Tag Archives: exercise

How restrictive dieting (low calories) negatively impacts your thyroid

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Your thyroid is a 🦋-shaped gland that powers every cell in your body. It sets the pace for your body to function and operate.

Thyroid health can be so confusing, especially because you don’t need to be diagnosed with a thyroid disorder to suffer from thyroid issues. Hypothyroidism or sluggish thyroid is much more common in women than hyperthyroidism—see symptoms on slide 6.

Swipe👉🏻 to learn how chronic dieting, under-eating, under-nourishing can lead to impaired thyroid function.

It’s important to understand that the years of stressors (Like: undernourishment, overexercising, lack of rest, sunlight, constant stimulation, trauma, halogen exposure, etc.) will not disappear overnight.

Here are some areas to focus on to bring back balance:

Managing STRESS — Developing positive stress coping mechanisms like: journaling, getting outside, asking for help, breath work, taking a bath, therapy, &hanging with pets. Be sure to prioritize morning and bedtime routines, quality sleep, gentle exercise, and support your circadian rhythm by getting enough natural light (and less blue light exposure).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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NUTRIENTS — Our thyroid requires specific minerals, like Vit. A, iodine, zinc, copper, selenium, etc. to properly function. Focus on nutrient-dense foods like shrimp, organ meats, bone broth, quality dairy, &fresh fruits.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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DIGESTION — We need to properly break down and absorb our food to get the nutrients our thyroid requires. We also need enough stomach acid for a healthy digestive process. Try adding in digestive bitters if you suffer from digestive issues.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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TOXINS — Specific chemicals called halogens (bromine, chlorine, and fluorine) compete with iodine and bind to thyroid receptors, preventing thyroid hormones from working properly. Filtering fluoride and chloride out of your drinking and bath/shower water helps those with thyroid dysfunction.⠀⠀⠀

Looking for more support navigating your cycle with fitness & nutrition? Check out my FREE guide & pro-metabolic strength training guide available for purchase!

LINK to apply for 1:1 coaching 🫶🏻

#onlinepersonaltrainer#onlinefitnesscoach#chronicdieting#hormoneimbalance#womenshealth#strengthtrainingforwomen
#thyroid#thyroidhealth#fitnessjourney

Challenging the ALL or NOTHING self-talk:

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🗣 ALL or NOTHING Self-talk

This type of thinking is between two extremes: you are either a success or a failure. If you’re not perfect, then you’re a disaster.

This mindset is too strict, which leaves no leeway for mishaps which are inevitable.

In a previous post, we dove into common types of negative self-talk: The worrier, the critic, the perfectionist, the victim and how we interpret external events and our self-talk directly afterwards greatly influence our feelings and reactions.

The two most effective ways to deal with negative self-talk is to question it & counter it with neural/positive supportive statements. You can weaken the hold of your negative self-statements by exposing them to any of the following Socratic questions or rational investigation. Countering involves writing down & rehearsing positive statements that directly refute or invalidate your negative self-talk.

I wanted to provide some of examples & work throughs that may be helpful in developing the habit of re-framing and countering negative self-talk.

Looking for more support navigating your cycle with fitness & nutrition? Check out my FREE guide & pro-metabolic strength training guide available for purchase!

LINK to apply for 1:1 coaching 💛

#onlinepersonaltrainer#onlinenutritioncoach#personaltrainer#nutritioncoach#allornothing#mindsetmatters#selftalk#selftalkmatters#mentalhealthawareness#mentalhealth#cognitivebehavioraltherapy#selfawareness#healthcoach#dietculturedropout#reframingthoughts#negativeselftalk#negativeselfhelp#fitnessmotivation#explorepage

What is self-talk? and WHY is it so important?

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🗣 Self-talk 🗣
On average, we have between 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day, this means between 35 and 48 thoughts per minute per person.

“I am not worthy, I’m not lean enough, I’ll never be able to do ____” or maybe it’s the voice of someone else “you’re too chubby, you’re too skinny, you don’t deserve this…” etc

Self-talk is that voice in your head that operates from auto pilot. You’re evaluating, judging and affirming things that you’ve been reinforced throughout your life. What you’re communicating to yourself about your life is what you’re reinforcing all day long.

Which of the negative self-talk sub personalities is the strongest for you? I’d appreciate hearing from y’all 👇🏻
For me, I have a bit of all four 😂😭 mostly the critic though.

