Answering some of the most frequently asked questions I've received lately. Grab your coffee or wine and settle in, friends!
Have a question? Shoot me a DM on IG @MissModernWellness, email MissModernWellness@gmail.com, or leave a comment below.
How many times a week do you recommend working out ?
This depends on your goals, and fitness level. If you're a beginner or have taken a recent break I recommend starting with three times a week. This is a good amount of time to make it a habit without resenting a routine, or burning out. No matter your level you should include at LEAST one to two rest days a week. If you're an avid exerciser, and like me rely on movement as a major form of stress relief I recommend moving five days a week (this can be as simple as a walk some days.)
Easy and healthy-ish fall recipes?
This my favorite easy fall salad. I love this turkey chili.
And this (lower calorie) delish butternut squash mac and cheese is a serious crowd pleaser that I make over and over.
If you're craving something sweet I'm seriously salivating over Kelly Kathleen's pumpkin coffee cake donuts.
Do you have any unhealthy habits ?
Of course, I'm human! One area I'm always trying to improve is my sleep. There's nights where I have every intention of going to bed early. And I find myself staying up way too late catching up on work, or watching TV (lately that means The Morning Show or reruns of Ted Lasso.) I also read every night before bed, and if the book is too good then I'm up past when I planned. But I've just started setting a bedtime alarm to remind me to shut down, will keep you posted on how that works!
Food-wise I've noticed lately that there are days where I'm waiting too long to eat. I never used to understand when people said they "forgot to eat" but life has been extra busy both business and home wise , and I find myself less structured with meals/snacks.
Anyway I'm working on it ! I'm going to start scheduling a block for lunch in my calendar. There's so many benefits to sitting down and eating mindfully. The body actually registers that we're eating when we take our time. And then we're more satisfied and less likely to overeat later.
How is your house after flooding? How is CT life vs NYC? Do you regret moving after the flooding?
Thank you guys for asking! The water damage under the floors and in the walls was severe so we had no choice but to gut the majority of the first floor (we do not have a basement.) We're making changes to try and prevent something like this in the future. But we really LOVED the style of house as it was. We looked for a long time to find a house we didn't feel like we'd NEED to renovate/ update because we didn't feel we had the time... what's the saying "we make plans, and God laughs?" Something to that effect...
At this point I'm just trying to be positive, and lean into the reno process! I'll be frank though somedays it's ROUGH. As someone who loves to cook I really miss having a kitchen, and a space for my family to gather. It's already been a long two and a half months, and we have awhile to go.
Other than the flooding we're really enjoying life in Connecticut. We couldn't ask for better neighbors, the community is very welcoming, and I'm getting my fill of the nature that I had started craving. I also LOVE living by the water. Even when it's cold just being close to it grounds me.
No, we/I don't regret moving. I naturally miss the city some days, but less than I expected. Between the two of us I was the more reluctant one when it came to moving. However I feel like we had a wonderful chapter there - and it was the right time to make a change for many reasons.
I am THANKFUL to live only a short train ride away, though.
I'm definitely that person that craves their city energy fix. Going into the city two or three times a month for work has been perfect for me.
(*Also a few people have asked if this ever happened to the house previously. It hadn't! We love this house so crossing our fingers very tightly it doesn't occur again.)
Thoughts on drinking a meal ? Are there pros or cons to having a shake for lunch?
Two factors to consider : 1. What's in your drink? You want to be sure there is enough protein to satiate you, and that the sugar content isn't too high. Too much sugar will lead to a glucose crash. 2. Does it satisfy you ? Meaning you don't feel the need to eat again soon after.
If it fits that criteria, and you feel good after having one it's not a bad choice. I do, however, prefer a fresh smoothie over a packaged shake as many of them have strange additives and chemicals. Just be sure to check your labels :)
If you need some ideas check out the smoothie recipes in my 14 day program.
Can you train me?
I would love to talk with you about training options! Send an email To MissModernWellness@gmail.com with the subject line "Training" OR fill out the form at the bottom of this page. Please specify if you're seeking IN PERSON OR VIRTUAL training :)
How much weight should I be lifting?
