We maaaade it! Friiiiday!
Earlier this week, I launched a poll on IG Stories, and 99% of you voted in favor of a ‘day in the life / what I eat in a day’ post. So, here we are. If you’re new to Wellness with Edie, welcome. I’m a Californian, born and bred. I like pizza and photography, exploring Colorado in the summertime, and I’m obsessed with my parents’ dog, Whiskey. I’m married to a strapping Finnish guy, all thanks to a little app called Tinder. On an average weekday, you can find me balancing a handful of jobs in the digital sphere, namely influencer marketing and copywriting. I’m also a holistic health coach. When I’m able to pry myself from my keyboard, I’m cooking, moving my body, seeing friends, or watching the Great British Baking Show.
In terms of the way I eat, it’s fairly straightforward. I eat in a flexible, feel-good way. I’m conscious about what I put in my body, but not to the detriment of my relationship with food. Make sense? In essence, I incorporate what’s known as intuitive eating. I eat based on a combination of what I’m craving, what my body responds well to, and what satiates me. However, this hasn’t always been the case. Thanks to a breakup that rocked my world, coupled with my desire for a super lean and toned body, I experienced disordered eating in my early / mid-twenties. Thankfully, I said sayonara to diet culture in 2016. Since then, there’s been no looking back.
To the here and now: I love starting my day with a hearty breakfast, I try and get my greens in, and I like to keep things simple. I also eat dessert every day. I don’t count calories, macros, or adhere to any specific diet. While I do have PCOS, there’s a lot (A LOT) of information out there about how a woman with PCOS should eat. Through trial and error, I’ve ultimately realized that the more rules I create around how I should eat, the more imbalanced my body becomes. Nowadays, I eat a combination of nutrient-dense foods as well as things that curb my cravings (read: the bread basket). However most of the time, I stick to gluten-free and dairy-free eats, mainly because that helps reduce inflammation in my body. Beyond a mindful relationship with food, I don’t overexercise. I prioritize sleep, and I have a regular acupuncture routine. I engage with the people I love, and I limit the time I spend on social media. Personally, all of these things have brought a whole new meaning to my mental, physical, and spiritual health.
Onto the good stuff! Here’s what I ate on Wednesday:
Breakfast: Bowl of overnight oats (quick-cook oats, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, vegan chocolate protein powder, a chopped date, frozen blueberries, and enough almond milk to bring it to a soup-y consistency) + half an apple with ground cinnamon + almond butter on top of my oats. I make my oats right before bedtime and et voilà, breakfast is served. I ate this while working away.
Mid-morning: I usually have a mid-morning snack, but today I was feeling some chocolate milk and tea. Some mornings, I have a protein bar or yogurt with granola to tide me over until lunch. Today, I wasn’t terribly hungry. That said, I also drink water (all day long) outta my favorite Healthy Human stein.
Lunch: Since I didn’t have a mid-morning snack, I wound up having an early lunch. Two pasture-raised eggs, scrambled in ghee + a side salad with quinoa + and a large piece of toast with avocado.
Mid-afternoon: I typically have health coaching client calls in the afternoon, but I didn’t have any on Wednesday. I took the liberty of walking downtown and doing a bit of Christmas shopping. Before leaving, I had a small bowl of chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips. Craving, satisfied. Once I came home, I caught up on emails then shut my computer for the day.
Dinner: I met my sister for dinner here. It’s one of our faves. We started with bread + olive oil and split their arugula, goat cheese, and beet salad. I went with seared salmon as my entrée, but their pizzas (more like flat breads) are so delicious. For my Denver friends, Marcella’s does a great happy hour!
Dessert: I came home and polished off the rest of my pint of ice cream, topped with chocolate chips and walnuts. So yes, I had dessert twice in one day. 🙂
That’s it! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
"I eat a combination of nutrient-dense foods as well as things that curb my cravings" – Edie – explain two things for me. What are nutrient-dense foods? The cravings I get are generally for food that’s likely not going to make me feel good after I eat it (read – Fritos Corn Chips). How do you identify foods that satiate the cravings while also being somewhat nutritious?
Great question, BR. 😉
Nutrient-dense foods are your leafy greens, fruits / veggies, whole grains, nuts / seeds, high quality protein, and superfoods. All of these REAL foods (without chemicals, preservatives, etc.) provide the building blocks for everything your body needs — essential fats, complex carbs, protein, hydration, and fiber. Nutrient-dense foods are sort like premium gasoline…and you want premium gasoline when you’re filling up a Tesla ;). If you can’t shake a craving for Fritos Corn Chips, either have a handful alongside something that’s nutrient-dense (a salad with healthy fats and protein!) or find a more nutritious alliterative, i.e. Garden of Eatin’ corn tortilla chips. On a daily basis, I’m all for making healthier swaps for your favorite less-healthy foods. But, life is short and sometimes, you just need the Fritos. 😉