What Happens When You Let Go?

Fitness runs deeper than exercise and nutrition. We have to believe WE ARE WORTHY of taking a leap for ourselves.  We have to let go of the condeming voice in our head.

I know you get tons of emails every single day, but if  you take the time to read just one all the way through, I hope it is this one because I know it will change your life.

I want to share with you 3 Vital Behaviors that I have been practicing every day. I do this because I want more for myself, my family and my clients.  If we keep ourselves happy and healthy we can better love and help others.

I know so many of you are like me, you want to grow, take your next step in life and continue to march forward.

Take your journey BODLY and focus on these three things every day.

1. Gratitude - it turns what we have into enough and MORE
2. Forgiveness - To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. ~~ Lewis B. Smedes
3. Ego - It's the only requirement to destroy a relationship.  Release it.

Share with a friend who may need to hear this today.  Also, head over to my blog... I promise you will find great information and entertainment!  Have a wonderful day!

Your Biggest Fan,
Erika

Cauliflower, Carrot and Red Bell Coconut Curry

I just wonder what I would be eating if I had never met my half Vietnamese Husband.  I wonder if I would have explored other Asian cuisines by myself.  It would be hard to eat an American diet now since I'm gluten free and dairy free!  

Luckily my husband grew up in Malaysia where the cuisine is a colorful and flavorful blend of many Asian cultures.  Kyle and I have taken some of his Mom's creations and made them our own.  Keeping them healthy, tasty and something our kiddos love.  

This dish was inspired by a chicken dish that Kyle cooks.  I was looking for a low carb, densely nutritious, high fat and vegan dish to eat whilst on a detox.  Here is what I created!  

 Ingredients:

1 Head Organic Cauliflower

1 Rustic Chopped Red Bell Pepper

3 Rustic Chopped Organic Carrots

2 Long Sliced Green Onion

1 Jalapeno cut into 3 sections. (Seeded & de steamed to remove some heat)  *optional

2 Cans Organic Coconut Milk

1 Tbsp. Garam Masala

2 Tsp Curry Power

3 Tbsp. Coconut Oil

¼ Cup Cilantro Leaves

Himalayan Salt to taste (or any other salt)

Directions:

• In a large sauce pan, heat up all Coconut Oil on Med/High heat.  Add curry powder and Garam Masala and stir around for a few minutes. 

• Add Carrots and a tsp of salt. Let cook for another couple of minutes

• Add the bell pepper and cauliflower and toss around until coated.  Then add Coconut Milk and Stir all together.

• Cook on a med/low heat until cauliflower is tender but not falling apart then add the green onion.

• Let cook for another minute then turn fire off.

• Top with Cilantro and enjoy.  Allow the dish to marinate in the fridge overnight!  It will make this even more splendid!  

If you love this recipe and want more, subscribe to my newsletter here ------>> 

 http://eepurl.com/Kg7Zn

You will also receive a free surprise from me!  

Don't forget to share with a friend who appreciates DIFFERENT flavors!

Mama, Rock Your Short Shorts

MAMA, ROCK YOUR SHORT SHORTS!

Finally a quite time to reflect on a Sunday that caught me off guard recently.  I’ve learned that I’m very ignorant to others looks and judgements of me.  I think it’s part because I don’t care.  Maybe it’s fear of people’s dis approval?  But I genuinely feel that people are good natured.  I feel People mean well and I’m perfectly happy in my little bubble of rainbows and unicorns.

I recently went to the super market on a Sunday morning.  We (as a family) went a little later than we normally do so the Churchies were out.  As a woman who defines God in very different terms as most in our small little Texas community,  I’m perfectly okay with that.  I love our community, I love the people in it even though our beliefs are so different.   I call the dualist on Sunday mornings, Churchies.  I mean no harm in this.  Yes, I am defining them.  But, I mean no harm. 

This one particular Sunday at the Super Market, I was in my typical $XXX.xx  white trash jean shorts with holes and usual white tank top.  I don’t know what it is about wearing grundgy looking clothes and only I know how much I paid for them.  It’s like my little secret that I feel like I’m doing something rebellious. 

Next thing I know we come upon the Assistant Principal at my boys’ school right by the hot dogs.  They were with family and very nicely dressed for a churchy Sunday morning.

We stopped to say the typical social greetings and I kept looking at his wife so I could politely introduce myself.  I tell you, that lady didn’t once give me a second look during our conversation.  But of course, I kept taking my glance back at her just in case she were to extend a greeting to me.  Shit, in hind site I should have made her shake my fucking hand but hey.. I let it go.  I did catch her glimpsing at my shorts.  (legs maybe?)  IDK, maybe she was thinking damn, those are nice holy shorts.  Whatever she was thinking, I caught her fair in square looking at my bottom half.  Last I checked my eyes were not on my ass. 

So then I decided to do a social experiment.  I was going to look at every woman that I saw that morning.  I would say hello in hopes to be present, in my moment and perhaps make a new acquaintance.  Do you know, that almost every woman looked at my bad ass shorts?!  I can’t believe they were so infatuated with those shorts.  

Of course I know they were not looking at my shorts, they were judging me.   Let me back date this story to a conversation my friend and I had over a year ago.  She asked me, ‘Do you get looks at the school from other moms when you wear short shorts?”  For the record, she was not judging me.  We were having an honest conversation because when she wears those types of shorts, she said she gets looks. 

