The Abs Diet

Back in 2005, I was on a quest to get a flat tummy (since I never had one). I had been a “skinny-fat” all my life, but my midsection was always on the rounder side. Not bowling-ball round, but a modest paunch, if you will. I decided to buy a copy of David Zinczenko’s The Abs Diet book, a six-week plan to flatten your tummy.

I had never known about HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) or whole grains until reading this book. I read it cover-to-cover and took advantage of the free one-hour training from my 24 Hour Fitness membership. I squatted, burpee’d, and side-planked my way to those ever elusive rectus abdominis muscles, and all the while chomped on broccoli, brown rice and chicken breast. Life was grand.

Sleepyhead

During childhood, I was always the last person in my family to wake up. It seemed like I lived only to sleep and I could never get enough. Sadly, the morning regimen of painfully peeling myself out of bed continued into adulthood. Eight, nine and even TEN hours of zzz’s felt inadequate. I was constantly disappointed at being sent home by my doctor with “normal” vitals. I thought I was a lost cause.

I would walk through the grocery aisles feeling so heavy. I didn’t feel any musculoskeletal pain or malaise which are often associated with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. Just good ol’ physical exhaustion. Shopping at warehouse-type places like Costco or Home Depot was so overwhelming and the only thing on my mind was my couch. Running all kinds of errands often left me depleted.

One day at a family function, I was astonished to see my sister had undergone her own physical transformation. For a long time she had also suffered from constant fatigue along with insomnia and chronic heartburn. Not only had those symptoms gone away, but she also lost a ton of weight and was moving with incredible energy like I’d never seen her before. She credited the changes to reading and following Dr. Steven Gundry’s The Plant Paradox program. I bought the book and my outlook on health changed. Because I changed.

When I followed The Plant Paradox protocol, I gained energy and clarity that I never knew I could. My chronic headaches and constant bloating also vanished. I felt so f*cking good that mood swings became a thing of the past. I learned things like whole grains aren't always beneficial (detrimental in some cases), tomatoes can be the culprit behind inflamed joints and that multi-vitamins weren’t necessarily the answer to better energy.

I knew that I wanted to share my experiences and help others along the way. I took my newfound knowledge of nutrition further and received an Integrative Nutrition Health Coaching certification from IIN with an emphasis in gut health. In helping clients heal their bodies, I take a holistic approach by providing a safe space for them to explore various areas in their lives that need some TLC. 

My Gut Says Yes

I created MGSY to invite you to my 1:1 coaching service and create a platform for sharing the tools and knowledge I have learned (and continue to learn) to heal my body from chronic inflammation. While green smoothies and grass fed meat are the way to go, feeling good goes beyond what we eat. It’s also about paying attention to and honoring the interconnected areas in our lives outside of the plate: our relationships (with ourselves and others), careers, finances, fitness, creativity, etc. It’s about listening to your body and doing what works for you.

Health is a journey and isn’t always a linear path. I don’t feel great one hundred percent of the time. In fact, I recently fell back into the rut of “eating badly” and consequently needing to take those occasional afternoon naps. Whenever I fall off track, however, and start daydreaming about sinking into that couch, I have the tools to reboot.

Optimal gut health has been a game-changer for me, and I want the same for you. I want to inspire you to take charge and be intentional with your well-being. It’s not always an easy road and that’s okay. By practicing self health and healing your gut, you can enjoy your life instead of being glued to bed, or take a hike around the block instead of binge-watching Squid Game because of stiff joints.

I promise that once you get a taste of true vitality, you’ll never want to look back!