If youâve been here before, you know that Iâm a huge fan of the WomanCode book by Alisa Vitti. It has dramatically changed the way I treat and honor my body. The FLO Living protocol is also what helped me bring back my period after months of missed periods. When you first read the book, Alisa recommends to start with her 4 Day Reset to jump start the cleansing process for the liver and hormones. I actually felt that I ate pretty well and did not do it when I read the book back in summer 2017. It wasnât until about two weeks ago that I had the tipping point that made me consider trying the Reset.Â
I felt like my body wasnât livable anymore. My insides were so sluggish and my skin was breaking out. I was stressed from work and eating way too many carbs. My body didnât know how to react in the mornings when Iâd wake or what to crave at what hour of the day. Everything felt so out of sync so the 4 Day Reset was just what I needed.
Originally, I feared the Reset would not provide me enough food. It is A LOT less food than Iâm used to eating but, then again, I was already eating too much of food that was not fueling me for my needs. Breakfasts each day of the Reset were mixed fruit bowls filled with chopped apple, pear, or berries. Plus, an optional green juice which I used as a mid-morning snack. Iâve got to say, breakfast was the hardest meal to deal with. I was on the verge of a headache and STARVED by the time 12 oâclock lunchtime rolled around. Â
Reset Time
I filled my lunchtime meals with HUGE bowls of greens and that helped keep me pretty content, along with lentils and quinoa. I followed the vegan option of using beans but the Reset also allows for fish to be included as a protein source. The lunchtime kale salad, the spring mix salad were both delicious and quite hearty.
Mid-afternoon called for a snack of fruit or chopped veggies. Vitti says another serving of lunch or dinner was acceptable but I preferred to eat a green apple, slices of cucumber, or carrots. Snacking on these reminded me of how satisfying simple vegetables and fruit can be.
I followed the WomanCode recipes for the dishes so that I was following the plan as closely as possible.   The collard greens recipe was a delicious one that I saved for a side dish to my Veggie Soup at dinner. I would toss in some more dried herbs next time because the soup was a little poor-tasting on its own. I also preferred to add a bit of lentils to the veggie soup to make it more filling.
Here is a little breakdown of how I felt and what I noticed each day:
Day1 : Low on energy lacking in fuel. On the verge of irritable and hangry. Fatigue and lightheadedness were present.  My skin was the reason I started the cleanse and my face was red, broken out, and irritated.
Day 2: Calm but walking the line between energized and lightheaded. Mentally hungry for my next meal.
Day 3: Calm and managing to keep my energy stable. Hungry for my meals but not starved.
Day 4: Happy to be eating slightly more. Content with meals but understanding that I donât need to eat SO MUCH.  My skin had slightly less redness and inflammation was down.
So, was the Reset worth it?Â
The verdict is: yes! I have never in my life done a cleanse or detox of any sort. The meals in the 4 Day Reset are not meant to be long-term but they are sustainable over the course of a few days.Â
What also made the Reset a great experience were the messages to help work on different aspects of health. These were reminders to eat slower, get rid of items I no longer use, and how to self-careâjust to name a few. The activities complimented the cleanse perfectly. It reignited my understanding of principles like taking my time and moving more slowly. When I move slowly, I can better take in my surroundings and my needs.Â
Days and weeks later, I notice my skin still has the acne issue but without the inflammation that was evident prior to the Reset. I did not anticipate that my digestion would receive grand changes but it improved dramatically! Never have I been more regular or âlightâ. I feel like my body has a better handle on how to manage itself and how to process what I fuel it with.Â
If youâre interested in a hormonal detox then give the WomanCode Reset a try. The book has also been a lifesaver for me in getting my period back. See my FLO Living series here! I can vouch for the positive effects and tools it brought to my life and I hope this post is helpful for anyone considering this route (especially with the all the hoopla of the holidays).
Itâs that time again! Monthly favorites are probably one of my favorite posts to write. Is that fair? Can I include my monthly favorites as a favorite? Well, regardless, it is a great way for me to talk about what I like and what I’ve been working on during the month. The dress that I’m wearing in the the above photo is one project that I tackled this month. It is my first big sewing project and I’m so happy with how it turned out. I’m not ready to instruct a course on how to sew but there are a couple of things I’m excited to tell you about. Keep reading to find out.
