Ep. #14

Holiday parties and indulgences don’t mean you have to give up making progress towards your health goals… you can eat the holiday cookies AND be healthy!

In this podcast episode, we share practical tips on eating healthy during the holiday season without missing out on delicious holiday foods. 

We give listener all our best strategies like mindful eating, prioritizing healthier options, understanding the types of food at parties, and consuming fibrous foods and vinegar before high-carb dishes. The discussion also explores ways to incorporate these tips into holiday traditions while still progressing towards health goals.

 You can watch this episode and others on YouTube

Or you can listen to this episode and others on Spotify 

 

Mentioned in this episode:

Our favourite low carb cracker recipe:  https://www.mealgarden.com/recipe/low-carb-seed-crackers/

Want more help with your health and wellness journey?

 

Click this link to see how you can work with me! https://paulettekydd.com/programs/

 

#soiwaslisteningtothispodcast #fatfoggyfatigued #paulettekydd #metabolism #cravings #goals #smallsteps #selfsabotage #stresseater #emotionaleater

Welcome to EPISODE #12 of So I Was Listening to this Podcast the Other Day….

🌱 Looking to boost your protein intake without meat? 🍖 Curious about the safety of soy? 🧠 Want to learn about the link between GMOs and Alzheimer’s Disease? 🍬 And how about a delicious new way to enjoy brussel sprouts? 🥦

Join us in this impromptu and jam-packed nutrition info episode as we answer a listener’s burning question about non-meat protein options, uncovering the secrets of higher protein vegetables and introducing the intriguing world of lupini beans! 🌽🍆

But that’s not all! 🌟We’re bringing you valuable insights on continuous glucose monitors and their impact on health. 🩸 We’ll also discuss fatty liver disease and provide practical tips for managing it.

Wait, there’s more! 📚 We can’t resist sharing our favorite takeaways from Jame’s Clear’s masterpiece, “Atomic Habits.” Discover how the power of tiny daily health habits, improving just 1% each day, can create astounding compounding effects that propel you closer to your goals! 🚀

So, if you’re hungry for knowledge and ready to take charge of your health journey, this episode is a must-listen! 🎧 Let’s embark on this nourishing adventure together! 🌱🍎🎙️

 

Watch us on Youtube

Listen on Spotify

 

Want more help with your health and wellness journey?

 

Check out my website to see how you can work with me! 

https://paulettekydd.com/programs/ 

 

#soiwaslisteningtothispodcast #fatfoggyfatigued #paulettekydd #metabolism #cravings #goals #smallsteps #selfsabotage #stresseater #emotionaleater

Welcome to Ep. #11: Check In, Warm Weather Hygge and a Surprise for Sarah

In this episode, Sarah and Paulette do a check in… Sarah shares about her 30 day yoga journey and how it helped her back pain, we discuss Summer Hygge ideas to help you feel cozy and relaxed in the summer heat, and Paulette has a surprise for Sarah!

Join us as we discuss why you don’t have to break a sweat to get in shape, why ‘getting off track’ towards your health goal is actually a good thing, why Paulette’s mug is NOT boring….and how Paulette and Sarah found themselves needing to dye ribbon and design their own paper… intrigued? We thought so…

Don’t miss this fun episode with lots of empowering ideas and strategies to help you reach your health goals.

 

Mentioned in the episode:

Sarah’s Borrowed Mug

Paulette’s ‘Boring’ Mug (Paulette doesn’t think so)

You can watch us on Youtube

You can also listen to us on Spotify

 

Want more help?

 

Click this link to see how you can work with me! https://paulettekydd.com/programs/

 

#soiwaslisteningtothispodcast #fatfoggyfatigued #paulettekydd #metabolism #cravings #goals #smallsteps #selfsabotage #stresseater #emotionaleater

Want more help with your health and wellness journey?

Check out my website to see how you can work with me! 

Introducing the “Excuse Busters” Mini-Series! 🎉 

Join us for our special mini-series: 5 episodes jam-packed with awesome insights. We’re going to tackle those pesky excuses that prevent you from staying consistent in your healthy eating and lifestyle habits.

Each episode of “Excuse Busters” will unveil a different excuse and give you practical strategies to overcome it. 

