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Bipolar Disorder Nutrition Personal

My Current Nutrition Plan, & Why It Has Nothing To Do With Anyone But Myself

April 26, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 16 Comments

There are two main reasons for this post.

  1. To hold me accountable and to document my progress with my new nutrition plan
  2. To clear up any confusion as to WHY I am doing this nutrition plan

Let’s start with what the plan is. It’s called the GAPS diet. GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome and was developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. Basically, my digestive system is in poor health. When I am stressed, I eat a lot of sugar and refined carbs. Read my previous post about my sugar addiction for a little bit of a background. In addition to this, I have bipolar disorder. I don’t want to take medication for the rest of my life, and I am very aware that good nutrition and regular fitness are very important for both physical and mental health. I decided to take a mental health coaching program from a holistic wellness coach who has bipolar disorder, and has successfully managed her bipolar without medication for one year.

I started the program with her almost two weeks ago, and officially started the GAPS diet this past Wednesday. My coach, Nellie, recommended this nutrition plan for me because I need to get my digestion under control. Every symptom I’ve been having is directly related to an unhealthy gut. I have candida, which is a fungus that overgrows when we consume too much sugar and refined carbs. I have almost every single symptom of it (and now it all makes sense!):

  • chronic fatigue
  • digestive issues
  • difficulty concentrating/foggy brain
  • irritability, mood swings, depression, anxiety
  • seasonal allergies and itchy ears (I’ve never had itchy ears before- so weird)
  • strong sugar and refined carb cravings (oh my gosh, it’s awful)
  • skin rashes — I have had hives 3 times in the past 4 weeks. A couple nights ago, I woke up at 4:30 am with severe hives on both my arms. Here’s a picture (it was not pleasant and rather scary, actually):

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It’s not only physical, but also mental. The GAPS diet is used for people with various mental health conditions, like depression, ADHD, schizophrenia, and so on. Having bipolar disorder, the GAPS diet is perfect. I told Nellie that I would be completely open and be the client (I’m used to being the health coach), and try out what she recommended for me. It has worked for her (and countless others), and I am really excited to see how it helps my mental stability! And of course the healthy body and weight loss will be great. 🙂

It really is a different feeling when you’re eating for health as opposed to eating for weight loss. It’s so much easier. Don’t get me wrong though, it is by no means EASY. It’s been four days and I am struggling. Sugar addiction is no joke. I crave it and I get really moody when I don’t have it. But I am finding alternatives, and today has been a really great nutrition day! So I feel optimistic about it.

While on the GAPS diet (however long I decide to be on it- at least five weeks), I cannot have grains/gluten, dairy, sugar, anything processed, and soy.

This leads me to the second point of this post.

I have been a health coach with Herbalife for exactly one and a half years in May. Herbalife has completely changed my life, and I am forever grateful for the company, the products, and the people who have helped me lose weight and go after my dreams! However, Herbalife meal replacement shakes contain soy. It was never a problem for me (like I said, it helped me to lose weight and feel amazing!), but I told Nellie I would be completely open, so that means stopping Herbalife for the five weeks or so that I am her client. I was hesitant about it at first, but not only am I paying my coach for the mental health coaching, I am committed to finding ways to treat my bipolar disorder holistically. Why would I do this program, and spend the entire however many weeks/months not doing what my coach asked me to do? As a coach, I know how frustrating that is! Having clients who you spend time on and give your all to, but they just won’t do what you ask them to do. I would be a hypocrite. It’s like what Seth Godin (my favorite blogger) said,

“If you don’t have the time to do it right the first time, then you don’t have the time to do it over.”

Because I am doing a nutrition plan that does not allow soy (which therefore does not allow Herbalife meal replacement shakes, except allergen-free, which is totally fine), I do not feel authentic when talking about it at this time. I get that some people will not understand this. That since I have been with Herbalife (and I am successful with it), I should only promote Herbalife, no matter what. And okay, I do get that for some people. But it doesn’t feel right in my heart promoting something that I am not currently doing. It is not authentic. It denies me integrity.

I will eventually introduce certain foods back into my diet, like my Herbalife shakes (trust me, I miss them!). I still love the products, I can still share about my experiences with them, and I still love the company. My current nutrition has nothing to do with Herbalife as a company or even a product. My current nutrition/situation has nothing to do with anyone or anything BUT ME.

I am still coaching clients. I am still building a team in Ohio. I feel good about the decision I’ve made, and I don’t have to explain myself to anyone. I just figured I’d clear a few things up. 🙂

I will be posting updates about my mental health coaching and GAPS diet weekly!