Food Favorites
Canât Stop Wonât Stop with Pumpkin
I am either really eager for fall or plain in love with pumpkin. Maybe both. I enjoyed pumpkin in sweet and savory recipes: pumpkin pasta, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin cinnamon date muffins!   The pasta is something I definitely want to turn into a blog recipe because it was so good! As for the others, I followed the Tone it Up recipes for the pumpkin smoothie, using frozen pumpkin ice cubes instead off soft puree. Additionally, pumpkin is my favorite puree to sub in the Cinnamon Date Muffins. I got the recipe from the TIU Nutrition Plan but I used 2/3 cup pumpkin puree in place of bananas in the recipe.  I enjoyed the muffins on their own and also included them in bowls with coconut chia ice cream.
Mango Carrot Tumeric Smoothie
I like to keep my smoothies low in sugar so where does that leave mango? Mango needed another partner besides banana and then this delicious little gem happened! Plus, the smoothie lets me take advantage of turmeric in alternative ways besides Indian-inspired dishes. I posted the recipe on Instagram over here. Sometime, hopefully soon, Iâll try to get around to making my go-to smoothies permanent posts on the blogâthat way they are easy to find and easy to access.
Chocolate in all its forms
My chocolate cravings usually stay tame thanks to smoothies. Other times, Iâll eat a squarebar. Though, I got creative in the kitchen to make these Creamy Peanut Butter Chocolate Crisp Bars. Theyâre no-bake and what Iâd consider to be a âcleanâ treat. The recipe ingredients may seem rich but, fear not, because one small slice is so satisfying! Just looking at the photo of the bars reminds me that I need to remake them!
The Notable Moment of the Month
For my momâs birthday, my family went out to eat for brunch. I usually hate eating out because food options are limited and my family doesnât eat meals punctually. For the occasion, I rolled with it. As I spent more time out and about with my family, my lunch ended up being a protein bar. Then, my afternoon snack was a slice of the German Chocolate Cake I made my mom.
Sidenote: I used a super easy recipe from the Love Real Food Cookbook and topped it with the suggested date frosting. My healthified baked goods donât often please my family but my mom enjoyed the homemade cake! She said that it tasted rich enough where a small piece was satisfying. I can admit that it was delicious but itâs definitely more of a treat than I typically desire.  Unfortunately, a few hours after eating a slice, my blood sugar felt out of whack.
My eating schedule that day was messy to say the least. Plus, I was relying on sugar and little substance to ride me through the day.  Hereâs what I observed: 1) my body notices when Iâm not eating enough food and when Iâm not feeding it with nourishing food. It freaked out by giving me brain fog and a sugar rush headache. Additionally, 2) sweets are just too sweet for me. The cake, while yummy, would have tasted good with a drizzle of peanut butter on top instead of the date frosting. Iâve trained my taste buds to crave fats over sweets and some fat is what I personally missed in the cake.
It is part of life to enjoy different food and Iâm okay with the occasional treat. It also serves to reinforce how strongly I believe in the way I eat. I follow a combination of the TIU Nutrition Plan, with FLO Living guidelines, and make that work for me. I am comfortable to veer off the rail road tracks once in a while. Though, for the most part, Iâm satisfied with choosing healthy options. Healthy food is what makes me feel good.
What I Read
Always and Forever Lara Jean
In To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han, Lara Jeanâs private handwritten letters to the boys she has crushed on are mailed to the boysâ homes. Readers followed Lara Jean in the subsequent novels as she juggles between Peter and other crushes. Now, in Always and Forever, Lara Jean, is graduating high school and wants to find a way to make things work with the boy she loves and the future she envisions for herself.  The concept may sound a bit juvenile but, in YA novels, there is a lot of beauty to explore in first loves and relationships. They are my guilty pleasure and, just like the first two books in the series, this one delivers. I was really satisfied with the way things wrapped. Han keeps the spirit of young love bright and vibrant but also realistic and true.
The presence of phytoestrogens in plant-based foods
As Iâve tried to follow the recommendations for cycle-syncing for my hormones, it is important that Iâm eating food that will support my cyclical phases. Alisa Vittiâs WomanCode outlines everything quite well but she suggests avoiding soy due to the phytoestrogens. Thus, I found this article listing some common foods high in phytoestrogens. Iâm not kicking out any foods from but rather choosing to incorporate them at the best times for my hormones. Check out the article on 50 Foods High in Estrogen here.
