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Coaching Session Q & A Part 1

behind the scenes coaching faith fitness food hormones q&a Mar 22, 2022

Today I’m answering your questions! You submitted your questions to me, and I am answering them here today. Although I’m pointing to answers, I want to always first point straight to God because He is our answer to everything!

If you are not a part of my online community, I highly encourage you to join us! We talk all things faith, fitness, womanhood, food, and all of the above!! Join us here!

If you’re experiencing any of these: hormones, cravings, hopelessness, age-related weight gain, lack of desire to workout, wondering how to get your abs back after baby, wanting to know what my favorite God-made meals are, my thoughts on intermittent fasting, finding joy, or what to do when you feel alone and lack confidence, buckle up because I’m pouring and praying it out today!

This blog format will be a little different than usual because I really want to focus on answering your questions fully! Let’s dive in!

How do you avoid screwing everything up each time you start PMSing? I feel like all my control goes right out the window?

Firstly, I want to say that the Holy Spirit has given you the power, but our hormones sure are good at bossing us around, aren’t they?

To set yourself for success and to feel more in control of your actions/reactions, have a plan. Know that this time of the month is going to cause cravings and make you not feel like yourself, so give every go to craving a Godly upgrade. If you reach for cookies, find a healthier option. These healthy Oatmeal and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies from Well Plated or my go-to Peanut Butter Balls are quick and easy options!

Oatmeal and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

1 1/4 cups oats

1 cup whole wheat flour or flour of your choice

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Can add in your choice of:

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup well chopped raw walnuts or pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt
In a medium bowl, combine the applesauce, butter, egg, vanilla, and honey. Whisk until blended.
Combine the medium bowl with the large bowl
Fold in dark chocolate chips and other goodies
With an ice cream scoop or spoon, drop the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and arrange on the baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space around each.
Bake for 9 minutes
Cool and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Balls Recipe

Okay, these are my favorite. You can add or subtract the coconut flakes or seeds too.

2 cups of oats

1 cup of peanut butter

½ cup honey

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup of mini dark chocolate chips

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1 1/3 cup unsweet coconut flakes

1 cup ground flaxseed

Directions: Mix ingredients together, use an ice cream scooper to form the balls and put them on parchment or wax paper, and keep them in the refrigerator.

Or, if you want salt (you know I love my chips and salsa), try this homemade guac and pico de gallo recipe I found. I have been using this recipe for years, and it’s seriously so good!

Guacamole

Also, plan a hike/walk/workout with a friend. Plan to move your body with your family because nothing is worse for you than turning inside yourself, isolating, and eating. It will make you feel like crap 100 times out of 100. It might be enjoyable for the hour you do it, but the self-loathing that ensues is never worth it.

Don’t laugh, but I pray for God to help me have an extra dose of the fruits of the Spirit because I do not want to be bossed around by my hormones.

Also, write yourself a letter and put it on your phone. Here is an example:

Dear me, you’re feeling like this because it’s your period time. This is nothing new so don’t get swept up in cravings and poor decisions see it for what it is, keep your mind busy and your eyes on Jesus. This will pass in a few days, so you don’t want to derail your health goals and make poor choices you will regret. I love you. You’ve got this.

Is it God-honoring to want to look attractive for your husband, or is it world vanity?

Okay, I’m just gonna be real. This sounds like the religious mindset that we were taught.

I researched scriptures about this, and this is what the Bible says…

“There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.” 1 Corinthians 7: 34

How she may please her husband…Did you catch that?

I believe God wants us to be our best, look our best, and do our best because we represent Him. My husband and I have an unspoken deal, out of respect we will never just let ourselves go, taking care of yourself is Godly and taking care of yourself for your husband is biblical. The whole vanity thing can be used as a tool of guilt or condemnation or confusion.

You are not vain if you want to look good, you are vain if how you look is your God.

I have a feeling the woman that submitted this question wants to be the best Godly wife she can be. Let your heart have peace and take the very best care of you for God and for your man!

How intense should weight training be for women in menopause?

So, here is what I have heard…

Limit exercise 30 minutes to avoid overstressing the body because of cortisol.
It’s fine to do intense weight workouts such as powerlifting as it increases bone density great for gaining muscle which women in menopause need.
Circuit training is better than traditional weight training.
Avoid HIIT-style workouts.

So what is actually the best workout prescription for a woman in menopause? How intense should we work out?

Firstly, let me share that each of us is different and God said he will give us wisdom so pray for him for wisdom. I did a podcast about hormones, it was Episode 111 My Hot Mess of a Hormone Journey. GO take a listen if you have time, it will change your perspective!

But my quick answer is this, get your blood work done to see if you even have elevated cortisol. I did and then I was able to bring it down and resume my HIIT workouts. I took a break from extreme workouts, and I took barre classes, weight training, bodyweight training instead. You can’t know what you don’t know so get your cortisol tested.

Here is a link to some at-home tests you can do to get a little more insight into what your body needs.

5 Best At-Home Cortisol Tests of 2021

Tips For Recovery After Pregnancy

One sister asked how to recover after pregnancy, her youngest is almost two years old now and she is ready! She also mentioned that she is experiencing urine leakage when she coughs, laughs, or jumps - I got you girl!!

Try this AB rehab guide. I had Diastasis Recti, a condition in which the large abdominal muscles separate and it took time to get my abs back. I start using these simple tips to get your ab strength back because it’s so important to have a strong core.

Okay now let’s chat about leaking while we laugh or jump and how not to! Doctors call it urinary incontinence, and having babies is a leading cause.

Isn’t it amazing how God made our bodies? We can do so much to repair them we just need the info!

Kegels

Kegels are a proven method of treating and preventing weak pelvic floor muscles. Kegels are a series of contractions followed by the release of the pelvic floor muscles. This isometric squeeze strengthens the muscles so that they can perform their functions properly. Doctors recommend that people do 100 minutes of traditions a week to maintain their pelvic floor muscles to prevent incontinence and other symptoms of muscle weakness.

What do we need to know about fitness as we age

At 53 I know how this feels. I’ve gone through a full body and weight loss transformation, ACL reconstruction, multiple injuries, childbirth, an emergency c section, perimenopause, and menopause, and it is imperative that you start taking care of yourself today.

You must strengthen yourself from the inside out and this strength comes from the Word and it’s what helps you work out. Read your Bible and choose God-made food even when you don’t want to.

Take this very important step.

Look at your calendar and choose when you will spend time with God. When you will workout. I call this the fit power hour and I have a freebie to help you. It’s Step 3 in my best-selling Christian Fitness Book 10 Steps to Your Faith-Inspired Transformation, F.I.T.

Creating this time is vital to your long-term health. Check out the free guides and my book to start taking action today, trust me, your future self will thank you!

Before you go, sister, I want to pray for you!

Dear God,

Thank you for the blessing of doing life with my sisters. We come to you in absolute awe and gratitude. Help us center ourselves on you and step back to see the whole blessed picture of our lives and not focus on the trials.

These trials will come but let them show us you are so much bigger. The enemy wants us to focus on our problems or why we can’t do things or wonder if it’s biblical, so give us clarity. Today we choose to partner with you and pull ourselves up and out of what keeps us down or stuck.

We lift our hands to you and ask that you give us the strength, grace, and determination to live for you and take the very best care of ourselves. We love you with all of our hearts.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Faith Fuel

Here is one last bit of Faith Fuel before you go!

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

Come say hello on social Facebook or Instagram and tell me what you thought of this episode and if you have any questions you'd like me to answer in an upcoming episode.

Remember you are Strong. Confident. His.

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