PART 1: I’m too busy

In Part 1, we’re addressing the excuse  “I’m too busy’… to eat healthy, to cook healthy food, to exercise, etc. Let’s face it… life is busy. As soon as one thing finishes, there are 10 more things ready to take its place. It’s not going to change any time soon, and in the meantime, your health and waistline are suffering the consequences of your excuses!

We’re here to show you that nothing can stand in your way… listen/watch now to see how you can bust through this excuse once and for all. 🎙️💪

You can watch this episode (and others) on Youtube

You can listen to this episode and others on Spotify

Mentioned in this episode:

Sarah’s Blue Speckled Mug

Paulette’s Blue Mindful Moments Mug

Here are a couple of recipes that will help you bust the ‘I don’t have time’ excuse!

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

Smoothie Recipe (we didn’t mention this specific recipe but it’s one of my favourites for you to try!)

Ep. #7: Part 2 ‘my family won’t eat what I’m eating (and I don’t want to make multiple meals)’

Here, in Part 2, we dive into the common excuse of not sticking to YOUR healthy eating plan because of family preferences. We share our favorite tips and tricks to overcome this challenge while still enjoying nutritious meals.

*Sarah also realizes at some point during the episode that her drinking glass has a chip in it, and the glass is in her mouth 😲 but she tries not to draw attention to it

We share smart solutions to simplify meal preparation without compromising anyone’s preferences, including our favourite lower carb substitutes for pasta and bread that are so delicious, your family might just want to eat what you’re eating!

Of course we believe that it’s important to occasionally indulge in personal favorites because sometimes you just want to eat the greasy, delicious pizza that the rest of your family eating. And that’s ok!!

Throughout the episode, they celebrate the benefits of investing in an air fryer, which enables faster cooking and tastier results. It proves to be a game-changer for preparing delicious and healthy meals without much effort.

By incorporating a little creativity and the strategies we offer, you can bust the excuse of multiple meals and enjoy nutritious dishes that satisfy everyone at the table.

 

Watch us on Youtube

Listen on Spotify

Mentioned in this episode:

Sarah’s Fish Glass: https://paulettekydd.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/podcast/sarah+fish+glass+ep+7.png

Paulette’s Favourite Kid Mug: https://paulettekydd.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/podcast/Favourite+kid+mug+ep+7.png

 

Ep. #8: Part 3: You’re telling me not to eat apples???

In this episode, we’re tackling the controversial topic of whether a lower carb diet is truly healthy. We understand that some of you may have concerns about avoiding certain high-sugar, high-starch fruits and veggies. But fear not, because we’re here to provide clarity on the matter!

Let’s shift our focus away from what we can’t eat and instead embrace the wide variety of delicious foods that align with a lower carb lifestyle. The key is finding the right balance and timing.

By being mindful of high-carb foods, especially in the morning when our body’s response to carbohydrates is more sensitive, we can maintain stable blood sugar levels and avoid unpleasant spikes. Pairing carbs with protein or fat can also make a significant difference in how our bodies process them.

Trust us, it’s all about finding the sweet spot.

And while we’re at it, we’ll share some of our favourite ways to enjoy healthy foods including a surprising way to prepare cauliflower.

So, grab your favourite mug, brew a cup of deliciousness, and get ready to challenge misconceptions, shift perspectives, and uncover the secrets of timing and pairing in a lower carb lifestyle. Cheers to healthy eating and breaking free from limitations!

Watch us on Youtube

Listen on Spotify

 

Mentioned in this episode:

Pu’erh Tea: https://www.davidstea.com/ca_en/tea/tea-by-type/puerh-tea/

Sarah’s Mug: https://paulettekydd.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/podcast/ep+8+Sarah.png

Paulette’s Mug: https://paulettekydd.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/podcast/ep+8+paulette.png

 

Ep. #9: Part 4: ‘I can’t give up my bread/pasta/rice!’

Are you hesitant to embark on a healthier, lower carb diet because the mere thought of saying goodbye to your beloved pasta, rice, bread, and baked goods fills you with dread?

Fear not, dear listener, for in this episode, we share our own transformational experiences:  how our taste buds changed, how we began to crave healthier foods (yep, it happens!!) and  how we discovered delicious alternatives that not only satisfied our cravings but surpassed our wildest expectations.

Prepare to be inspired as we debunk the notion that change means sacrificing flavour and indulgence.

