Hi everyone!!

Sorry it has been SO long since I have written! Life has been pretty crazy: Let me catch you up!

-Teaching a lot of Pilates

-Creating YouTube videos and social media (IG + TT)!

-Traveling (Colorado, LA, and Vegas the end of the month)

-Prepping for my move to Colorado in August!! (so excited omg)

-My birthday is next week! Yay for 23!

I love being busy so I am super grateful for it. I wanted to take a second to sit down and talk to you guys. Let’s chat wellness! Everyone wants to feel their best in the summer. However I want to have a quick disclaimer, you should NOT feel pressure to “get lean” or “tone up” for the sole purpose of wearing bathing suits. Your friends/family don’t value you based on your appearance!! The goal should be to FEEL amazing, and your appearance doesn’t always reflect that! When feeling your best: your skin can glow, you can have good digestion, feel more energy, and feel clear minded! We should strive to FEEL our best! Here are some things I have been implementing recently:

If you have been following me on social media, you would know I go for a daily morning walk! I used to be a treadmill girl, only ever walking at an incline. (Not saying that is bad, it’s great cardio!) But to prioritize my mental health, I have been going for long walks outside. I get the sun in my eyes, fresh air, and it’s so calming listening to the birds and wind. If you are able to, implementing more outdoor walks feels SO good.

I struggle with hormonal health and getting my period to regulate. I have been diagnosed with PCOS as well. That being said, I have had a history of under-fueled exercise. I was the girl who would wake up, and immediately go workout. After listening to Dr. Stacy Sims a while back, I learned that women should aim for 15g protein and 30g carbs before exercise in the morning! I have gone back and forth with this, with it not being sustainable for me. I’ve tried protein balls, making a whole breakfast, or eating half of a breakfast… The ONLY thing that has stuck recently and made me feel the best are two “mini” breakfasts!

What I’ll do is have a small meal around 30 mins after I wake up. I like to keep it simple so it’s easy to digest! I am for 15g protein/30g carbs. This could be greek yogurt + granola, protein cereal, protein shake, chicken sausage + fruit, etc!!

Eating light helps me not feel weighed down during my workout. Then when I get back, I’ll have my second mini breakfast! This one is typically larger, around 20-30g protein. I love protein pancakes, protein yogurt bowl, smoothie, egg scramble, breakfast bowl, etc.

This has been SUCH a game changer for me, and I feel really good! I don’t have excessive hunger at any point during the day and feel overall regulated. I’m still working on regulating my cycle but hoping this will help!

I have been an advocate for these for a long time but they truly make me feel my best. For a while, I was falling back into my old ways. Thinking that lifting would make me bulkier or not as lean. That is SO far from the case. Muscle looks so good! We shouldn’t strive for skinny. I have been opting for heavier weights, and going for that last rep until I almost fail. That’s how you get stronger!

At the moment, I’m only lifting twice a week. That’s what works for my schedule and I’ve found it’s all I need right now. My workout plan is 2 full body lifting days, 3-4 days of pilates, and lots of walks!

I hope these tips help! Focus on sleep, eating a whole food diet, and getting exercise. The basics are what work. The extra things are extra for a reason! If you are struggling to start your health journey, tune out the extra things. Focus on small changes and CONSISTENCY and you will see results.

Love you guys, see you next time!

xx Maddie