#girlsrunfast

My First 5K; Dedicated To My Father

June 15, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 11 Comments

I’m really excited because tomorrow morning (Sunday), I am running my first 5k! I’ve walked 5ks before, and I’ll probably walk a good amount of this one because I am doing it with a friend, but this is the beginning of a new chapter for me. I’m going into it with the mindset of a runner, and I notice that it is helping me to think of what I want to do to prepare for my half marathons coming up in the next six months.

My race schedule so far this year:

Culver City 5k/10k Run/Walk
San Diego Beer Run 5k on Aug. 23
San Francisco Nike Women’s Half Marathon on Oct. 19 (Thank you Fit Approach and Team In Training) #WeRunSF
Zion Half Marathon on March 14 (2015) #ZionHalf

I am dedicating the Culver City 5k to my dad. He lives in Ohio (where I am from), and we have always been very close. I live in Los Angeles now, and it’s difficult being away from him and my mom. Since the 5k is on Father’s Day, I’ve decided to participate as an independent woman/runner/mental health advocate/overall health advocate, because that’s who my father raised me to be. I’ve gone through a huge transition in my life this past year, and this is the very first Father’s Day I will not be able to see my dad.

So Dad, this one’s for you. <3

This is my dad & I saying our goodbyes at the airport in Cleveland before I boarded my one-way flight to Los Angeles in Feb. 2013. I love you Dad. Happy Father’s Day <3

xo, Lyndsay (or as he calls me, Lynz)

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Bipolar Disorder Fitness Nutrition Personal

After An Entire Year, My Mindset Is Finally In Alignment

May 28, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 40 Comments

I have so much excitement and happiness, I don’t even know where to begin! The past year has been wonderful, but very rough. I moved to Los Angeles from Cleveland in February 2013, and the life event threw me into the worst bipolar depression I have ever experienced. It hit me hard at the end of April/beginning of May 2013. I barely left my apartment for five months. I laid on our mattress.. in my living room.. on the floor.. in the AC.. with the blinds closed.. for FIVE MONTHS. I watched 14 seasons of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. That takes serious dedication (to my living room floor).

During this time, I didn’t care about my physical health. When my mental health is that messy, it’s hard for me to even shower (my boyfriend can vouch for this). As hard as it was to admit, I gained a lot of weight. I ate the worst possible foods, and my addiction to soda showed up again (I had given it up for good that past December).

Fast forward to today. I read somewhere that our mindset needs to be in alignment with our nutrition plan, or we won’t stick to it. Well, guess what? My mindset is finally in alignment with my goals! Oh my gosh, it feels SO good! I have had a serious sugar addiction that seemed almost impossible to get through. I’m currently detoxing and withdrawing from sugar, and these are the symptoms I am experiencing right now:

itchy ears (how weird, right?!)
itchy eyes
sinus congestion (immune system becomes suppressed)
severe migraine (withdrawal is no joke, I have no idea how I’m even looking at a computer screen lol)
hives

But it is worth it. Because these symptoms will eventually go away, and I am finally able to not have soda! I’m finally able to not have chocolate, or ice cream, or grains, or refined sugars/carbs. Yeah, it’s still challenging, but my mind is so clear on my goals that I am able to not have those things! I so badly want to be healthy. I want my digestive issues (candida, leaky gut, etc) to be better. I want to lose this weight (not necessarily to look better, but to feel better). I want to run a half marathon (13.1 miles) this year. I want to be able to somewhat control my moods and emotions.

I posted this status on Facebook yesterday:

“It’s an amazing thing, when you REALLY start to pay attention to how certain foods affect your body. Something that is healthy for one individual may not be as healthy for another individual. I always ate what I perceived to be “healthy” and never truly paid attention to how my body was affected by it. This is why one “diet” (diet meaning what you eat.. the actual meaning of the word) is not best for everyone. I follow mostly a paleo diet, however there are certain paleo-approved foods that I cannot have (and certain non-paleo foods I can have). Tailor your diet/nutrition to whatever fuels YOUR body best.”

Life is completely different when you learn to eat for your health, as opposed to weight loss. When you learn how to have a sustainable diet (again, diet meaning what we eat). I am even learning how to cook and enjoying it! I have never liked cooking haha.

cookbooks

I am loving my Practical Paleo and 21-Day Sugar Detox cookbooks from Balanced Bites! I used them to make dinner for my boyfriend yesterday (which he loved!). *Side note: the 21-Day Sugar Detox comes in two parts: the cookbook and the guide book.