Join us as we explore the vast array of innovative ingredients and cooking techniques that will make your healthy eating a breeze. Our hope is to ignite a spark of possibility within you, proving that embracing change is not only possible, but fun and delicious too.

Get inspired, get excited, and get ready to revolutionize your relationship with healthy, metabolism-friendly food!

 

Watch us on Youtube

Listen on Spotify

See all the items mentioned in this episode here: https://paulettekydd.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/podcast/All+the+fun+stuff+from+Episode+9.pdf

Ep. #10: Series: Excuse Busters Part 5 ‘It’s too expensive to eat healthy!’

 In this episode, #5 in the series, we tackle the excuse ‘it’s too expensive to eat healthy’… and while it IS true that the cost of food keeps going up… there are ways to make your dollar go further.

We do a price comparison of typical meals, healthy and not-so-healthy, as well as the non-money costs of junk food that might change your perspective.

Join us as we put healthy eating on a budget to the test and decide for yourself if eating healthy is too expensive… it’s your choice!

Watch us on Youtube

Listen on Spotify 

Mentioned in this episode:

Sarah’s Teal Mason Jar Mug

Paulette’s Cupcake Mason Jar Mug

Want more help with your health and wellness journey?

Check out my website to see how you can work with me!

#soiwaslisteningtothispodcast #fatfoggyfatigued #paulettekydd #metabolism #cravings #goals #smallsteps #selfsabotage #stresseater #emotionaleater

Welcome to Episode 2 of our podcast that’s all about making healthy lifestyle changes fun and achievable, especially for women over 35! 

 

In this episode, get ready to unleash your inner superhero and discover how taking small steps can lead to big changes.

We’ll explore the power of setting exciting and inspiring goals, and how breaking them down into doable actions can make all the difference. Discover how to stay accountable to yourself, even on those days when you’d rather sit on the couch and watch Netflix while you eat all the things.

And let’s talk about cravings!

We’ll reveal the secrets to managing them and understanding the hormonal forces behind them. Plus, we’ll give you some fun visual reminders to keep you motivated and on track.

Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to a lifetime of healthy habits!
Our Small Steps approach is all about building trust and confidence in yourself, in a way that’s simple and easy.

Check out Episode #2: Sticky Notes and Small Steps

We’re on Youtube and on Spotify

Mentioned in the podcast:

We’re offering a free Small Steps Template to help you get started.
Just click the link and let’s get this party started!
Link for Template: https://bit.ly/SmallStepsTemplate

Want MORE help?
Join the Change Method Progressive Membership.

Each month you’ll get easy-to-implement food, lifestyle and mindset tools to help you reach your health goals, along with support, accountability and a wonderful community of like-minded women.

Click here for more information: https://bit.ly/ChangeMethodMembership

#soiwaslisteningtothispodcast #fatfoggyfatigued #paulettekydd #metabolism #cravings #goals #smallsteps

Intermittent Fasting…like, NOT EATING? On purpose? Yes, but it’s not about starving yourself. Many people are using Intermittent Fasting as a weight-loss tool but there are so many other benefits! Read on…

Intermittent Fasting is about controlling the ‘eating window’. You eat the same amount of nourishing food as you normally would, but you eat it during a specific time frame. However, it should be planned …don’t just skip breakfast on a whim and not be prepared with enough nutrition for the rest of the day. Over time, this could lead to nutrient deficiencies and the slowing of your metabolism. THIS IS NOT ABOUT CALORIE RESTRICTION or STARVING YOURSELF!!

 

Easy Intermittent Fasting

An easy way to do Intermittent Fasting is to simply stop eating for the day about 6 pm, and then don’t eat again until 9 or 10 am the next morning (yes sleeping hours count). Your eating window is 8-9 hours. You still eat the same amount of food, just within that 8-9 hours.

In the morning, cortisol (your stress hormone) is naturally elevated. As long as there isn’t insulin present (because you haven’t eaten anything, especially carbs), cortisol can easily perform one of its many jobs and allow your body to burn stored fat. This is one of the ways it helps with fat loss. This also gives your digestive system a break.

Before I started eating low carb in the morning, my body was expecting those carbs at breakfast. Anytime I skipped breakfast, either intentionally or by accident, I felt terrible…nauseous, light-headed, headachy, low energy. However, once I became ‘fat adapted’ after eating high fat low carb for a period of time, I was easily able to integrate intermittent fasting a few times a week.