Filed Under: Bipolar Disorder, Nutrition, Personal Tagged With: #definebrave, #imfitpossible, #katiekactive, #sweatpink, #teamdeltalabs, ADHD, Ambassador, anxiety, bipolar disorder, California, candida, carbs, coach, cravings, depression, diet, digestion, focus, foggy brain, GAPS diet, gut, gut health, health, health coach, Herbalife, hives, holistic, mental health, mental illness, nutrition, SoCal, stomach, sugar, wellness

Ambassador Fitness Nutrition SoCal

I’m Going To IDEA World Fitness BlogFest 2014!

April 16, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 6 Comments

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Oh my gosh, I am beyond excited about this!! As a new blogger (started getfitwithlynds in December 2013), I’m clearly still learning so much about how to be an effective health and fitness blogger. Emily at Katie K Active and Taffy Activewear asked me if I was going to BlogFest, and I had absolutely no idea what it was. But of course it sounded awesome!

So I hopped on my computer and looked up IDEA World Fitness BlogFest with #sweatpink (Fit Approach) and saw that it is in Anaheim, California in August. Lucky for me, I live in Los Angeles, so Anaheim is super close! I actually travel there every quarter for Herbalife’s quarterly events. I just knew I HAD to go! I bought my ticket right then and there.

I’m so excited about this for two reasons:

  1. I get to learn about fitness blogging from the best fit bloggers out there.
  2. I get to meet fellow I’m Fit Possible Ambassadors, professionals in the IDEA Health and Fitness Association, health and fitness bloggers, and all the amazing people in the fitness/blogging community!

A good friend of mine, Jessica at Jessica Gets Fit, wants to go too, so we have been coordinating! Jess and I went to college together in Ohio (Cleveland area), and she has been a big help with my blogging! It will be so awesome if she can make it out here and we can attend this together!!

I have no doubt this will be a life-changing experience, and I cannot wait to immerse myself in everything BlogFest has to offer!

Are you going to IDEA World Fitness BlogFest this year??

Filed Under: Ambassador, Fitness, Nutrition, SoCal Tagged With: #IDEAworld, #imfitpossible, #sweatpink, #teamdeltalabs, 2014, active, Ambassador, Anaheim, August, blog, BlogFest 2014, blogger, California, classes, conference, Delta Labs, Fit Approach, fitness, fitness blogger, food, foodie, get fit, health, healthy, Herbalife, I'm Fit Possible, IDEA fit, IDEA World, IDEA World Fitness Conference, Katie K Active, learn, nutrition, school, SoCal, Taffy Activewear, workout

Bipolar Disorder Fitness Nutrition Personal

Health Coaches Need Coaching, Too; My Struggle With Sugar Addiction

April 14, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 28 Comments

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As most of you are already aware, I am a health & fitness coach, and I also live with bipolar disorder. A couple weeks ago, I was talking with my psychiatrist, and he said to me,

“Lyndsay, you are always taking care of your clients and inspiring them. You’re taking care of the kids you babysit and the dogs you care for. It’s great, but let me ask you, who inspires you?“

A simple question, but it hit me hard. In that moment, I wanted to break down and cry. I absolutely LOVE what I do as a coach. The progress my clients make, the breakthroughs, helping others to live longer.. it’s absolutely amazing! I am in awe every day of how wonderful my clients and friends are. I love the feeling of being needed. I’m sure there is a specific reason behind that, but like Miss Maudie said in To Kill A Mockingbird, “All anyone wants is to feel needed.” My career brings me satisfaction, happiness, and hope.

But at the same time, I am giving all my energy to my clients, and completely neglecting myself. How can I be a good coach/mentor if I am not taking care of my mind and body? Who can I go to when I am not feeling strong? When I need inspiration, motivation, and help with my nutrition? Yes, I know a good amount about health, nutrition, and fitness, but I don’t know it all.

As much as I don’t want to admit this, I am going to, because honesty is incredibly important. Not only for the people you’re talking to, but also for yourself. I have a sugar addiction. Like a hardcore, legit, anxiety-fueled addiction to sugar. I have dealt with this on and off throughout most of my life, but when I get incredibly stressed, I lose control completely.

I have felt myself slowly spiraling out of control over the past two months. Poor nutrition, poor fitness, poor mental health. It is a vicious cycle. I feel sad/stressed, so I want to eat something that will release dopamine and endorphins, so I eat sugar (it’s comforting). But the comedown from that sugar causes me to feel depressed/anxious/stressed… and the cycle continues.

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This photo represents the cycle of addiction. Any addiction. Did you know sugar addiction is similar to heroin addiction? It is very, very real.

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This is specifically what happens in your body when you consume sugar. Endless, awful cycle.

