What I'm loving these days.
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Hi, this is Caroline! I am one of the co-founders here at Diata. As many of you know from TikTok and Insta stories, I have 3 month old twin boys – Teddy & Freddy – who are absolute angels. They also keep me very busy.
As a new mama, I am putting a big emphasis on prioritizing my health and wellness these days.
Why? Because I want to have lots of energy to keep up with my two little men. For my mental health. I wake up in a MOOD when I have too much sugar (my husband calls me “scare-oline” when this happens 😂). To get back into all of my fun summer clothing. To nourish my body with the macro & micronutrients I need in this new phase of life. In short – to feel great and have lots of energy to do everything I want to do.
Sooo let's chat about how I am nourishing my body, sneaking in movement and prioritizing self-care while taking care of the two little men. Sharing some of my go-to essentials for all you busy bees!
Some of my current favorite go-to's:
{screenshot these tips for later!}
- Prioritizing sleep and an earlier bedtime. Yes, a quick nap here and there helps but for me, getting into bed as early as possible is key. All of my 'mindless snacking' happens post dinner. The reality: what am I really craving? A warm bath and good night of sleep.
- I am a sucker for a good epsom salt bath. My favorite salt du jour is the AHAVA Dead Sea Mineral Bath Salt but I think the Amazon basics is a close second (and half the price!).
- Brushing my teeth when I’m craving more sugar. I am a sugar addict. Once I have the smallest taste of a sweet treat, a little light goes on in my brain and wants more of it. And then some more. And then just a little bit more… hello dopamine monkey! I'm all for enjoying a treat from time to time … because who doesn’t love homemade cookies or almond meringues ... but I don’t want the occasional treat to hold me back from getting to my goal weight or put me in a foul mood.
- In order to nip my sugar cravings in the bud, a few minutes after enjoying something delicious, I make a hot tea or brush my teeth so that I don’t endlessly crave more sugar and end up eating 3x as much as planned. Enjoy. Savor. Change up the flavor profile. It sounds silly but give it a try. I am always amazed how quickly my cravings go away after brushing my teeth or having a strongly flavored tea.
- If I'm *truly* hungry, I'll grab my current favorite bar: Eudaimonia toffee pretzel bar. These are ALWAYS stocked up in our household. I cannot get enough of these.
- Keeping a big bottle of seltzer with me at all times. I’m sure you’ve heard the line “we often mistake our thirst for hunger.” It’s very true! That said, when I'm feeling hungry (even if it is thirst masking as hunger) a big glass of cold water very rarely sounds appealing. So what does sound good? A bubbly, strawberry drink with a hint of ginger paired with salty Diata pretzels. I invested in a soda stream and am just starting to play with all of the fun flavors. I'll also fill up my water bottle with extra hot water and squeeze in some lemon.
- Shaking things up and getting outside. I played D-1 tennis in college and used to insist on intense workouts. Running 400m sprints? I’m there. Practicing a minimum of 4 hours a day? Why yes, of course! Fast forward ten years to when I learned (through trial and error) that I could go on walks and achieve the same results ... my entire relationship with movement changed. I’ve always loved exercise and the post-exercise high but I never looked forward to running sprints or even going for a long run. For me, this just wasn't a great fit. Now, I absolutely love my daily movement. Sneaking in 2-3 miles each day is a must for me. My body always feels great afterwards and my head always feels much more clear. If you're in a mood, feeling a bit lethargic or working through a big challenge at work, I highly recommend stepping outside and getting in a ten minute walk. Ten minutes. Enjoy a moment to breathe in the fresh air and relax.
- Whipping up lots of our Diata chef recipes: Yes, at some point, I will *actually* cook some of the beautiful recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbooks but for the time being, I am leaning heavily on all of my favorite Diata recipes. Why? They are delicious. I know I won't mess them up when I whip them together. The whole family (my husband included) loves the food so we can all eat together.
- I love to cook and am a huge foodie so eating 'miserable food' is not an option for me (even with the two little men!). My current favorite Diata recipes: the green goddess dressing, our strawberry smoothie (that tastes like ice cream), the Asian fried cauli rice and our new blended curry soup (coming soon!). Need some inspo? Ask your medical team for some recs – we're happy to help and want you to *love* the food you eat!
P.S. For all of the new mamas, soon-to-be new mamas, or lovely ladies hoping to get pregnant soon, we now have programs to support you at each of stage of motherhood in order to support optimal health and help you feel your best. We've been working with top medical experts to develop these programs and can't wait to share our new programs and best practices. Reach out if you'd like to learn more!
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