ALLfit Lifestyle Solutions

06/14/2022

Why is it the season of the for me?
1. Sleep is 💩 (teething, leaping infant)

2. Movement = improved health (especially mental health)

3. Getting fresh air and sunshine helps me feel my best on a daily basis

4. A high-stress season of life is requiring lower intensity exercise

5. I just really like walking! 🚶‍♀️

Keeping movement simple and consistent helps me feel most level and productive. Aiming for a few walks and a couple of short lifts is what I can realistically do in this phase of life, and that’s good enough for me.

How have you been moving lately?

03/13/2020

Some nutritional practices have more impact than others. Start at the bottom and work your way up as you develop skills and habits that support your particular lifestyle.

Not all nutritional choices are equally important or significant for you (or your clients). 👀⁠
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Some nutritional choices are more effective or offer a greater “return” on the choice investment than others.⁠
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The *Hierarchy of Nutritional Practice includes the following (in order of importance):⁠
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1️⃣ Mindful eating and appetite awareness⁠
2️⃣ Energy balance and how much we eat⁠
3️⃣ Macronutrients⁠
4️⃣ Food quality and nutrient density⁠
5️⃣ Nutrient timing⁠
6️⃣ Supplementation⁠
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The base of the pyramid is the most important. ⁠
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When done consistently, the elements, skills, and behaviors at the base of the pyramid will yield the greatest results.⁠
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The tip of the pyramid is the least important. ⁠
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It’s probably relevant to only a few, and certainly only to those who have mastered the elements, skills, and behaviors at the lower levels of the pyramid.⁠
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(Note: *This pyramid is for folks wanting to achieve a specific aesthetic or performance goals, and assumes you are not malnourished and do not have any medical conditions. If you or your clients have different goals, i.e. managing a chronic illness, improving your relationship with food, etc — your pyramid may look different.)⁠
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Want more information on making the best nutrition choices for yourself, or your clients based on your goals, preferences, and priorities?

Check out this Girls Gone Strong article from Amber Leonard Thome of ALLfit Lifestyle Solutions:

Eat Whatever You Want And Still Get Results.

https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/blog/nutrition/eat-whatever-you-want-get-results/

H/T to Dr. Eric Helms, 3DMJ Coach's Muscle and Strength Pyramids from which this graphic was adapted.
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03/07/2020

Your weekend reminder.

Slow it down.

Getting out of bed.
Coffee.
Meals.
Time at the park.
Adventures with friends.

What are you slowing down for this weekend?

02/28/2020

Luna's Lunch: Tips for Toddlers⠀
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When I feel my daughter, I prioritize many of the same things as when I feed myself - mostly unprocessed whole foods that provide essential nutrients, just enough variety in texture, flavor, and temperature, and foods she enjoys so she (we) never feel deprived. ⠀
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Here's what Luna's Lunch looks like today:⠀
🍗 Protein - deli turkey⠀
🥦 Produce - blueberries, green beans, clementine⠀
🥖Starchy Carbs - Cheddar Bunnies crackers (her choice)⠀
🧀Dietary Fat - butter on the green beans, some fat in the crackers (we're limiting a lot of dietary fat at the moment because of her ongoing digestive issues)⠀
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Why this combination? ⠀
1️⃣ First and foremost, eating a combination of protein, produce, and starchy carbs at meals helps to balance energy. For toddlers, this means reducing the likelihood of large swings in blood sugar, thereby reducing the likelihood of extreme behavior (because - tantrums - no thank you). ⠀
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2️⃣ We notice a huge difference in Luna's behavior when she doesn't eat much protein or produce at meals. If I'm really honest, I'd do a lot of things to reduce the likelihood of tantrums and poor behavior because it's exhausting for me, and providing her with well-rounded meals is absolutely a priority for this reason.
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3️⃣ We like to get her involved at mealtime. We let her choose some of the foods she eats. This helps her feel important and allows her to exercise independence. I firmly believe that children are incredibly intuitive. Allowing her to choose foods and eating until she's had enough teaches her to listen to her body. Allowing her to choose foods also helps ensure that she'll actually eat because toddlers can absolutely be finicky when it comes to food. ⠀
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4️⃣ I've found that it's helpful to give her *just enough* variety at mealtime that she has choices but not too many. We keep Luna's (and my) meals are simple, usually 3-5 foods. This way, she can make her own choices about what and how she eats, but it's not overwhelming. ⠀
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A fun lunchbox helps too. Hers is and the cups are silicon muffin cups in her favorite colors. ⠀
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Want more tips for feeding toddlers or have tips of your own to share?