You know how they say that people come into your life for a reason, and at the perfect time? It’s amazing! I was searching through blogs and stumbled upon Lifelong Wellness Coaching with Nellie Russell. I originally found her through her blog, Bipolar Out Loud, and saw that she offers mental health coaching. It’s something I’ve never considered, but something I definitely wanted to try. It’s similar to therapy, but I also get a meal plan catered to me and my physical/mental health issues.. plus Nellie has bipolar disorder as well, so she totally gets me. It’s a little different getting life coaching from someone who lives with what you live with, as opposed to someone who only studied it. Totally not discounting what therapists do, but it’s just a different experience.

My first session was tonight, and oh my gosh, I already feel like a new person. I have hope again. I don’t feel stressed (and I’ve been stressed ALL day.. hellooo taxes). It feels so good to allow myself to be the client, and to go into a coaching program with an open mind. I get so caught up in helping other people transform their lives (which again, I LOVE), that I forget to transform my own life. I am excited for what these sessions bring, and I am excited to improve my life. Physical and mental health go hand-in-hand, and it is time for me take full control of them both!

  • Have you ever dealt with any type of food addiction? If so, how did you get through it?
  • If you are a coach (or in any profession like it), how do you stay inspired? Who helps you?

Filed Under: Bipolar Disorder, Fitness, Nutrition, Personal Tagged With: #imfitpossible, #teamdeltalabs, addiction, Ambassador, anxiety, bipolar disorder, blood sugar, carbs, client, coach, cycle, depression, detox, diet, dopamine, endorphins, fitness, fitness coach, food, foodie, happiness, health coach, help, Herbalife, hope, meal plan, mental health, mental health coach, mental illness, nutrition, physical, SoCal, strength, stress, strong, struggle, sugar, thin, transformation, wellness, workout

Fitness SoCal

Eternal Happiness

April 12, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 8 Comments

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Being active and carefree makes me so happy! I love hiking with my boyfriend Tim (see picture below) because we have such a child-like excitement about life and each other! We have fun with everything we do. This moment was actually us falling in love. So amazing having that in a photo.

Quick back story about my relationship with Tim. My best girlfriend growing up, Amanda, is cousins with Tim. So I have known Tim since I was 6 years old! I am now 26. So yep, 20 years! We were best friends growing up, but only that. He went on to the navy after high school, and settled in California. I was visiting him for a week in November 2012 (just as friends), and we fell in love! It was totally unexpected, and totally magical. My love for Tim changed my life forever! I moved to California to be with him three months later. <3

This is us hiking through Eaton Canyon on the same day the above picture was taken. We didn’t realize we loved each other, but it was clear that something was happening! Things were starting to change, and these pictures are amazing because we were falling in love in them. Love captured on camera.

hiking with tim

I love the picture of me so much because pure happiness was captured, in that exact moment. And it makes me so happy to see it! Some cultures used to believe that taking pictures stole your soul. This is the complete opposite. This picture has immortalized my soul and happiness.

Do you have moments of pure happiness caught on camera??

Hop on over to my Facebook page and share YOUR moments of happiness captured on camera!! 😀

Filed Under: Fitness, SoCal Tagged With: #definebrave, #imfitpossible, #teamdeltalabs, active, Ambassador, boyfriend, camera, eaton canyon, fitness, happiness, happy, Herbalife, hiking, in love, innocent, love, moment, mountain, nutrition, passion, picture, pure, real, SoCal

Personal SoCal

Be Present

January 13, 2014 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

This past weekend, I was in Anaheim, CA for Herbalife’s Quarterly Event: January Spectacular. It is a two day event where we learn from the best health coaches and business builders around the country on how to improve in our business and personal lives.

Every three months, there is a BIG event. This event (JanSpec) was my fourth big event since joining Herbalife. And this was the first event in the past 14 months where I did not have anxiety and I did not want to “just get through it.” I was very present at JanSpec. Usually I am on my phone (Facebook, Instagram, texting) throughout most the training, and constantly checking the time wondering “when will it end?”

But not this time!

My mentor Elyse asked me last night, “So what is different this time?” I told her I KNOW this is my career, and I am now mentally stable enough to where I can process everything. There are so many trainers that go on stage and give so much information- often times it gets overwhelming for me because I cannot process it correctly. But not anymore!

The biggest difference: I know this is where I belong. This life is for me, even if I did not believe it in the past.

So every day I felt excited, and I listened from a new perspective (as if I was brand new to the world), and I enjoyed every minute! Time goes way too fast sometimes, and it’s so important to be present in every moment – you never know what you will miss!

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Our team (Holloway Org) at the 80s party on Saturday night. We get to dress up at night, and then be professional during the day! Super fun!

 

Filed Under: Personal, SoCal Tagged With: ambition, Anaheim, business, California, cry, event, fitness, grow, happy, health, Herbalife, income, inspiration, learn, mental, money, motivation, nutrition, party, physical, present, professional, SoCal, teach, team, training, workout

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