Update on Cycle-Syncing
I notice that the more and more Iâm looking into ideas for meals for each of my four cycle phases, the more I crave what WomanCode recommends. The same goes for the lifestyle habits and exercise suggestions. The book provides guidance that seems to align with my energy levels and what my body wants. I feel increasingly in tune with what my body is capable of. I know when to push it and when to ease off. If this is your first time here then check out my Healthy Lifestyle: Is it Worth It? post to read a little more on cycle-syncing and WomanCode. Also, I worked really hard on putting together comprehensive A Day of FLO Living posts so read up on the different phases here: Follicular, Ovulatory, Luteal, and Menstrual.
Products I Love
Progessence Essential Oil Blend
A cousin-in-law of mine sells Young Living Essential Oils. A few months ago I started using the Progessence blend, per her recommendation. Quickly, I felt a difference in my mood and thoughts. My hormones are pretty out of whack but they were worse before. I constantly had mood swings and got easily frustrated. This is a big part of the reason why my hormones are at a decent place right now. I use it twice, daily, and I canât go without it!
Shea Butter
I recently finished up the miscellaneous lotion bottles I had in my stash of body care. I look for products with short, recognizable lists of ingredients. The Shea Moisture Shea Butter is exactly that. Iâve been using it as a moisturizer on my legs, elbows, feet, and lips! Itâs 100% raw shea butter and it is a product I can feel safe about usingâplus itâs a great light moisturizer.
What Iâm Listening To
In Undertow by Alvvays
Have you heard of Alvvays? A friend of mine introduced me to their hit song âArchie, Marry Meâ a few years back and I was instantly hooked. I repeatedly listened to their self-titled debut album for months but Iâm stoked to see that they are releasing a new album this September! In Undertow is one of two singles off their upcoming album. Itâs dreamy, itâs electric, itâs poetic, and everything I loved about their first albumârevamped!
Bombay Bicycle Club by Shuffle
This song is MY JAM. Iâm constantly (re)discovering old songs and this one has been on replay throughout the month. Oddly enough, I think the song is about a relationship that is irreparably messed up. Okay, maybe not the happiest situation but the lively beat and cascading vocals make it such a joy to listen to! Let me know what you think if you check it out.
Thanks so much for taking an interest in my monthly favorites! I love putting these posts together and I hope to hear back from you what your favorites from the month of July are. xoxo
If youâve been following my A Day of FLO Living posts, then youâll know I enjoy eating food that is nourishing for me and my cycle. Now, Iâm not going to sit here and tell you that chocolate-topped peanut butter crisp bars are âhealth foodâ but Iâll say they come close. During my ovulatory phase I was craving sweets LIKE CRAZYâspecifically chocolate. Lucky for me, chocolate is on the list of WomanCode approved foods for ovulatory phase. Yippee!
So, I went into the kitchen, with a bit of guidance from Angela Liddons’ Oh She Glows Everyday Cookbook, and got experimenting. I used Angelaâs recipe for Nut-Free Dream Bars as a base but I tinkered with the sweetener, salt, and, of course, the nut butter. For me, what makes these bars awesome is the pairing of protein and fat, both of which lessen the sugar punch and make these bars satiating. Of course, macronutrients aside, the chocolate-peanut butter combination is also a huge appeal!
They require a small amount of prep but NO BAKING. This is a freezer treat at its finest. Plus, once made, they will last forever in the freezer! Just let them defrost for a few minutes before biting into them. If you can exercise restraint, let them defrost for five to ten minutes and the peanut butter filling gets extra creamy and oozy. In fact, the filling contrasts so nicely in that state with the crisp crust and solid chocolate topping. Together, the three layers make for one delightfully decadent and delicious dessert or snack.
Let me know if you give these bars a try! Just writing this post makes me crave one so I’ll be at my freezer if you need me! đ
Creamy Peanut Butter Chocolate Crisp Bars
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 18-20 bars
These rich and creamy no-bake bars, adapted from Angela Liddon’s recipe, make for a satisfying dessert or snack when those chocolate peanut butter cravings kick in! The combination of crispiness from the crust and creaminess from the bars just can’t be beat!
