 Did you know...75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated! 💦
💧Dehydration = Fatigue. Midday energy drops aren’t just about blood sugar or under sleeping- they’re about water too. Drinking throughout the day (at meals too!) can help you stave off an afternoon energy drop. 💧Thirst = Sign of Dehydration. If you’re always waiting to drink until you’re thirsty you’re setting yourself up to be dehydrated. Try putting a glass in your bathroom and drinking as part of your ‘get ready’ routine. Adding fruit and getting a reusable water bottle can also kickstart healthier hydration habits. 💧Dehydration = Less Concentration. Even mild dehydration can negatively impact your cognitive function! Foggy memory, slower reflexes & lower threshold for irritability can all be caused by dehydration. Anxiety levels can also increase when you start to become dehydrated- so finding ways to drink more throughout the day is important for your physical and mental health! 💧Hydration = Daily Priority. Just because you drank 70-100 oz yesterday doesn’t mean you shouldn’t drink up today. The human body needs to be fueled consistently with water- that’s why humans will die within a day or two without it (we can survive much longer without food). Consistent hydration is key and your daily goal depends on your body weight & activity level. Read on for my top tips to avoid dehydration!
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(See my first pregnancy post here) I am almost in my third trimester- where has time gone? My goal is to update weekly from here on out, I want to document this special time and I hope that my reflections are helpful to you as well!  The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotion and change. I am so excited to tell you that I'm pregnant and due this fall! As a health coach I've worked with many pregnant and postpartum clients. Through this process I have been incredibly impressed with the strengths of the female body and how resilient each mom is as she transitions into her new role. I am also very passionate about helping women achieve a balanced self-image and I know that this is even more important after you have a baby. During my own pregnancy I want to share my experiences because I think they will help others prepare and reflect on what they are going through. I have definitely gone through some unexpected situations thus far and I hope they will help others feel at ease about their own journeys! From being a body builder and fitness model to easing back into "real life" I am committed to staying positive during this miraculous process. So...without further ado- here we go! (To read more about my history with competing, weight loss & binge eating- go here) I'll do my best to update weekly- if you have any questions feel free to email me here.
Weeks Along: 14 weeks pregnant as of May 23, 2019
Total Weight Gain: I'm not weighing myself! I didn't know my weight before I got pregnant and and working with a midwife who is on board with my approach. Weight gain can be stressful for those who've had eating disorders and body image issues in the past. My goal is to feel great, take care of myself and baby and stress as little as possible. Mood: I have been feeling slightly better the last two weeks. Weeks 6-12 were rough to be honest. My morning sickness has been all day and it feels like I'm carsick 24/7. Early on I rested a lot and took regular naps in the afternoon to keep my energy up. I also made sure to eat crackers when I first woke-up and that seemed to help. Other nausea helpers have been: ginger tea, acupressure sea-bands, acupuncture and B6 hard candies called Preggo Pops. Maternity clothes? I have one pair of maternity jeans that I got through StichFix. StichFix is an online personal stylist service & since most of my clothes are athleisure I figured I could use a boost in the style department. I also bought a few pairs of leggings in a size up and I've had to buy new bras already! Bring on the baby gains I say. Sleep: I have been sleeping a lot! I go to bed between 9:30-10pm and wake-up at 8:30am. I also take a nap between 3-4pm pretty much every work day. Viva la sleep I say! Workouts: I am hoping that I'm able to exercise more soon. Right now I'm averaging 2-3 workouts a week which is down from my pre-pregnancy average. I am staying positive though- I had a high level of fitness before I was pregnant and I know that my energy and stamina will return soon! I think it's important to take it easy and trust your body during pregnancy so I'm taking my own advice. Diet & Nutrition: I haven't been as hungry lately. I started integrating more protein last week and my energy has been improving so my plan is to eat more frequently and aim for 15-25g protein per meal. I'm not counting macros or tracking my food but at this point I can intuitively know if I'm meeting my nutritional goals. Best moment this week: Looking forward to hosting a fitness event with Athleta this weekend. If you want to join grab your ticket here! Miss anything? The energy to exercise! Food cravings: Fruit- oranges, raspberries, blueberries and dates. Anything making you queasy or sick? I have experienced a TON of food aversions. Anything with a strong smell (garlic, onions, fish, etc.) has me saying, NO THANK YOU! I didn't want any vegetables for about 6 weeks and have been subsisting on carbs: sourdough bread, fruit and pasta. Gender: We are not finding out- looking forward to our surprise in November. Labor signs: Not yet! Symptoms: Tired, energy is returning and I'm able to eat healthier foods finally. Yay! Mondays can be...rough. Whether you aren't that excited about returning to work or your feeling stress about all your responsibilities- it's normal but that doesn't make it any less painful to deal with. One way to help you alleviate stress is to move! Movement pumps up your endorphins, and even acts as 'meditation in motion'. This can be a hard mindset shift when you've viewed exercise as punishment. One way to change this is to begin to see it as a tool to help you feel better and take care of your physical and mental health. I know this shift won't happen overnight, but I wanted to share a strength training circuit that takes 30 minutes in case you need an idea for this week! 