I couldn’t answer her.  I had no idea.  I am always tip toeing through the tulips at the boys’ school so I really couldn’t say.  Later that night Kyle and I were chatting and I asked him, do you notice the other mom’s looking at me when I wear short shorts?”  He responded quickly, “yes.  I do.”  I then said, “well I guess I shouldn’t wear them anymore.” 

His response to this day brings me to tears.  “Fuck those bitches.  You wear what you want to wear.”  One of the sweetest conversations I’ve ever had.  His response uplifted me and gave me the reinforcement I needed. 

I work hard for my body.  I take my nutrition very seriously because I know who’s watching (my boys).  I stay healthy so I don’t get back on my Erika HATE band wagon and want to starve myself.  Fuck those who made me doubt myself. 

I’m gonna keep wearing my white trash jean shorts and flip flops.  I drink vodka, wipe away chicken wattles (see blog from August)  and refuse to be confined by societies straightjackets.  I’ll let people judge me and be okay with that.  They are judging me because of the way THEY feel in reaction to what I’m wearing or doing.  That’s on THEM,  Not me. 

Share this blog with others who need to be reminded that THEY ARE AWESOME!  Stay authentic even if it’s not the accepted thing! 

The Perfect Detox

A Kick in The Ass –  The Perfect Detox

I’ve been hating the detox symptoms lately but I know it’s for the better.  Usually the first 3-5 days of a detox is a doozie.  Headaches, irritability, skin issues, BRAIN FOG and fatigue… ohhh the FATIGUE (despite the 9 hours of sleep I’ve had each night).  But, I expected this and I know this is how it is during a detox. Especially a detox following over 4 years of THYROID meds and regular ALCOHOL consumption.

After contemplating doing a detox for over a year now, I listened to a Ben Greenfield podcast (well a few actually) and I was reminded how much I LOVE the science behind nutrition.  Combing that love with my love of yoga, personal development and spirituality it hit me, I need MORE.  I need to LEVEL UP on my nutrition. 

Sure, I was eating well.  In fact, if you follow my blog or social media pages, you’ve no doubt seen some of my recipes and my love for family wellness BUT it wasn’t enough for me.  Something was holding me back from MOVING FORWARD in my life and it was time for a drastic change.

By drastic, I don’t mean moving to another city, starting a new job or time consuming hobby.  I mean, I needed to find my internal light again.  That spark that I so actively and passionately help others find, I lost my own.

WHATEVER  YOU FEED GROWS.  I was feeding others but I neglected my love for deep nutrition and personal change.  The real change comes from within and we all need a KICK IN THE ASS sometimes so this detox is my kick in the ass. 

One of my favorite DETOX PROGRAMS is called the Ultimate Reset.  It’s simply NUTRITION DENSE eating with a few (VERY) natural supplements.  But on top of that, I added the Cyto Detox which I first heard about on a Ben Greenfield podcast.  It absolutely INTRIGUED me.  This detox is designed to penetrate your cells and release toxins such as Lead, Aluminum and Uranium from the cells.  One can geek out to the science behind it. I highly recommend you check out this podcast to form your own opinion.

For More info: Here is one resource that will lead you to others.  Don’t forget… Do your own outside research apart from these sources! I AM IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH BEN GREEN FIELD.  I JUST LOVE HIS STUFF.

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/2016/08/what-is-cyto-detox/

My HORMONE issues began directly after my second Son was born.  What I did find on this podcast is that we are exposed to the highest levels of lead whilst in utero.  A woman’s bones release LEAD into our system during PREGNANCY.  NOW given this fact, lead be stored in cells and live LONG NASTY LIVES in our hypothalamus (0ne of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland (hypophysis).

My goal of this detox is to:

1     ~ Stick to something for 30 Days

2     ~ Eventually cut back and cut out all meds for my hormonal issues

3     ~ Find my circadian rhythm. 

4     ~ Prep my mind/body connection for the next step in life

To learn more about YOUR Circadian Rhythm check out this pod cast that sparked my interests in learning more!  https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/2016/09/the-best-time-of-day-to-exercise/

Upon trying to figure out WHEN the best time for me to do certain things, I realized that I have too many external factors that play a role in my truly natural rhythm.  Particularly, my daily Spicy Lime Cheetos CHEAT, drinking 4- 5 times a week and being on meds for so long! 

I want to be a WELL-OILED MACHINE!  Along the way I will have my blood work checked by the amazing medical team at Advanced Bioidentical Hormones Therapy.  They always have my back in my NATURAL PATH endeavors. https://abhormonetherapy.com/

***For the record, I am not an affiliate of the Cyto Detox and Advanced Bioidentical Hormones Therapy Group.  I just LOVE both.

As I conclude this article I’ve moved into day 4 and I feel SO MUCH BETTER.  The Reset does an amazing job of tapering off of foods for a quick transition into the actual Release (detox) phase of the plan.  I did cheat one Day two and mixed a little GUARANA into my whole foods shake because my energy was so low.  We have to give ourselves some grace, right?!

So far today, day 4, I’ve had no headaches, MORE ENERGY and I’m can think more clearly.  From what I remember 2 years ago in this same RESET (sans the Cyto), It’s SMOOTH SAILING  from here! 

Want a 5 Day Taste of what I’m doing?  Go to my website www.5daytummytuck.com to download a meal plan and some insider tips!

Also if you found this article interesting please SHARE with your friends.  As always, I’m here for YOU!  Please post below any questions or COMMENTS!