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
1 œ tbsp melted virgin coconut oil
1 œ cups Erewhon Organic Cinnamon Brown Rice Cereal
2 tbsp cacao powder or cocoa powder
2 tbsp maple syrup
a pinch of salt
Filling Ingredients:
1 cup natural peanut butter
Πcup maple syrup
Πcup melted virgin coconut oil
Œ to œ tsp salt, depending on the saltiness of the peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping Ingredients:
1/3 cup melted virgin coconut oil
1/3 cup cacao or cocoa powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped, for topping
Sea salt, for topping, optional
Instructions
Line a large loaf tin (see notes) with parchment paper and lightly grease with coconut oil.
In a bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients for the crust. With a rubber spatula, mash up the cereal until it looks crumby and thoroughly coated. Then, press the crust down into the bottom of the loaf tin. Place it in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
In the same bowl, rinsed and wiped clean, combine the next five ingredients. As a precaution, make sure the ingredients for the filling are all room temperature. If the maple syrup or peanut butter are cold then that will make the coconut oil seize up. The mixture should be smooth. Adjust salt to taste.
Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the filling on top. Gently swivel the pan so that the filling covers the crust completely and so that the top is flat and even. Now, the filling will set in the freezer for an hour before the final topping.
After waiting the appropriate amount of time for the filling to solidify, begin making the chocolate topping. Whisk together melted coconut oil, cacao powder, and maple syrup until no clumps remain. Chop the peanuts and keep them at the ready.
Remove the loaf tin from the freezer and pour the chocolate over the filling. Be warned: it freezes almost instantaneously! While the chocolate is still wet, throw on the peanuts and a sprinkle of sea salt. The chocolate layer will soon solidify from the cold from the loaf tin.
You may then remove the bars, using the parchment paper to lift them out. Move them to a cutting board and slowly cut into 18-20 squares. If the bars seem melty in any way, do put them back into the freezer for 10 minutes or so. They may fall apart if you try cutting them while soft.
The peanut butter chocolate dream bars are best stored in the freezer. Pull one out when you want to enjoy a bar and let it sit at room temperature for up to 3-5 minutes. They will soften to an easier-to-bite state. Wait a little longer and the peanut butter filling gets extra oozy and delicious!
Notes
My baking tin is 9.5 x 5 inches though Angelaâs recipe uses a 10 x 6 inch pan. I believe that a standard 9 x 5 loaf tin could work, too but your bars will just be a bit thicker.[br]Cooking time also reflects freezing time in this recipe.
Hello bloggy blog! It feels like eons since Iâve shared a post here. Iâve been moving through different phases, attempting to do things I thought I should do, and learning that change doesnât have to mean doing things I don’t want to do. Iâve felt like less of a jumbled mess but I think Iâve still been misdirecting myself more than Iâd like. I kept running into the same roadblocks, the same hurdles, and feeling stuck. For me, these have been signs (that I kept bypassing) indicating I wasnât in alignment. đ«
Alignment, I feel, comes from doing what feels good to me in a way that uses my skills, talents, and abilities properly. It includes feeling supportive and seen but not forcing anything to happen. In this space, things just F L O W. đThis feeling is essentially what Iâve been in search of for so long, but recent months showed me that I was not living in a way that was conducive to this spirit of purpose, ease, and flow that I craved.
Let me fill you in on where Iâve been the past few monthsâŠ.đ§
Iâve been trying to grow my social media presence and I spent a period of time posting everyday even though I donât always feel inspired to. It also takes a BIG chunk of my time on the daily to compose Instagram reels (which are primarily what I was posting). Just to break it down: I have to prep, film, edit, compose a caption, and then strategically post it at the right time for the algorithm, plus seek out accounts to engage with, and prepare to do that all over again. So, I was totally plowing through my energy reserves and practically making Instagram a full-time job…except it was a job that paid me nothing.đ€Ș
Whatâs more important for me to note is how I was completely bypassing how I felt when the signs of unhappiness were there. đ€Š
I lost the creative joy I used to feel from creating Instagram posts. I was making content based on what I thought would hit, and not content that I actually wanted to make.
I was letting myself feel pressured from others to PROVE MYSELFâto prove that I am enough.
I was following tons of business and marketing accounts and taking in an excessive amount of other peopleâs advice, while suppressing my exhaustion with the whole process.
I was forcing myself to be on social media A LOT and chat/message/comment/engage when my naturally introverted self has a pretty low bandwidth for socializing.đ„Ž
I felt like I was trying to push products/ my services to prove myself.