🍑Glutes🍑...why are they important? Is it all about looks or is there something more to think about? Everyone can grow larger, stronger glutes, no matter where you start from. Despite recent social media trends, your backside isn't just ornamental. Your glutes are also incredibly important to your health and strength. The glutes are made up of three groups: the minimus, maximus & medius. These muscles are incredibly strong and powerful- but only if you know how to activate them properly. Most people don't, so let's dive into what you can do to get started. Whether you're a serious athlete or work an office job with lots of sitting- you need to have strong glutes. They help you...
 Try this workout and let me know how it goes. Tag me on instagram @lilybirdlifts or share in our free Never Diet Again Facebook Group!
Did you know that 56% of women say they are dissatisfied with their overall appearance and 89% of women want to lose weight? These thoughts can become increasingly intense when the weather turns warm and summer is around the corner. The key to easing your negative thoughts is not weight loss. 95-97% of intentional weight loss diets fail, so let's put that to the side. We aren't going down that path! Instead try these 6 Steps to Body Confidence now... no restriction, negativity or deprivation necessary.  Face Your Body: When you're feeling insecure it's easy to "turn off" from looking at your body. You avoid your reflection at all costs, never look down or ban full length mirrors. This is a problem because while we are not only our bodies they are still important. If you hate your physical self you won't be able to fully enjoy life so let's get to work. In order to begin the process of accepting yourself you need to start looking at your physical self. You can start by dressing in a favorite outfit or you can even go nude. Sound scary? Take a breath...This will get easier with practice. It's common for the first time to be rough. If you feel negative emotions come up write them down or say them out loud. Be compassionate with yourself. Add a self-care routine to your mirror gazing, play some favorite music, put on some luxurious body lotion. Make this a daily activity- the more familiar you are with your body the easier it will be to begin your journey to acceptance. Purge Old Clothes: Many clients feel incredible amounts of stress when it comes to trying on old clothes. This is especially prevalent during the summer season when people tend to show more skin. Instead of trying on a bunch of old items give yourself permission to buy clothes that work for you now. Your body is the gold standard- your happiness and well-being are worth much more than that old pair of jean shorts! If your budget is smaller check-out Amazon.com, Poshmark, a clothing swap with others or a local thrift or consignment store. Pick clothes that make you feel good in your skin today and donate the clothes that no longer serve you. Unsubscribe from Diet Culture: Whether it's other people on social media, a women's magazine or a friend's constant diet talk- now is the time to say no more. If you notice that you start criticizing yourself after looking at a piece of media or talking to another person take heed. In order to accept yourself you need to start setting boundaries. It's not okay to make yourself feel bad for who you are. Period! It doesn't matter if you've made mistakes, slipped up or let yourself down in the past. Today you are sticking up for you and that means cutting out negative influences that enforce a rigid standard or beauty or worthiness. Check Your Feelings: Do you often say, "I feel fat"? Part of diet culture is teaching us that fat = bad. Everyone- regardless of their body size or health deserves to love and respect themselves. Body positivity has no weight limits and if you have a problem with other people liking themselves that says more about you than them. Instead of saying "I feel fat" dig deeper and ask yourself what's really going on? Try to think about what set off your feelings and begin to de-program yourself from thinking fat = bad. Ban Negative Self-Talk: If you wouldn't say it to your best friend, why are you saying it to yourself? When you start getting down on yourself picture someone you love in front of you. It can be your friend, mom, child. Take a moment to really visualize this person and all the things you love about them. Now- think about your negative comment. Would you want the person you love to hear this about themselves? Usually the answer is no! It is also helpful to write down the negative things you say about yourself. Doing this type of exercise helps take the sting out of our self-criticisms. When you hear a negative comment- "You failed again! I can't believe you're such a loser."- visualize a door slamming on that voice. You cannot hate yourself healthy or happy.
