Physical Health – Positively Different

How to Meal Plan (Free Printable Included!)

Meal planning is a great way to save money and stay accountable with healthy food choices. With the busy hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to swing into the McDonald’s drive-thru if we don’t have a meal plan. However, creating an organized meal plan can be difficult.

How to Meal Plan

1. Decide on the Meals You Will Have

The very first step of meal planning is, well… planning your meals! Look through Pinterest or your favorite blog and pick out recipes you will enjoy. You will see many registered dietitians (which I am not) recommend eating foods you actually enjoy. Unseasoned chicken breast with a side of brussels sprouts may sound like a healthy idea, but ask yourself if you will feel satisfied with that meal. If it doesn’t sound delicious and satisfying, leave it out of your plan.

If you have some fitness goals or have been recommended some macros by a doctor or registered dietician, keep those in mind when planning. There are many recipes you can find on Pinterest that suit certain macros goals. For example, you can find many low-calorie pizza crust recipes made of Greek yogurt and flour. Or, you can find high fiber pasta dishes with a lot of greens or beans. Whatever your goal is, find a recipe that sounds delicious and nutritious!

2. Tally How Much You Will Need of Each Ingredient

Once you have picked out some recipes, you should tally up how much you need of each ingredient. I always try to stick to about five main ingredients when meal planning to make my grocery bill less expensive. Typically, you will see me picking up bread, garlic, broccoli, chicken, and tofu. No matter what, you will want to tally up how many of each ingredient you will need. Do you just need one of everything? Or, do you need five chicken breasts, two white onions, and just one bottle of wine?

3. Go Grocery Shopping!

Now that you have completely planned your meals and ingredients, you are ready to go grocery shopping! Hit the store and look for your ingredients. Using your tally chart you made, shop for those ingredients. Try to steer clear of any extras if you are on a tight budget and stick to your list. I always get caught up in the chocolate and potato chip section.

4. Meal Prep if Desired

Many people choose to prepare their meals they planned ahead of time. This helps to save time in the kitchen if you have a busy schedule. For me, knowing I have a healthy and nutritious meal waiting for me keeps me from spending money on fast food.

Free Meal Plan Printable!

To make your meal planning easier and more organized, I have designed a printable. It should help you remember your meals and keep track of what ingredients you need from the store. Feel free to download it or use it as inspiration for your own printable!

An Honest It Works Cleanse Review

If you clicked on this blog post, chances are you have been contacted by an It Works distributor to try their 48 Hour Cleanse. I know it can be hard to trust someone who is trying to sell you a product. I get it. That’s why I am writing this honest review about my experience doing the cleanse.

Before we get into the review, I also have reviews over the It Works Keto Coffee and the It Works Wraps. You can click those words to be brought to those blog posts. Now, onto my honest It Works Cleanse Review!

The Taste

This is what we’re all wondering, right? To be honest, I really enjoyed the taste of the It Works Cleanse. It’s refreshing and almost bubbly. It’s on the sweeter side and does not taste like vegetables. I’m not sure why It Works distributors use captions like “You just have to chug this product for two days!” That implies that the product that’s bad when in reality, it doesn’t.

The Ingredients

There are tons of great ingredients in this cleanse. I counted 36 different fruits and vegetable complied into this little drink. But, there are three different preservatives in this drink. The preservatives are potassium sorbate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and sodium benzoate. Obviously, we shouldn’t be filling our bodies with a large amount of preservatives. However, the number of great ingredients may outweigh the negative of the three preservatives.

What the Cleanse Does

The It Works distributor that contacted you probably used the phrase “Get rid of up to 10 pounds of sludge”. So obviously, this product is meant to remove the yucky leftovers that are not meant to linger around. I’ve had some people ask me, “Does it make you get sick to your stomach?” or more bluntly, “Does it make you have diarrhea?” For me, my answer is no. I experience no tummy gurgles or abnormalities when using the restroom. I pray this doesn’t happen to you if you try the product, but keep in mind that every body reacts to ingredients differently. I just felt “flushed out” and the frequency of restroom usage was increased (if you know what I mean).

I’m not sure of any scientific research that proves this cleanse removes toxicity or “yuckiness” from the body, but with all of those fruits and vegetables, it must do something good. It’s definitely one of those products where it can’t do more harm than good, so if you can afford it, why not try it out.