I felt like I wasnât being seen by others for my knowledge, skills, and talents, and to combat this…I kept creating more offerings, making more posts, and doing more in an effort to get ahead. Â
We live in a society that values productivity and practically mandates people work, in the paid sense of the word. Work is literally anything you spend your time on! If we were to look at work through this perspective, then it neutralizes it. âĄïž Work doesnât have to be hard, laborious, stressful, involve long hours, be for someone else, or even involve pay. #ThingsINeededToBeRemindedOf The work I think we should value more is that which makes us EXCITED or brings us SATISFACTION with how we are using our energy. đ§
Iâd like to take the concept of work a step further and say itâs worthwhile work to spend time with yourself. No one taught me this but itâs something Iâve learned to be true over and over again. Therefore, excessively doing in recent months led me to craving and taking a big break (from Instagram, my podcast, and my business) to come back to me. As a creative individual, I really think spending time with myself not only recharges my battery but gives me the space to notice my own good ideas. đš If youâre always around other people or doing things you donât enjoy, that tends to silence your own inner voice. Who are you if you arenât in touch with yourself?Â
Considering self-connection is an area that I have felt lost with multiple times in my life, I can offer some solid advice, from personal experience, on how to come back home to yourself.
1. CREATE SPACEđ
It can be hard to recognize whatâs not working for you when youâre IN the thick of it. In this case, you need to put some distance between you and the thing (or person).đ¶ïž Separation creates space. For some, this newfound space may be all they neededâi.e. It wipes an unnecessary task or two off your plate. For others, having space in their life allows them an opportunity to get some perspectiveâperspective that can even help them change directions. However, letâs not get ahead of things quite yet!
2. WORK ON THE BASICS
What do you fill your time with when youâre in this place of more space than ever before? đč If youâre hyper-conditioned by society (hello, youâre human) or really desperate for direction, you may be tempted to launch into anything! I will caution you to take a step back and breathe. When youâve been in the work, work, work or do, do, do mode for so long, itâs hard to be still with yourself.Â
When I create space in my life, I tend to cut ties with extraneous responsibilities and just focus on the absolute bare minimum. Iâm not saying you have to do the absolute bare minimum but I find this helps me rest and find my footing again. đ§ââïž Bare minimum also doesnât mean stare at a wall all day. For fun activities: I lean into meditation, no-pressure creative projects (i.e. something youâre doing just for you), and spending time with my family and pets. These are simple things that make me feel like ME.
3. ACKNOWLEDGE THE PHASEđ»
I believe we go through cycles and sometimes weâre in a phase of the cycle that calls for doing more or doing less; sometimes it calls for planning or reassessing. Regardless of the point in the cycle we are in, we know that it will circle around, as cycles do. We struggle and overcome, and then struggle again and overcome again. That is lifeâfilled with learning and growing. đ±
The best thing I have found, as I luxuriate in this space, is to not put pressure on myself to hurry up and âfixâ myself. Iâm not spending time on rest or joyful hobbies to simply recharge and throw myself back into stuff that I hate. No. Iâm spending time on these things because I deserve it and it makes me feel good. If you spend time on yourself with *rushed energy* or the energy of âIâm not deserving of taking time for myselfâ, then that cuts you off from yourself and all of the beautiful things in life meant for you.
Iâll leave you with a quote from one of my favorite people. Mark Groves, on the Mark Groves Podcast, says:
If you don’t take care of yourself, it’s always going to feel selfish.
Astrology for Self-Discovery, the World of Insight in Our Natal Charts, and the Aquarian Age Weâre Living
This week we are joined by Maxine LuzĂa, known for her positive take on Astrology and co-host of the Astrology and You podcast. She and Melanie go into the details about how certain parts of our natal chart impact us in career, self-expression, spirituality, and more. Plus, another thing worth listening for is the influence the larger planet transits have on us right now, which Maxine dives into, and how that is setting the stage for the future.
Some other fun things discussed in this episode:
Understanding sun sign vs rising sign
The importance of rising sign for expression
Feeling out your natal chart and growing into it
How to find work/career influences in the natal chart
The Aquarian age
Uranus, Neptune, and more spiritually aware humans
Being self-taught in astrology
Finding trust in yourself
The Great Conjunction and setting the stage to go forward
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