💡 A large focus on my coaching process is working with clients to counter their negative self-talk, learn how to reframe their thinking & improve overall outlook on life ❤️

Your self-talk is like a movie soundtrack & you’re narrating all the nuances and happenings in your life— make it positive to see and feel the shift ✨

Source: The anxiety and phobia workbook by Edmund J Bourne, PHD

Looking for more support navigating your cycle with fitness & nutrition? Check out my FREE guide & pro-metabolic strength training guide available for purchase!

LINK to apply for 1:1 coaching 💛

Reasons to move your body, that aren’t weight or appearance focused!

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Intention is 🔑 👇🏻

🧠 Intention is a mental state that represents a commitment to carry out an action or actions. Intention involves mental activities such as planning (If this happens, then I’ll do that) and forethought (Reflective to reflexive).

Have you ever thought about WHY you are engaging in your fitness & nutrition routine?

One of the main drivers behind WHY I used to exercise was to “change my body.” I spent years dieting and exercising to change my body and make her look a certain way. To be accepted. To be seen as worthy. These past few years, I’ve done some deep soul digging, therapy, and LOTS of unlearning and relearning. In this process, I found the Body Neutrality movement which promotes accepting and appreciating your body for what it can do for you, rather than for how it looks.

Instead of aesthetics being the main intention, the focus is more on how you want to FEEL and cultivating a positive body image through developing body appreciation.

Exercise is not meant to be a punishment. If your body needs a rest day, then give it a rest day. I work closely with my clients to build their programming with activities that they enjoy. More recreation, more walks, more FUN!

If your focus is to
•Improve confidence 🦸‍♀️
•Increase strength & performance 💪🏻
•Boost mood 😆
•Stress relief 😮‍💨
•Improve sleep 💤
•Boost energy ⚡️

You’re more likely to develop a positive body image through developing body appreciation. And have more FUN 🤩 in the process!

Exercise and movement are not meant to feel like a complete chore or punishment!

There are many reasons to move your body besides wanting to change the way you look. 💗

I work closely with clients to build their fitness programming with activities that they enjoy. We work to create a healthy relationship with exercise that is flexible and fulfilling. Not punishment or deprivation.

Looking for more support navigating your cycle with fitness & nutrition? Check out my pro-metabolic strength training guide! Check “programs” highlight reel to learn more!

✌🏼Link to apply for coaching 💗

#dietculturedropout#bodyneutrality#bodyneutral#onlinepersonaltrainer#onlinefitnesscoach#fitnessmotivation#motivation#intentions#desire#goals#personaltrainer#infographic#explorepage

Loss of Smell/Taste & Thyroid Function PART 1

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Most individuals think that the immune system is a separate from thyroid function, but this is not the case.

Body temperature has been shown to correlate with mortality in C-19 patients. Low basal temperature possibly indicates less thyroid immunity and reduce functionality to deal with a threat.

🤔Could this be why some of us have lost smell/taste for extended periods of time? And/or developed Paromsia?

I firmly believe that in supporting thyroid & adrenal health, increasing Whole Foods like oysters 🦪 that are rich in Zinc & selenium are crucial aspects to bringing healing.

Long periods without eating, chronic stress, Birth control all impact thyroid function. & Low thyroid hormone can also impact neurotransmitters, & cause low dopamine levels leading to a loss of motivation and willpower, compounding with other issues, such as elevated cholesterol, triglycerides and gallstones. Low thyroid hormone leads to poor digestive function, including low digestive enzymes and constipation. More of this will be covered in part II post!

Sources: Keith Littlewood BSc, PgDip, MSc Endocrinology – check out his page @tommolittlewood

doi:10.1186s13054-020-03045-8

#lostsmellandtaste#lostsmell#nosmell#parosmia#rottensmell#parosmiaawareness#parosmiatips#weirdsmell#smelldisorders#smellsbad#nutritionist#losstaste#parosmiarecovery#proteinpacked#thyroidhealing#thyroid

What you THINK will fix your body image VS what ACTUALLY fixes body image

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REAL TAlK 💥
Weight loss does not equal a better body image, or more happiness. Before you think going on a diet is the answer….👇🏻👇🏻

In recent studies, body appreciation & gratitude towards the body have been the central organizing variables within how to cultivate positive body image.