When you're choosing a weight for lifting you want to consider how many reps you are doing. If you're going high rep you don't "need" to use a weight that's what you would consider very heavy. BUT you should be choosing a weight that feels heavy for YOU by the end of the set.
Essentially you should be able to complete all the reps in a set with good, uncompromised form , and have to push yourself a bit to finish the last 1-3 reps.
If you find yourself breezing through a set that's a sign to try out a heavier weight.
It's also beneficial to switch up weights for different exercises. For example, I'll lift heavier for tricep exercises than for back/lats.
Best energy boosting foods/ or tips after a long weekend of poor choices?
First, think about adding vs subtracting and don't beat yourself up!
Stock your house with healthy food so you're prepared. It's so much easier to make healthy decisions when you plan ahead. Add lots of greens to your meals - for lunch this can be a giant salad with protein, veggie wrap, brown rice bowl with roasted or steamed vegetables. At dinner try to make half your plate veggies. Up your water intake - if you've been eating higher sodium foods this is the best way to debloat, and flush out excess sodium.
Can you join liketoknowit?
Yes , I finally just joined last week :) Follow me @MissModernWellness. I'll be posting more frequently.
What are your favorite protein or snack bars?
I recently tried Munk Pack bars. They have tons of good flavors - the Chocolate Sea Salt and the Maple Pecan are so yummy. Brad loves the Coconut Cocoa Chip, and Blueberry. They're KETO, and low sugar so you don't get that sugar crash.
If you'd like to try use my code MISSMODERN for 15 % off.
I also like macro bars. But admittedly I prefer the taste of the kids version bars. My kids like these too.
How many years apart are your kids? They seem to be close together ? How was/is that age difference ?
They are two years apart . For the first few months after Sydney, my second daughter, was born we definitely had a period of holy sh*t two is WAY tougher than one. But we found our footing, and things got a lot easier.
Brad and I always say to each other that these days we love their age difference. They are close enough in age that their interests aren't widely different. Sloane loves teaching Sydney new things - and we've recently entered the stage where they can entertain one another without too much parental interference.
There's definitely no right or wrong here. I wanted to get the ball rolling with a second baby sooner vs later because we weren't sure how long it would take for me to get pregnant the second time - as it took us years with Sloane. It's also kind of nice to just keep going with the baby/toddler stage when you're in it. (But I could see how a bigger age difference could make for a much more helpful older sibling.)
Favorite skin care brands or products ?
I like Tula cleanser and moisturizer, Skinceuticals discoloration defense (this has helped with my post pregnancy melasma) and I recently started using the face and eye serum from the clean beauty brand Fortuna.
What's your favorite Sakara meal?
That's like choosing your favorite child :) Some favorites include the grilled cheeze with tomato soup, the sexy cinnamon rolls for breakfast, the soba noodle with wild miso dressing, and the rainbow bowl with tie dye carrots. More of my thoughts on Sakara here.
If you're interested in trying Sakara, use the code XOBeth for 20% off your first order of any meal delivery or clean boutique product.
Can you rank what vegetables are healthiest ?
Generally speaking all veggies are healthy, and provide your body beneficial nutrients/vitamins. But experts typically rank the heatlhiest in an order similar to this:
- Dark leafy greens (spinach, arugula, mustard greens, kale, swiss chard etc)
- Broccoli & broccoli sprouts
- Brussels sprouts
- Sea vegetables (nori, seaweed, kelp, wakame etc.)
- Asparagus (my favorite.)
- Butternut Squash/ Sweet Potatoes(in season!)
- Red cabbage
- Garlic
- Beets
- Green Beans
*This is NOT an exhaustive list, and RDs/nutrition experts can debate a bit within the list.
Thanks for reading, and thank you for all the good questions.
I know I've been less present on the blog lately as life has been a bit wild, thank you for sticking with me ! More good stuff coming soon!
Have a question? Shoot me a DM on IG @MissModernWellness, email MissModernWellness@gmail.com, or leave a comment below.
XO ,
Beth
