Most people know me as the Nutrition Girl who always talks about FAT, but I also have a BA in psychology and boy is it used when dealing with people trying to lose weight and find their happy. You might be looking for more traditional tips on “how to be happy” but what I learned over the last decade dealing with people from all walks of life is that if their nutrition is not nourishing they actually have a higher rate of depression, anxiety, self-loathing and frustration. The reasons I see most often is due to restrictive calories and low fat diets. Your body NEEDS healthy fats to produce the hormones needed for happy brain chemicals. When my clients on “F…The Diet” change their eating habits to incorporate more healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, MCT oils, fish, nuts and seeds and grass-fed better, they actually dramatically improve their mental state translating into being happier, more optimally functioning human beings.
(Get my FREE guide for Using Fat to Lose Fat” HERE)
Better nourishment can get you away from being “hangry” and riding an insulin roller coaster all day long which can typically leave you swinging from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. Getting a grip on how to use healthy fats can stop fluctuating weight that makes us loathe the scale staring at us in the bathroom, instead we can start to feel satiated and can focus on all the other things that need their attention in life instead of when and where our next meal or snack is coming from. The mental transformation is so profound that I am really hoping you reconsider your nutrition if you aren’t in a “happy place” fairly consistently. That isn’t to say your life will suddenly turn to a city of rainbows where you bask in money showers and dotting loved ones every day, but what I am saying is that we are able to physically create a better biology for a happier mind, better stress handling and more positive outlook. We often, especially as women feel stressed, overwhelmed and unhappy with ourselves. Some of this we actually CAN’T control until we get our food and digestion right. There are more neurotransmitters in our gut than in our brain, so brain health, mood and inevitably happiness start with what we put in our body and how we process that food in our belly and ultimately communicate with our brain.
Here are a few simple ways to improve your gut and nourishment that will help to start balancing hormones, steady blood sugar and drop excess fat pounds without a struggle (that always makes us happy doesn’t it?!)
Start each day with a quality soil based probiotic on an empty stomach. We are constantly fighting the good-bad gut bacteria balance and most things in our day want to sway the favor to the bad guys… start the day tipping the scales in a positive direction.
30-60 minutes later. Nourish with a blended fat coffee or tea, instead of spiking insulin and cortisol by changing to the below recipe. If you are a coffee drinker, ditch the skinny lattes that set you up for fat storage and hunger, as well as stress your adrenals and raise cortisol (the stress hormone) first thing in the morning and opt for a real blended fat coffee that helps slow down the caffeine release, boost brain power and metabolism and will give a more sustained energy without the “adrenal throat punch” of a low fat, sugar laden cup of Joe. Using MCT oil will help your body produce ketones that your brain loves for fuel… many of my clients report feeling like that have come out of a brain fog and are happier in the mornings and look forward to their coffee as a treat.
Blended Fat Basic Recipe:
1 Tbsp grass-fed butter
2 tsp MCT oil (sourced from coconut)
2 cups organic single sourced, fresh ground coffee, hot or favorite tea like chai or matcha green tea
Ground cinnamon and vanilla to taste (optional)
Keep sweeteners like organic honey or cane sugar to 1 tsp or
Blend all ingredients in glass blender…sip and enjoy!
Your first meal should consist of protein + fat with an optional non-starchy vegetable. This will keep you full and provide the fuel and building blocks for an energized and more functional day, as well as the building blocks for muscle repair, enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals.
TIP: Aim for 30-40 g of fat for women and 45-50 g of fat for men to help satiate hunger, nourish hormone and thyroid function and decrease inflammation. If we squash inflammation in the body we hurt less and that in turn makes us happier, more productive people too.
4. Before you go to reach for food set a phone timer for 90 seconds and GET MOVING. It can be chair squats, marching in place, large arm circles, push ups, calf raises you name it just get that blood pumping. While this isn’t a food, this is a before food tactic for boosting feel good chemicals in the brain, increasing blood flow and , priming the body for the food it is about to take in.
5. Take magnesium glycinate and a small dose of potassium before bed. The pair combined leads to better absorption of the magnesium. Magnesium is responsible for calming and relaxing the muscles and can soothe your anxiety or stress from the day. This combo can improve sleep and decrease sugar cravings, especially for chocolate. When you are well rested you balance hormones better, make better choices and end up a happier more in control person.
These five simple habits can be simply integrated and with just a few days of this structure most people start feeling a lot better and the new habits are easier to stick to!
After you check out the awesome feedback from some happy campers below don’t forget to download my FREE guide on How to Use Fat to Lose Fat.
Clients of F…The Diet “Happiness” Success:
“Changing the way that I eat has changed my life. I had no idea so many of my day to day struggles, like digestion, hives, joint pain, etc was because I wasn’t nourishing myself. I thought all of that was hereditary from my mothers side of the family. and until 3 years ago, I thought I would just have to learn to deal with it. I worked with you because I wanted to lose weight and I did, 14lbs to exact, but that became secondary to how happy I am knowing that I don’t have to suffer physically with all of that other crap. The leg hives especially.”# 1 Mindy T. 44 years old changed her food to this style of nourishment and has become pain free which she says truly has made her an overall happier person. She was able to stop achy joints and feels her fractured food is mending much faster due to her eating habits. She lost 14 lbs in 60 days which also took more pressure off her joints and gave her an incredible boost of confidence. When you can get your food right you feel much more in control of your life and that makes for a happier person who then seeks more good experiences and people in their lives as well. “If you ask me, feeling pain free equals happy!” – Staci T. 32
“…I am feeling really good mentally – physically I’m 95%…I was riddled with negative self-talk. I help so many other people with self-esteem and mindset, yet I’ve neglected my own. [eating this way] really opened my eyes! … this is truly a life changing experience! Changing the way I eat using this plan has helped me to realize that we truly are what we eat! Eating clean, healthy meals has improved my mental focus, my energy, and my desire to do other things that benefit me mentally as well as physically. I feel like the smoke has cleared, and I am now proud of my self-care routine. I continue see results, which keeps me focused, motivated and committed. I am excited for the future- because I have seen proof that I can truly change in a positive way!” – #Cahni K. 41
“… for me learning how to properly nourish my body has been a big eye opener for me. I am now not only training my body but also learning how to train and control my mind. Changing my mindset has helped me in making conscious decisions on how to eat and lead a healthier life and as a result I have become much happier with my body, health and life. I have become more motivated to keep eating healthy and being physically active. I feel I can focus better, natural energy, and a general satisfied feeling both nourishment wise and with life. Filling my body with the proper fuel it needs has given me overall happiness, which makes me feel like a happy energizer bunny.” – Hazel S.
“For me, your nutrition plan not only helped me physically but emotionally become a better version of myself! I have much better focus. My concentration has improved dramatically! I used to feel sluggish between 2-3pm every afternoon. So much so, I would take a 15 min power nap. I haven’t had to do this since the 2nd week of starting your program! Now, I feel full of life, a lot of energy, confident, I find myself ALWAYS in the best mood and I feel powerful! I almost feel like I have a permanent smile! Just because I have so much more to smile about because I’m so happy!” – Kelli D.
“I just had a conversation with my primary care doctor about this today. How all of a sudden I don’t know why but certain things don’t bother me anymore, I feel much more confident and mentally stronger so it has to be the food because other than that nothing’s changed!” – Chanelle B.
“Eating food that nourishes my body has made me stronger both physically and mentally. I have a better understanding of how food affects my body and my attitude and I pay attention to what I consume and make better daily decisions.” – Becky R.
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