Raise your hand if you’re someone who can totally rock a healthy eating + exercise routine during the week, only to completely fall off the wagon on the weekend (wine, pizza, boozy brunch, cookies, the usual suspects) — leaving you feeling tired, lethargic, bloated and blah come Monday?

Then you dive headfirst into another rushed, intense exercise and healthy eating plan, only to succumb to everything you’ve been trying to avoid all week come Friday (cocktails, pasta, ice cream)… and the cycle continues. On…and on… and on.

If you can identify with any of this — I totally get it and I feel you. I was once there myself and know how exhausting, frustrating, guilt-inducing and simply not fun it can be. And just like I was able to help myself and so many of my clients push past these pitfalls, I want to help you too!

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this — when you don’t treat yourself well, criticize yourself, eat food that makes you feel terrible and spend too much time focused on how you don’t like how you look (or really anything you don’t like about yourself for that matter) you are wasting your precious time on this planet and in your body.

It’s your responsibility to show up as who you are meant to be in this world. Ain’t nobody got time for a life of diets, deprivation, self-sabotage and guilt. You have better things to do — like spend time with your friends and family, travel the world, pursue your career dreams, organize a charity event, write a book, play with your dog, run a marathon — basically LIVE YOUR LIFE. Live your BEST life for that matter.

So let’s get started — shall we?

#1 Add In/Crowd Out —

So much of what we do is creating and adhering to daily rituals. Change starts with making modifications to help our bodies perform at optimal levels. It can be really daunting and scary, especially when it comes to dietary or life changes —  but it becomes so much easier to make shifts if we frame it positively.

Instead of taking away or restricting certain foods, think in terms of adding. Make a pact to add at least one vegetable to every meal you eat, try eating a salad before dinner when ordering at a restaurant, or drinking a glass of water before and/or after your meals. By adding in these healthier habits, you’ll naturally start to crowd out some of the less than ideal ones.

Action Step:

Pick one non-negotiable thing you can start adding into your daily routine, EVEN on the weekends. It has to be realistic, something you can commit to and something that will empower you to feel better. If I know I have a big meal or party I always make sure to drink lots of water before hand and get in a smoothie with lots of greens for breakfast (since there might not be as many veggies as I’d like with dinner), but you have to do you, boo.

#2 Take One Positive Action —

As you start to add in more healthier habits and foods, you may notice you’re less inclined to go as hard on the weekends (be it food, booze, etc.)– but what should you do when you start to get those familiar Friday Feels?

First, acknowledge when you feel this cycle, then immediately take one positive action towards your health and wellness goals. Taking action and doing something will take you out of your head, release anxiety and help you feel back in control.

Action Step:

Any time you feel yourself getting trapped in an unhealthy cycle acknowledge you feel this way and do one positive action that will help you feel better immediately, non-food related. It could be a quick walk, taking deep breaths or meditating, calling a friend, working out, listening to music, drinking a glass of water — just pick whatever makes sense for you and actually do it.

#3 Upgrade Instead of Give Up —

This goes back to #1, but I am a firm believer that you don’t always have to give up the things you love in order to look and feel your best.

Of course each person is completely unique and different and if you have a severe food allergy or sensitivity, chronic inflammatory condition like Crohn’s or Colitis or other thyroid/autoimmune disease it gets a lot more complicated (and please feel free to reach out to me for tailored dietary support).

But for many of us it just comes back to eating real food. Food that your body is able to recognize, digest and effectively absorb nutrients from — instead of Franken-food it doesn’t know what to do with. Fake or processed foods do a number on your gut which can cause dysbiosis of gut bacteria, leaky gut syndrome and a ton of digestive and health issues.

Action Step:

Ice cream one of your favorite foods? Make sure you’re buying a brand with as few, whole ingredients as possible. Craving mac n cheese? Try making your own with real, organic cheddar and quinoa or brown-rice pasta shells instead of reaching for that little blue box. In need of a pizza? Have a make your own pizza party with fresh tomatoes, basil, unsweetened pizza sauce, organic cheese and a crust with as few ingredients as possible. Or try this paleo pizza recipe below — which is both mine and the MLH’s (meat-lovin’ hubby’s)  fave way to upgrade one of our most intense weekend cravings!

Bonus Tip–

Whenever you feel that all-too familiar cycle coming on (whether it be with food, work, mindset, working out, etc.) I encourage you to take a moment to sit with it, acknowledge your thoughts or feelings and then try reframing them. Instead of it being a challenge or a setback can it become an opportunity or information? What can you learn from this habit, pattern or craving? How can you use this information to push through? Above all don’t turn it into your value or a judgement about yourself. You are an awesome, unique, badass human and you deserve nothing but the best — and that includes your own thoughts about yourself.

Happy Weekending my love.

xx //

Lauren

The Best Paleo Pizza You'll Ever Make

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Consider this healthy pizza your new weekend go-to. It’s delicious, fun to make (perfect for a date-night in or pizza party) and will leave you with plenty of energy and vibrancy to fully enjoy the rest of your weekend.

PREP TIME:	TOTAL TIME:
00:00 Mins	00:45 Mins

• Author: Lauren Chambers

• Servings: 4

• Recipe Type: entree

• Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:

• 2 cups tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 – 1 cup water
• Parchment paper + rolling pin (or wine bottle — yes for real)

Topping Ingredients :

• 1 jar unsweetened pizza sauce (look for as few ingredients as possible)
• 1-2 cups fresh spinach or arugula
• 1 jar artichoke hearts, quartered
• 1 small jar black olives, sliced
• 1 package Parmela Creamery Cashew Mozzarella (or look for a cheese substitute with no soy and as few ingredients as possible)
• Kite Hill Ricotta Cheese to sprinkle
• Extras – Sea Salt, Chile Flakes, Black Pepper, olive oil + garlic

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 and line two large baking pans or cookie sheets with parchment paper
2. In a bowl mix together the crust ingredients, adding enough water until the consistency is thick and doughy
3. Sprinkle additional coconut flour on a new piece of parchment paper, then spread out half of the dough mixture. Place another sheet of parchment on top and roll out until very thin with a rolling pin (or wine bottle, which is fo reals what we do ;)). Repeat with the other half of the dough. It should make two large pizzas
4. Place on the parchment lined pan and bake at 450 for 15 minutes
5. Drink some of the wine you used as your rolling pin or mocktail of choice 😉
6. While crust is baking get all your topping ingredients ready
7. When crust is done, remove from oven and immediately turn oven down to 400 degrees
8. Top crusts with olive oil, garlic, pizza sauce, artichokes, olives and cheese. Leave out the spinach and basil until the end, you don’t want it to cook. Put pizzas back in oven and cook at 400 for about 30 minutes or until cheese is completely melted
9. Drink more wine or mocktail. Toss spinach, arugula + basil lightly in olive oil with salt and pepper. Top on pizza when done cooking

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