Do you ever notice that one side of your body is stronger than the other? What about flexibility and power, does that vary from side to side as well? If so- you're not alone. In my coaching experience I have found that most clients have a more dominant side. There can be many reasons why you have a discrepancy in your upper or lower body: past injury, which side is naturally more dominant, lifestyle (which hand you write with, which leg you step/jump with, etc.) While this development might be normal it's also important to note that strength training can either exacerbate or help balance your muscular imbalances.
Did you know...other people’s bodies aren’t your business? As we head into the holidays please remember that body compliments or comments are not a great way to reconnect with your loved ones. Neither are comments on how much or what others choose to eat. Many clients that I work with have expressed anxiety & trepidation as we head into family gatherings. They’re not really stressed about food or gaining weight either- they’re fearful of what family members will (or won’t) say about how they look. If you are ‘that person’ who is looking for weight loss/gain/change in others to chat about- just don’t. Keep it to yourself. If you’re not ‘that person’ please remember that if you hear these conversations going on they are not helpful. Be an ally! When I first stopped competing I gained weight. My restrictive habits came to an end & my body re-calibrated back to its natural ‘set point’. I was very nervous to see people after this because I felt an enormous amount of pressure to look competition ready at all times. This kept me from being comfortable & made me hyper aware of how I looked- would people still respect me as a health coach if I didn’t look ripped anymore? Would they judge me? Many people (97% actually!) re-gain weight after dieting. The compliments when you get smaller can be overwhelming. I remember thinking “Wow! People really do pay attention to my body size” because it was a topic of conversation almost constantly. The comments when you are larger are not usually positive and they can cut others quite deep regardless of how insignificant they might feel to you. Regardless, comments on weight can hurt the ones you love and they can even reinforce detrimental and disordered habits. So please, use your creativity! Spark conversations based on all the other interesting facets of those humans across the table.  
Soaking in that Summer Sun! (While wearing SPF 100 & a hat...)
Summer time is a social butterfly's dream. Vacations, Reunions, BBQs, Parties...If you find yourself going out multiple times a week and eating and drinking more than ever you're not alone.
The key is to enjoy yourself while still taking care of your health and wellness. You don't have to choose between them! Balance often goes out the window when your schedule changes, but, that doesn't mean you can't stick to your goals. Instead of relying on rigidity it's all about being flexible, having a growth mindset, and staying in sync with your needs. I recently went on a 16 day trip and managed to drink champagne and margaritas while I enjoyed lobster rolls, sushi, french fries, tacos (multiple times, I might add) all without gaining a single pound. How? Magic? Silver Bullet Supplements? Nope...(Read on for My Top Tips for Easy Travel!) |
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About the AuthorLily lives in the Bay Area of California with her husband. She loves to lift heavy, watch vintage movies and cheer on her fellow warrior queens! Archives
October 2023
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