy carbs that are high in fiber.  I’ve done this for years and feel healthier, happier, leaner, more beautiful and most of all—more confident—than ever!

FOLLOW ME FOR INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION + MY TOP TIPS!

If you want to learn my tips, see behind-the-scenes what real life looks like and feel inspired by a positive page that will inspire you to look + feel good without being workout or diet obsessed… but instead focused on wellness and happiness… well then… welcome to our #trubeautyMOVEMENT Here I will inspire you to believe in yourself, show you what’s possible and also am not afraid to tell it like it is! I’m excited to attract more trubeautys to our tribe who know they are worthy of more, but perhaps feels stuck in some way and assist you to uplevel yourself and your surroundings… while also learning WITH YOU along the way! I have lots of answers, but I don’t have all the answers and I’m here to be real, connect with those who are in alignment & together share in a journey that is going to continue to kick ass! So cheers to embracing transformations and growth not only of my belly, but just in general and all the ups and downs and all arounds that come with it lol!  Cheers to choosing balance, freedom & the self confidence that comes with being self disciplined no matter what anyone else thinks of you.  Only YOU can live your best life—don’t let the influence of anyone else hold you back from what you know you are capable of.

Until next time—be balanced, be tru, and proud to be YOU!

xo Heath ??‍♀️??? ???

#redefiningbeauty #bePHYSICAL #trubeautyMOVEMENT