🤗Body appreciation has been defined as accepting, holding favorable opinions towards, and respecting the body, while also rejecting media, promoted appearance ideals as the only form of human beauty. (Avalon et al., 2005)

For me, I spent decades dieting and exercising to change my body and make her look a certain way. To be accepted. To be seen as worthy. These last two years I’ve done some deep soul digging to rebuild my identity around fitness to be coming from a place of excitement and joy. ✨✨

Body Neutral Fitness which is shifting the intention behind WHY you workout. 💪🏻 🏋🏻‍♀️

Instead of aesthetics being the main intention, the focus is more on how you want to FEEL, how you want to LIVE and optimizing your lifestyle to get there. Through this we are also cultivating a more positive body image through developing body appreciation.

To be clear-What we do together is not just a diet plan, or a cookie-cutter workout program.

✌🏼Link in bio to apply for coaching!
More info http://www.meganmefit.com

Sources:
•Body Image 12 (2015) 53-67
•DOI: 10.1.1002/eat.23238

#onlinepersonaltrainer#personaltrainer#fitnesscoach#dietculturedropout#bodyimage#bodyimageissues#bodyimagehealing#bodyimagemovement#bodyneutrality#bodyneutralfitness#weightloss#mindsetiseverything#mindsetmatters#confidence#healthcoach#wellness

Lessons learned as a Fitness Competitor PODCAST INTERVIEW 91

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It’s the time of year where committing to the “weight loss journey” and “improving our health” often begins.

So many people look to diets and detoxes to make up for all the food they ate over the holidays; unfortunately, these programs cater to the “quick fix” mentality because it’s easier to follow a 30 day detox than to improve your habits and overall lifestyle.

We are wired to look for a quick and easy solution rather than seeking long-term results.

A new diet can start off with good intentions, but can escalate quickly into an eating disorder-especially in women!

The National Eating Disorders Association reports that 35% of “normal dieters” progress to pathological dieting and that 20-25% of those individuals develop eating disorders.

I was honored to be a guest on Despina’s podcast episode 91

👉Link in Bio to listen!

As you know, my message centers on shifting away from the diet mentality, over exercising, and “earning” your food, and refocusing on learning to appreciate & respect your body.

We can easily fall into the traps of the diet and fitness industry. We constantly chase perfection and the desire to alter our bodies because we live with the belief that we are not good enough. We want to be a smaller size, a smaller number on the scale. The diet industry survives and thrives if we continue to feel and think that we are not good enough, and define our success by these parameters.

Here’s what we discuss in the episode:

I share my fitness/health journey coming from a fitness/bodybuilding competition background & the health repercussions of competing
Popular fitness myths
How to avoid bad fitness advice
How reverse dieting can be good for weight loss and for building a better relationship with food
Body neutral fitness

Can’t wait to hear what you think!

Comment below your favorite takeaway. Thank you for taking the time to listen!

Megan Leigh: Reverse Dieting for Weight Loss #91

Assessing Thyroid Function by using Basal Body Temperature

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The thyroid is considered the “controller” of metabolism function from a cellular level. Metabolism can be thought of as the rate of energy production in the cell and the speed at which all processes happen in the body.

One way to assess thyroid function is by tracking basal body temp. This can be done under the tongue or armpit. You should do this this upon waking first thing and after your first meal. You can continue to do so before/after workouts which can give you clarity into how you’re responding to your training as well.

TEMPERATURE🌡
➡️Offers insight into your thyroid health
➡️Can indicate if ovulation has happened
➡️Provides insight to how well your body is using the energy you give it (Your body is like a thermostat; it produces heat when it can properly utilize your food for energy🔥)
➡️Provides insight to how well you are recovering from training

Low body temperatures are indicative of low thyroid function, possible inflammation, suppressed immune function, digestive problems, high stress, and estrogen dominance.

A warm body is linked with better immune function, good thyroid function, reduced inflammation, fertility, good elimination of toxins, and efficient and effective digestion.

Ideally, your temperature should sit between in Follicular phase is 97.2-97.8 F, Optimal average BBT second half: 98.4 F, with it being lowest in the morning and increasing after each meal and as your day continues.

PULSE💓
➡️Indicates how well your body & tissues are taking in nutrients and oxygen
➡️Shows the rate at which your body and your body’s tissues are capable of using and taking in nutrients and oxygen

An optimal resting pulse rate sits between 75-90 beats per minute.

This information goes directly against what we are taught in the fitness industry! I love this post from a colleague that discusses it more!

Using both temperature and pulse can show you a bigger picture.