The Results

I just looked a lot less bloated from taking this cleanse. It is recommended by It Works to eat the same amount of food, so I did. I usually bloat quite a bit after eating, but I did notice I was much less bloated afterward. Did I lose weight? Probably not. I don’t own a scale, so I can’t tell you for sure.

The results I saw were very similar to the results shown in the picture below. A lot less bloating. You are flushing your system, after all. I think it’s a great product to use if you consumed too much sodium eating hot dogs and nachos at the sports game, or went to a tailgate and ate way too much barbeque food.

I don’t recommend taking this cleanse to lose weight. You will gain it back as the results are not long term. I also do not recommend taking this product to bloat less at a special event. You don’t know how this product will affect your body, and you don’t want to be stuck in the restroom as your best friend’s wedding.

The Price

The retail price for the entire two day cleanse is $60. When you become a Loyal Customer, you get 40% off all of It Works products. That brings the price for the entire cleanse to $36. I have found that most cleanses are expensive, and with the 40%, this cleanse is in the middle range of prices.

That wraps up my It Works Cleanse review! The cleanse works, but don’t expect results to be long term. If you can afford it, and if the three preservatives don’t bother you, then give it a go! If it’s out of your price range, then you can live without it. Consider buying a green smoothie from your local smoothie shop if you want a large serving of vegetables in drink form.

Continue reading An Honest It Works Cleanse Review

An Honest It Works Wraps Review

One of the most popular It Works products is their Ultimate Body Applicator Wraps. I have always been wary and hesitant to try wraps that claim to have unbelievable results. As you probably know after reading my blog posts, I believe in using natural supplements to improve your body and health. When I found out that the It Works wraps are made with botanical extracts, I was excited to try it.

The following includes before and after pictures of people’s stomach areas. If you are sensitive or are avoiding those types of pictures, please do not scroll down, and exit this blog post.

The Feeling

When the wrap is on your body, it feels similar to the Vick’s Vapor Rub or Icy Hot. There’s a cooling feeling that isn’t the most relaxing feeling, but it definitely doesn’t hurt. The smell of the It Works wraps is very relaxing and smells like eucalyptus.

The Time

With the first application of the wrap, It Works recommends that you leave the wrap on for only 45 minutes. After your first application, you can leave it on for multiple hours. Some people leave the wrap on while they’re at work to achieve maximum results. It’s very low maintenance and with the Fab Wrap, you can trust that the wrap won’t fall off or get displaced.

The Application

It Works does not specify where you should put this product. Typically, it is applied on the stomach area, arms, and the chin area. There are amazing before and after pictures of both areas. I have only tried the It Works wrap on my stomach area so I cannot speak on the results for other areas.

The Results

The results for this product are amazing. I saw results after my first application. I felt less bloated and my pants felt looser. However, there is no research that suggests these wraps lead to permanent weight loss. From my experience, I believe the wraps tighten the target area up, but after you shower, the results diminish. With that being said, they are great for events like weddings, military balls, birthday parties, etc. What I’m trying to say is–the wraps work. The before and after pictures are real, but results are not permanent.

The Price

These wraps are pricey. When you purchase them at a retail price, you get four wraps for $99 which is about $25 per wrap. When you become an It Work Loyal Customer, you get four wraps for $59, which is $14.75 per wrap. When you look at the results of having the wrap on for just one hour, the price may be worth it. When you leave the wraps on for multiple hours, the results are incredible. I would save the wraps for special events where you will be taking pictures or need to fit into that old dress again.

Have you tried this product before? Let me know what you think about it in the comments below!

Disclaimer: I am an Independent Distributor of It Works. All of the opinions I state in this blog post are real and honest. I hope I made it very obvious that this is an unbiased review by pointing out the positives and negatives of the product. I believe in having strong integrity over making money. The links provided will bring you to my It Works website. If you purchase something with my link, I will receive a commission. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

An Honest It Works Keto Coffee Review

I was so surprised to see the lack of blog posts on It Works products! The It Works company is spreading so fast because of their high-quality products. Their most talked about product is their Keto Coffee. The It Works Keto Coffee is an instant coffee that helps you stay in ketosis. You can also get the product in K-Cups which is in a salted caramel flavor. The following is my honest review of the It Works Keto Coffee.