Intermittent Fasting and Your Brain

BRAIN FOG. You can’t think clearly, can’t focus, can’t remember things. So annoying. It can slow you down. There are multiple causes but sometimes it’s your diet and the same way of eating that causes brain fog can lead to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Do you want to know an easy way to protect your health and your brain? EVERYONE should answer ‘yes’ to this.

Even if you think you’re too young to worry about those things now, you need to know that the ‘seeds’ that lead to Alzheimer’s (and many other preventable diseases…yes, I said preventable, even in those with the gene) are planted in your 20s and 30s by the choices you make.

Have you ever heard of the word AUTOPHAGY? Me neither…until a short time ago when reading about Intermittent Fasting.

AUTOPHAGY is your body’s way of getting rid of worn-out cellular components anywhere in the body. It’s a really important process that helps to prevent Alzheimer’s and other diseases like Cancer. You WANT your body to be able to carry out this self-cleaning process.

 

What stimulates this process of autophagy?
Intermittent Fasting.

 

What inhibits this process of autophagy?
Eating.

 

Your brain is what makes you who you are. Protect your brain.

Click the link to read more about fasting and autophagy: https://www.dietdoctor.com/renew-body-fasting-autophagy 

 

More About Fasting and your BRAIN: Skip breakfast and be smarter??

Intermittent Fasting is an easy way to increase BDNF which is Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. It’s like Miracle Grow for your brain.

Inflammation is one of your body’s mechanisms to promote healing.

Just like cortisol, inflammation is necessary and beneficial. TO. A. POINT.

 

 

 

stressStress is the root of so many problems. Most of my clients have significant chronic stress that interferes with their ability to achieve their health goals.

Stress is often inescapable but we can minimize the impact on our health. We NEED to minimize that impact. Chronic stress impairs sleep, interferes with weight loss, causes inflammation in your body and increases your risk of disease including Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease.

I want to repeat that last point: stress can lead to Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Stress increases blood sugar. It’s supposed to do this…giving energy to your muscles so you can either FIGHT or FLEE…fight the enemy attacking you or run away.

If you’re experiencing chronic stress, your blood sugar is constantly elevated. This means that your pancreas needs to keep pumping out insulin in response to this, in order to get the sugar to your cells.

What happens when insulin is constantly present in your blood? Your cells stop responding to insulin.

Brain fog? Memory problems?

Stress might be shrinking your brain. Seriously.

When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol. Cortisol serves many important functions…it’s not a bad thing.

Yoga saved my sanity….it’s true. Really.

 

I felt compelled to write this post the other day. As I write this, we’re approaching September and a new school year.  There’s always a sense of excitement but also a bit of anxiety. Back into the regimented schedules. Busy days ahead. New projects on the go. My kids have new experiences ahead of them that they need help navigating. It’s a ‘full’ life. Then I remembered how much yoga helped save my sanity a while back. Even though I do yoga every day now, I don’t always use it in the most effective way. Sometimes it’s more about stretching than it is stress-reducing.

 

I had tried to get into yoga many times throughout my life and just didn’t get it…it was way too slow for my cardio addicted body and mind.

 

I don’t respond well to someone telling me to just ‘do’ something. Don’t just tell me that I should do yoga (or drink water or eat vegetables). I want to know WHY I should do yoga (or drink water or eat vegetables). I took a course at my local community centre to find that out. But even that didn’t help me to make yoga a regular part of my life.

 

It wasn’t until a few years ago when I started to have unexplained anxiety, that I gave yoga another try and it ‘stuck’.

 

This Stress Was Different

 

Like many people, I’ve always felt stress physically, but this was different. I would be standing at the counter at work and suddenly feel tightness in my chest for no apparent reason. It felt like I was having trouble breathing and that my heart was beating faster, but I’m not sure that either of those things was actually happening. It felt out of my control. I also experienced some new digestive stress and headaches, probably related to the distress I felt with this unexplained anxiety.

 

Meditation was the first thing that popped into my head. I should start meditating…it helps with stress.

 

But the idea of sitting still for any length of time and trying to stop my mind from racing seemed like an impossible task. And that made me more anxious!

 

Then I thought about how yoga is like meditation in movement. You use breath and focus while moving in a sort of meditative state. This is how my perception of yoga changed and allowed me to be more open to trying it again. This time, it worked. It was like magic.