If you have: a higher temperature and higher pulse OR a normal temperature and higher pulse → you’re likely actively stressed.

If you have: a lower temperature and lower pulse OR a normal temperature and lower pulse → you’re likely chronically stressed and experiencing some kind of metabolic suppression.

When temperature is consistently below 97.8 that indicates hypofunction of thyroid.

These tests aren’t 100% accurate, other things affect them. Use them alongside the other markers mentioned above ( aka do not look at them in isolation) to give you insight into your current metabolic state and what you need to improve.

To read more about the doctor that pioneered these tests grab a book called Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness – by Dr Broda Barnes.

Feeling lost and wanting more guidance in navigating thyroid health? Apply for coaching today!

Healthy vs Unhealthy relationship with exercise

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Have you ever thought about WHY you are engaging in your fitness & nutrition routine?

SWIPE through images below!

Over a year ago when the gyms shut down, it illuminated that I had obsessive compulsive exercise behaviors. I NEEDED the gym. It was my therapy. Now I know, therapy is therapy. And while exercise can enhance our mental state, for me how I was doing it, was destroying my mental & physical health.

Exercise addiction is a state characterized by a compulsive engagement in any form of physical exercise, despite negative consequences.

While regular exercise is generally a healthy activity, exercise addiction generally involves performing excessive amounts of exercise to the detriment of physical health.

It may also involve a state of dependence upon regular exercise, which involves the occurrence of severe withdrawal symptoms when the individual is unable to exercise.

Exercise addiction shows a high comorbidity with eating disorders with approximately 39-48% of people that have an eating disorder being addicted to exercise.

TLDR: An unhealthy relationship with exercise tends to involve rules and rigidity, be joyless, shame-based, and shame inducing.
A healthy relationship with exercise tends to be flexible and fulfilling. It varies in the type of movement we are doing and the amount of time we are devoting to that activity.

🙌🏼Freedom is exactly what I wanted, I wanted to live my life full of joy and experiences, outside of obsessing about my food and workouts.

🙌🏼And now I am doing just that.

💯 I choose every day to nourish my body, to eat enough food, I give myself plenty of permission for rest days, I train 3-4 times a week max. My health is improving, my soul is thriving! Patience is 🔑

If you’re wanting to improve your relationship with fitness & nutrition —Click here to apply for coaching❤️

#onlinepersonaltrainer#personaltrainer#onlinenutritioncoach#dietculturedropout#healthylifestyle#disorderedeating#compulsiveexerciserecovery#exerciseaddict#fitnessmotivation#fitness#balancedlifestyle

Fitness has much more to offer than a side-by-side photo!

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There are many things not depicted in a before/after photo. IE: What were the eating behaviors, relationship with food, was it restrictive? What were their exercise behaviors like? Did they prioritize rest, recovery and hormonal health, and other biofeedback? Did they develop more confidence in the gym or an obsession about being lean & athletic? Was their training performance better? Or worse?

What’s problematic behind these images: By nature, they create comparison & It suggests an endpoint, where the AFTER is the life and body of their dreams and everything is perfect. 😬🙅🏻‍♀️That’s not how it works.

There are NO before & afters. It’s all just during! It’s time to focus on the journey, 🗺 not a false destination! 📍

To be clear I’m not 💯 against before/after photos, they can be a great tool when used correctly if your mindset and relationship with your body are both in a good place. 🎯

As my coaching friend @rpendakur puts it “The job of a good coach is not only help you reach your goals; it’s also to minimize risk and get you there in the healthiest way possible. This doesn’t always mean the fastest way or according to your timeline. It also doesn’t mean that this will automatically happen in six, eight, or 12 weeks, even though transformations are constantly sold to us as such.”

That’s why in my coaching process we focus on body neutral fitness, & how they want to FEEL when they accomplish our goals. Success is a feeling ✨✨
•Reflecting on improved mood, energy and confidence
•Improved strength & endurance
•Less aches and pains
Just to name a few!

❤️Click here to Apply for coaching!


#beforeafter#transformationphoto#onlinepersonaltrainer#onlinehealthcoach#onlinenutritioncoach#fitness#fitnesscoach#onlinefitnesscoach#dietculturedropout#fitnessmotivation#newyorkfitness#trainerizetrainer#foodforthought#tweet#tweetgram#motivationmonday#bodyneutrality#bodyneutral#bodyneutralfitness