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joyfalzone
my beef with paleo
No CommentsRead moreYes, I went there! Uber popular fad Paleo diet as well as Whole30 have been going strong for years now. Those of you who have been following me for awhile may remember my post last year where I discussed reasons I do not promote the Paleo diet or Whole30. Today I am discussing this topic again and more in depth. I’m breaking it down into five categories to make it a little easier to understand for the average reader and dieter. In writing this, I am going to assume most of the readers are well versed in the Paleo and Whole30 (a stricter version of Paleo) protocols in effort to make an already long post shorter. These same five points also apply to the popular and incredibly dangerous Ketogenic diet.
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joyfalzone
sunshine smoothie
No CommentsRead moreI generally prefer warm weather but I do love the seasons for the wonderful variety of produce. However, towards the end of every winter there comes a time when I am sick of soup and root vegetables and just want sunshine! Citrus always saves the day bringing loads of vitamin C and beautiful shades of yellows, reds, and orange to go with it! This smoothie is a dose of much needed “sunshine”. And it feels appropriate since temperatures on the east coast will reach the 70s this week!
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joyfalzone
what is a health coach?
No CommentsRead moreFor Health Coach Week, I’ve rounded up the most common questions about health coaching! Health Coaching is a newer field brought about by our current health crisis and stressful lifestyle in the developed world. I hope this post gives you a clear understanding of what a health coach is and how you can benefit from one. If there is anything I didn’t answer, send me an email and I will try to answer it!
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joyfalzone
healthy take-out options & a giveaway!
No CommentsRead moreWhen you don’t feel like cooking… hitting up your local pizzeria, Chinese place or drive-through are no longer your only options! Finding plant based, whole food take-out options is easier than ever (and will only get better)! Today I’m sharing local places in central New Jersey where you can get healthy take-out and the down low on what a health coach (me!) and a personal trainer (my husband) orders. Make sure to head over to Instagram or Facebook for an awesome giveaway!
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joyfalzone
guest post: personal trainer ali frendin on pelvic floor & abdominal health
4 CommentsRead moreI can barely contain my excitement about today’s post! Why? Because this is a topic women are not talking about enough and which affects our everyday life including our sex life, social life, exercise routines, day to day mothering and just about everything! Today, I have the honor of interviewing Ali Frendin, mum of two littles (yeah she’s an Aussie) and a women’s health personal trainer with over ten years experience. She practices a holistic and full body approach to health and exercise during pregnancy, postpartum and beyond and is backed up by up to date research by leading women’s health physiotherapists. She offers coaching programs in her hometown in Australia as well as online programs for pregnancy, post-natal and pilates.
I came across Ali and Real Fitness for Mums on Instagram just after the birth of my second baby and am so glad I did! I am about half way through her Ultimate Core Restore program and have already had SO MUCH progress (keep reading for details)!
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joyfalzone
healthy hot cacao
No CommentsRead moreThis recipe is very basic and you can add whatever you want to make it more interesting. A little cinnamon or maca or mushroom powder or all of the above! The coconut oil makes it nice and frothy and the only sweetener is dates which adds some fiber and iron! The cacao is a great source of antioxidants (think anti-cancer and anti-aging) and magnesium! I would love to hear your thoughts on the recipe and see your variations! Make sure you comment here or on Instagram and hashtag #hellowholefoods!
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joyfalzone
hemp protein bars
No CommentsRead moreI know some of you were asking for granola bars, and while these aren’t granola bars per se, they are delicious! Made with four types of seeds, they’re packed with protein, iron, B vitamins, magnesium and omega-3s (those essential fatty acids you keep hearing about that reduce inflammation). Omega-3s are important for baby’s brain development as well as brain health for all ages! Both hemp and chia seeds are complete plant proteins, meaning they contain all 9 essential amino acids we need as humans. Hemp is also one of the world’s most sustainable crops because it grows in nearly every climate and is used all over the world as a source of food, fiber, textile, paper and even fuel! To make these bars a little more toddler friendly, I cut them up into bite sized chunks.
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joyfalzone
red kale, radicchio, pepper & fennel salad
No CommentsRead moreSalads can become boring, but this one never disappoints, in fact it’s kind of addicting. This salad makes me think of the scene in Ratatouille where Remy is tasting food together and there are colors and fireworks going off. All the flavors in this salad just go so well together and create a whole new experience in your mouth! Plus, it’s super healthy and packed with vitamins and micronutrients! There’s no exact ratios for this salad but I tried to give a general idea of what I normally throw together. My husband and I eat HUGE salads which is why I wrote serves 2-4, but it’s a lot of salad and will most likely serve 4-6 if it’s not a main course. Let me know if you make it and what you think by commenting here or on Instagram or Facebook!
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joyfalzone
preparing your body for pregnancy
No CommentsRead moreI feel very lucky to have learned how closely related the way we treat our bodies is to our health before I was ready to have children. If I had still been eating bagels and quad venti caramel macchiatos from Starbucks, I know this season of my life would have looked very different. I had been eating a nutrient rich diet for years before my husband and I even started talking about children. I was able to balance my hormones and heal myself of debilitating dysmenorrhea just by cutting out sugar and processed food from my diet. I had done biannual whole food cleanses for a few years to rid my body of any toxins that had accumulated. In the year leading up to “trying” I was very intent on limiting alcohol to very special occasions, exercising regularly and eating as much nutrient rich plant foods as possible. Even when we started trying for a baby, it took us almost a year to get pregnant.
If you are able to plan ahead of time for pregnancy, you are really giving yourself and your baby the best environment to thrive. Most expecting mommas spend hours researching the best carseat, mattress, stroller, etc. but put very little energy into preparing their bodies for the miracle of carrying and forming a baby for 40 weeks! I’m not saying that researching those things are wrong, I’m just saying that if a tiny human is growing from what is stored in our bodies, wouldn’t we want to have the best nutrient store to grow the strongest and healthiest baby possible? I like to think of our bodies as gardens. The more you tend to your garden and feed it with the right compost, clean water and sunshine, the better the vegetables will taste and grow. The same goes for our bodies and growing a baby.
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joyfalzone
roasted cauliflower 3 ways
No CommentsRead moreCauliflower is probably one of the most overlooked vegetables and has been given a bad rap since the only way our parents knew to cook it was steam it in a pot, bleh. I distinctly remember the cauliflower being the only thing left on the crudite platter at every single family gathering, so it must be gross right? Turns out, it is delicious if it’s roasted! I could literally eat an entire roasted cauliflower in one sitting, it’s that good!