I am learning to love my body and myself each and every day. People who say “I’ll be happy when I am this weight.. this size.. this wealthy..” and so on, those people will not find happiness. Not authentically, anyway. I used to be one of them. But we get to live in the moment, and love ourselves every single day, as we are.

Photo of me at a self-love yoga session with my friend & mentor Elyse

So my point of all this is that it feels so good to have my mindset on track after an entire year! I cannot stress enough how important it is to practice self-love and personal development (read books, go to therapy, join a support group, whatever it is for you), and also to really listen to your body. Pay attention to the foods that serve you and the foods that don’t. Eat for your health. Our bodies are so incredible, they fight so hard for us, don’t we want to fuel it properly?

xo, Lyndsay

How do you get your mindset in alignment with your goals?
Was it easy for you, or a struggle? Share below in the comments! 🙂

Bipolar Disorder Fitness Nutrition Personal SoCal

GetFitWithLynds is now The Balanced Brunette

May 19, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 13 Comments

I am sooo incredibly excited to announce that GetFitWithLynds is now The Balanced Brunette! I’m sure it has been a little confusing for some (even myself!), since the name change is so sudden and different, but I am beyond excited for this next chapter!

The reason behind the name change:

When my blog was GetFitWithLynds, it was geared toward fitness only (along with nutrition) and coaching. The more I wrote, the more I realized my passion isn’t only fitness, nutrition, and coaching. I am very passionate about sharing my experiences with bipolar disorder. I help myself by helping others know they are not alone. I am vulnerable and open for those who don’t yet have the strength. I also want to become more involved in the Los Angeles lifestyle, and share about that! There are so many amazing events that happen here, I would be silly not to get involved. 🙂

The meaning behind the name:

I chose The Balanced Brunette for a couple reasons. For one, it felt right. I kept thinking of other names, but this is the one I kept coming back to. For two, balance is the theme of my life (and many others, of course). I have always been attracted to the yin & yang symbol. Having a chemical imbalance, it’s only natural that I am attracted to balance. In my mind, body, and life. Mental, physical, and spiritual. For three, I’m a proud brunette! Haha, but seriously.

I’ve changed all my social media accounts to match my blog. I hope you will follow me on this amazing, exciting journey!

Twitter & Pinterest: @balancebrunette

Instagram: @thebalancedbrunette

Facebook: thebalancedbrunette

Blog: thebalancedbrunette.com

Xoxo,

Lyndsay

Fitness Nutrition

Energems Review + A Giveaway!

May 17, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 19 Comments

I had the wonderful opportunity of reviewing Energems and jumped at the chance! I have had issues with energy for as long as I can remember. I’ve tried (what feels like) everything, and wanted to see how Energems would work for me!

Not only are Energems effective, but they’re delicious! They are literally like big M&Ms®. And taste like it! There’s a bit of a weird aftertaste, but it only lasts a few seconds or so. There are three flavors: chocolate, mint, and peanut butter.

What I love about Energems is that they are convenient. I am always on the go (I nanny, dogsit, dogwalk, work at a wellness center, and more!), so convenience is perfect. Knowing I can wake up, eat some delicious chocolate, and get energy from that is perfect! Plus, they’re only 45 calories per serving (3 pieces). Love it! The energy burst comes from a proprietary energy blend of D-Glucuronolactone, Taurine, Caffeine, and Suntheanine® (L-Theanine), and also B-vitamins. Plus, it’s made with real milk chocolate!

I definitely recommend Energems for people who want an energy boost, especially on the go! With that, I am doing a GIVEAWAY for one winner! I tried all three flavors for myself, but saved the other three boxes for one lucky person!

To be eligible to win:

Comment below what you’ve tried for an energy boost
Follow The Balanced Brunette on Instagram
Like The Balanced Brunette on Facebook

Simple as that! The giveaway ends on Wednesday, May 21 at 9 p.m. PST. Good luck!!!

To check out Energems and purchase some of your own (you know you want to), visit their website here.

Thank you Energems for the opportunity to try and review your amazing product!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one the products mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.