02/25/2020

I used to lock myself in the bathroom...⁠⠀
⁠⠀.. to do my homework. 😂😆🤓⁠⠀
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Strange, right!? After lots of reflection, it makes a lot of sense now. ⁠⠀
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made me do it. I seem to absorb stimuli - auditory, sensory, energy from people and places, and all of that can make me feel rattled if I'm not grounded in myself and actively shielding what isn't serving me. ⁠⠀
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As you can imagine, this makes it hard to focus. Hence, the bathroom - a clean, tidy, non-distracting place where I could focus on my homework. (please tell me you're laughing *with* me.)⁠⠀
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Growing up, my commode of choice was roomy and clean (thanks mom), and I'd sit on the floor near the door (because bathrooms and germs which are a whole other sensitivity issue for me) and get s**t done. ⁠⠀
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As an adult, I find myself trying to make sense of the ways in which I've suffered in the past in order to move forward. Locking out distraction, keeping things tidy, having "my space" to think have all helped me stay centered in myself. This has been a mechanism for my own success and I feel it in my bones when things are in disarray. ⁠⠀
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Quiet time and time alone are crucial for me. Having a baby and now a toddler has been tough in this regard. Finding and cultivating "my space" in the places I've lived has been a priority for me. And trying to find a "bathroom in my mind" (I hope you're laughing because I am.) for when I can't control my outside environment is something I need to improve on. ⁠⠀
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Instead of a bathroom, I now use my office. I get up early to think and work. And I understand and am learning to better recognize when my sensory needs aren't being met so I can address them. ⁠⠀
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If you are a I'd love to know where your sacred personal space is and what it looks like for you. Share with me below! 👇🏼

02/24/2020

Growth is WEIRD.🌵⁠⠀
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It's not linear. ⁠⠀
It doesn't always happen the way you think it should (ahem, forward and upward).⁠⠀
It might look odd to the outsider. ⁠⠀
It's not what you expect.⁠⠀
And it certainly doesn't always lead where you think it will. ⁠⠀
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But, if you're open to it, growth can provide:⁠⠀
✨Healing⁠⠀
✨Adaptation⁠⠀
✨Ascension⁠⠀
💖And a strengthened sense of self and direction⁠⠀
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What are you reaching for? How are you adapting? What does "leveling up" look like to you?

And how does it FEEL?

02/17/2020

Mom and Dad finally climbed Camelback. We took very few pictures and enjoyed each other’s company.

In some ways I hate seeing everyone checking their watches and phones and apps to get “credit” for their exertion. And in others I understand that motivates folks to get moving.

Whatever gets you to . For me it’s movement, fresh air, and connection with self, nature, others.

Cheers to grandparents watching the tot, good weather, and time with my best guy. 🌵💚

02/13/2020

Eating (and drinking) intuitively...

Doesn’t always mean you make choices based on what you “think” is best. It requires a deep sense of knowing what you actually need and being ready and willing to follow through.

Caffeine had been contributing to the anxiety I had been experiencing and deep down I had known I needed to take it out for a while. If you know me, you know how much I love my coffee.

Interestingly, coffee hasn’t even tasted good. I’ve had a little here and there (mostly decaf), and although I think I’ll enjoy it, I usually don’t.

I had wicked withdrawal symptoms. Headaches, increased appetite, digestive symptoms, fatigue, and my skin broke out something fierce. And despite all that it’s still something I felt a strong pull to consume.

I miss the morning ritual. I miss the warmth and comfort and predictability. But I don’t like being dependent on a substance in order to function.

Honestly, I’ve felt really strange for the last month or so for lots of reasons, but this is definitely one of them. I don’t love that my morning and how I felt everyday was anchored to a stimulant, and my body had had enough for a while.

Intuitively, I knew I needed a break. And instead of digging my heels in, I accepted and embraced a change (albeit minor in the grand scheme of things), was something I had been resisting because I assumed it would be uncomfortable. It was.

And I feel better. And it makes me question how many times we go against our intuition. How often do we resist what our bodies and minds truly need? And why?

I think it has a lot to do with self-trust, being willing to investigate, and being ready and willing to make changes that are really uncomfortable.

There’s a lesson here. And for me, it’s about embracing and appreciating the discomfort my intuition presents when I truly need something.

I’m an intuitive, highly sensitive person by nature, but I think we could all tune in a bit deeper and definitely more often.

So, what is your intuition telling you you need today?

02/03/2020

🌵 Sweet Sunday at Saguaro National Park 🌵 @ Saguaro National Park

12/27/2019

Eat Whatever You Want and Still Get Results

My latest article for Girls Gone Strong is up and it's 🔥🔥 🔥(if I do say so myself!).

If you're busy setting goals for your fitness or body in 2020, you're going to want to read this.

Eating shouldn’t suck. That may sound obvious, but let’s face it: For so many women, the very notion of mealtime brings up a ton of baggage, whether it’s the drudgery of trying to stick to an unsatisfying meal plan or a bunch of guilt and shame after “cheating” or going “off plan.” And...