 

I can’t put words to the emotional RELIEF I felt when doing yoga this time. And several years later, I still feel this way.

 

 

 

How I Got Started

 

I consulted good old Google and searched ‘Yoga for Stress Relief’. There were lots of YouTube videos to choose from. I decided to start with a short 15-minute video for beginners and did this for a few days in a row. Low and behold, I started to feel better. My digestive stress calmed down quite soon after and the headaches lessened. I started to look forward to these yoga videos and decided to try some longer ones. I could feel the tension leaving my shoulders with each ‘child’s pose’. I literally felt my muscles release.

 

It got to the point where I was doing 60-90 minutes a day. I didn’t have time for this but it seemed so essential to my health and well being that I made it work with my schedule. I tried all different types of yoga and various instructors. At that time, I preferred the slower moving Yin or Restorative Yoga. As my flexibility and health improved I looked to see if I could use yoga for strength and cardio fitness to replace some of my regular workouts. This is when I discovered Power Yoga.

 

My Favourites

 

Currently, my two favourite YouTube Yoga go-tos are Sean Vigue Fitness and SarahBeth Yoga.

 

Both have a huge variety of videos in varying lengths, for every level of experience. They offer lots of tips along the way on how to do the poses properly and how to modify based on your needs and skill level. Both instructors have paid sites as well, but I’ve only ever used their free content.

 

I like Sean’s references to 80’s tv shows, movies and music, and he doesn’t engage in a lot of typical ‘yoga speak’. He just gets right down to it in his sweat pants, tank top and ball cap. Sean’s expertise is Power Yoga but he has lots of other slower-moving videos too. One of my favourites is his 7 Day Morning Yoga Challenge.

 

SarahBeth is the one I go to when I need to relax and deal with stress, or if I have pain that I want to alleviate. She has videos for all sorts of symptoms and talks about how she uses yoga to relieve symptoms of IBS.

 

What I Do Now

 

I still do yoga every day, usually in the morning and the evening before bed. It might be for 15 minutes at a time, or it might be 45 minutes. Sometimes I go to a class (I love Hot Yoga) at a local gym but I usually use YouTube and just do yoga at home. I decide based on how I’m feeling and what I want to achieve with yoga that day.

 

I love the feeling of being flexible. I don’t moan and groan when I stand up from the couch like many of my peers do. I can easily sit down on the ground and jump back up. I don’t have those unexplained anxiety symptoms anymore.

 

 

Afterthought

 

Several years ago, before yoga, I started experiencing episodes of back spasms that seemed to come out of nowhere. This was new to me…I’d never had back issues before. It started one morning when I awoke with shooting pains in my middle back that actually caused me to yell out loud!  My family didn’t know what was going on. As the morning progressed and I dragged myself to work, the pain eventually lessened and the yelling stopped but I had residual pain for a few days. This would happen every few months and I still have no idea what the trigger was. However, I realized after doing yoga for a year that these spasms didn’t happen anymore and I’ve not had one since!

 

Yoga helps me to feel younger.

 

Yoga helps me deal with stress and anxiety.

 

Yoga saves my sanity.

 

You might also like: Moving Outside My Comfort Zone

 

 

 

Benefits of Coffee

In moderation, coffee has health benefits such as:

• increased exercise performance and fat burning
• a good dose of disease-fighting antioxidants
• decreased risk of stroke, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Type 2 Diabetes and certain types of cancer
• protection against cirrhosis of the liver

How Much is Safe?

Of course, some people experience negatives effects of drinking too much coffee including interference with sleep, heartburn, jitteriness, irritability, or heart palpitations.

Most negative effects occur when drinking more than 4 cups per day (about 400mg of caffeine), although many people can drink more than that without any problems. I try to keep my consumption to 3-4 cups maximum. Beyond that, my stomach doesn’t like it much and Inusually end up with a headache.

Don’t drink regular caffeinated coffee after 2 or 3 pm if it affects your sleep.

No need to start drinking coffee if you don’t like it. You can experience many of the same benefits from eating a healthy, varied diet.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, limit your consumption to 1 or 2 cups per day at most.

If you’re sensitive to caffeine, drink decaffeinated coffee instead. It still has many benefits associated with regular coffee.

Don’t add sugar to your coffee. If you must have it sweetened, use a tiny amount of stevia or Swerve.