The Taste

I’m not on the keto diet because I have very high LDL cholesterol. Luckily for those of us who are on the low-cholesterol diet train, it only has 3% of the recommended daily value. If you are used to drinking bulletproof coffee for a keto, then you will enjoy this coffee! Don’t expect the It Works Keto Coffee to taste like a classic cup of Joe. It’s very fatty, which is expected as a keto coffee. The K-Cup form is in salted caramel flavor which will be enjoyable if you have a Keruig. If you don’t like the taste of the powder form, you can add your classic creamer, a few drops of Stevia, or the It Works Ketones Creamer.

The Ingredients

To find the ingredients on any It Works product, scroll down to the very bottom of the webpage, and click “View Product Info“. There are eight ingredients in the It Works Keto Coffee. Two are the most popular fats used in keto coffee, being Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) oil powder and grass-fed butter powder. Two other ingredients are coffee powder and green coffee beans. There’s some collagen in there to help your skin to look youthful and your hair shiny, and there’s some amazing Himalayan pink salt. The last two ingredients are the ones I really want to talk about. Xanthan gum and Silicon dioxide.

Dr. Axe has a great blog post about xanthan gum and what exactly it is. It often acts as an alternative to gluten, which many people are intolerant to. Let’s be honest, silicon dioxide sounds scary! Did you know that silicon dioxide is found in bell peppers, oatmeal, beets, and many other foods? It acts as an anti-clumping agent for powders (like instant coffee!). According to research, silicon dioxide is no threat to us, it just helps our powders last longer.

After looking into those last two, I’m really happy with the ingredients. Instead of using cheap table salt, It Works uses mineral-rich Himalayan pink salt. They also opted for grass-fed butter, rather than cheap butter from unhappy cows.

The Health Benefits

As mentioned above, I’m not on a keto diet (been there, done that, not going back). I had a really hard time processing all of that fat with my high cholesterol levels. I do however practice intermittent fasting (IF). IF helps your body go into ketosis and rely on your fat and ketones for energy. I often times break my fast with a piece of beef jerky or a low-carb food so my body stays in ketosis for a longer amount of time. This coffee will continue to keep my body in ketosis, giving me a boost of energy once I have just finished fasting.

The Price

The retail price for 15 servings is $65. That’s a little over $4 per serving, which is still cheaper than most of Starbucks’ menu. If you become a Loyal Customer, you will get 40% off all It Works products. That makes the price for 15 servings $39. That brings each serving to $2.60! That is way cheaper than Starbucks, and it’s easier to get ahold of first thing in the morning! You are also helping your independent distributor to make a living by your purchase.

Whether or not you’re on the keto diet, the It Works Keto Coffee can be a great option for your early morning energy boost. Many people have seen great results with the product. Let me know if you’re going to try it out!

I also have a blog post about the It Works Wraps. I go through everything about the wraps (even the smell!) As always, I’m completely honest with my reviews, so if you are considering purchasing the product, go check that blog post out! I also cover the It Works Cleanse and what I think about it that you can find here.

5 Foods That Really Help with OCD and Anxiety

I was diagnosed with OCD when I was 12 years old. If you’re reading this, chances are you have OCD too (the actual OCD, not the one Buzzfeed writers pretend to have).

I wrote a blog post touching on the topic of minimizing anxiety through the use of natural supplements. OCD, being an anxiety disorder, can be minimized through those supplements that I mention as well. But what about food? What foods can help minimize the frustrating symptoms of OCD?

1. Beans

As mentioned in my supplement blog post, Inositol works wonders for people with anxiety disorders. A great way to increase your daily intake of Inositol is to eat beans. According to this article by Livestrong, 100 grams of navy and lima beans can provide you up to 65 milligrams of Inositol!

2. Chocolate

Yes. Chocolate helps reduce OCD and anxiety symptoms because it reduces cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. High cortisol is directly related to an increase in anxiety, because anxiety is triggered when your brain is sensing stress or a threat. Dark chocolate, specifically, is high in zinc and magnesium! Y’all better not pick on me for eating an excessive amount of chocolate now!

3. Almonds

Almonds are very high in zinc, which plays a large role in mood balance. Studies show that those who severely deficient in zinc tend to have lower serotonin levels.

4. Whole Grains

Whole grains like rice, quinoa, and oats are very high in both magnesium and zinc, which both help to balance serotonin levels. They also provide you with many other nutrients that are important for your overall health.

5. Leafy Greens

Everyone tells you that you should be eating more leafy greens. It can get annoying because it’s hard to get past the earthy flavor of greens like spinach and kale, but they really are good for you. I put this super green powder in my smoothies, and it’s very easy to hide the taste of it with fruit or chocolate protein powder.