To get the weight off after the birth, I doubled up on my yerba. I had it in the morning and then in the afternoons in between breastfeeding. In a couple of months, my body was not just at a normal weight, but actually, I was thinner than my pre-pregnancy weight. I attribute that to the amazing appetite suppressing benefits of the yerba.
Here are my before and afters
Most of us are in a food rut. We want to eat healthily, we want to have delicious yummy meals, but we don't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. If cooking is a chore the less likely you're going to go into the kitchen. So, what happens? Pizza! Chinese food! Fast Food! And really, that might be fine every now and then, but when that becomes a daily habit, you're going to have some health issues.
Here are some delicious staple meals that I make and hopefully you will be able to add some of these suggestions into your repertoire. Hopefully, these ideas will make things easier on you.
Having a bloated belly is uncomfortable and sometimes even painful. Most of the time, it has nothing to do with weight or even exercise. It could be caused by what you are eating.
Get overwhelmed at the grocery store? Use these tips to make amazing meals that will help you to lose weight and feel amazing.
"To save time on shopping, I will buy in quantity, especially if the product can be stored in a pantry or frozen. So, that means things like rice pasta, rice, or frozen berries will be bought in larger quantities then let’s say fresh berries that only last a couple of days. I have a pipeline going and cook up the things that spoil, first."
A couple of years ago, while doing research, we discovered that the combination of yerba mate and CBD was quite powerful. The studies pointed to yerba being an amazing "base" for other herbal components in that the yerba "boosts" the healing properties.
Do you ever feel like you can start this new food program in the morning, but by the afternoon you feel your resolve fading? I get it! I feel like that too sometimes. There are those days when I just want to give up and do whatever I want.
I want to feel amazing. I want to feel amazing as much as I can. I want to have energy, and be positive. It took me years to figure out why I needed to eat this way and even more years after that to figure out what I needed to do to accomplish that.
I want to share my hacks with you.
Now, more than ever, I find it critical to workout. I am sitting for long periods of time, I am kind of sad, and in overwhelm a lot. Getting a good workout in is not only critical for my overall health but imperative for me mentally.
That being said, I don't always feel like it. So, what do I do to "trick" myself into working out? Well, I have developed a few silly things I do to make sure I go.
Definitely, I need my yerba before. That bit of natural energy just saves me!
I never enjoyed working out. I didn't play a sport in high school... (well, I played volleyball for a little bit because I did well at the trial, but choked during the game!) and I was never the one that said: "let's race!" I was always a full-fledged pussy willow!
But a few centuries ago, when I went to Los Angeles, I went to a gym and learned to like working out. Through the years, I have had my ups and downs with sticking to it. I would say that two of the main things that I learned is that you HAVE to find a teacher you love and an activity you love.
If I resonate with a teacher, it almost never mattered what we were doing. It could be step class, aerobics, Bikram, cross fit, spinning or hot yoga.... Did I LOVE that teacher? Then, after that, I would ALMOST always want to go.
So, what did I do on those days I didn't? Over the years, I came up with a few hacks to get my butt there.
I don’t want to work out today!
How many times have I thought that? There are those days where I don't feel like working out. I'm tired, I'm not feeling great or for one reason or another, I woke up that day and don't want to work out.
Here is what I believe… THAT’S OKAY! We all need rest. We all have those days where we are off. When those days are strung together though, it becomes a lifestyle. I know because I have been there. So, on those days that you have to push yourself, what do you do?
If you want to see more watch this.
Sometimes I have to trick myself.
I want to share some life hacks that I've discovered over the years that help me stay consistent with my workouts. Here are the hacks that I used to stay more consistent and get me to sweat, even when I don’t want to.
Gym wear is not my kind of “Lounge Wear.”
I don't know where you stand on this but I hate wearing gym clothes during the day. I just don't like it I don't like the tightness. I don’t like the binding or the tightness. I don't like the “feel.” I know a lot of people love gym wear when they are out and about and I do wish I was one of them!
This is important because I use that “uncomfortably” to my advantage. On those days that I don't really feel like working out, I will still put on gym clothes. I know I'm not going to hang out in those clothes all day. I know I will want to get those binding clothes off asap. This will get me to work out so I can take those clothes off.
So for me, those clothes trigger my mind to get the workout done. I can go on with my day and not be in those clothes.
What’s precious to you?
I will leave something at the gym so I have to go back to retrieve it at the end of the day. This is a trick when I need to get to the gym in the afternoon or evening. I will go and leave something critical there. At the end of my day, I will have to go back to the gym to get it, and once I'm there I'm going to work out.
These days, we need to stay at home, so it’s a bit easier. You see, I have workout equipment downstairs, so what I do is leave my phone or glasses by my spinning bike. That way I am sure to go down there and work out so I can get my phone.
Get a caffeine boost… naturally
I have caffeine before my workout. Caffeine gives me energy, and the caffeine I get from yerba does not leave me with the jitters. It gives me a boost of energy without sugar or chemicals.
With yerba, I can get that really good boost and stay focused for an amazing workout. Yerba gets me going. After my workout, I never get a crash that I normally would get from coffee.
To find out more about yerba mate click here.
Whistle while you work!
Do you love music as much as I do? I have all of my favorite music on a playlist that I use ONLY for working out. Nothing motivates me more than a Prince song. I use those songs to work out.
Things with a good beat or from my college years are perfect. Talking Heads, Sheena E, Elvis Costello, and my all-time favorite, Prince of course. My mood can totally change within a 3-minute song. What about you?
I know getting into the workout is sometimes a little bit tough, but there are some songs I can not help but move to. So, I will play a couple of songs to kind of trigger my body and my mind to get ready.
Netflix but Don’t “Chill”
Do you ever binge watch? You know, watch episodes off of a series, one after another? I’ll admit, I do it! But, I do it with an intention!!
When I find a series that I love, and am “addicted” to, I will allow myself to watch it ONLY if I am working out. Believe me, I will workout JUST to see the show! I know… I might be an addict!
I will save a show and only allow myself to watch it during a work out. The extra bonus to this? Not only will I work out but I will work out longer than I normally would just to finish the end of the episode.
Do you have an errand you love or a fun thing to do today?
I borrowed this one from a good friend. It is called “book ending.” I use this not only for workouts, but other things I need to do but don’t necessarily “feel” like doing. (Like a difficult phone call or email I need to write)
What I do is reserve a really fun task to do until after the workout. I know I will go workout and then get to do something wonderful afterward. So, I will promise myself a trip to a craft store or a bubble bath.
What about you? Can you share your hacks? How do you get to the gym consistently even when you aren’t up for it?
