Pursuit of Wellness - Solo Q&A: My Essential Supplements, Gym Anxiety & Shopping Addiction

Episode Date: February 27, 2025

Ep. 178: In today’s Q&A, we’re covering everything from gym anxiety hacks to my latest obsession with lemon bars (seriously, it’s a problem). I’m also opening up about the emotional rollercoaster of IVF, how Greg and I are adjusting to a new work-life balance, and why I’m suddenly shopping more than ever. Plus, I’m sharing my current go-to activewear brands, what’s on my daily plate, and how I’m shifting into a softer, more intentional way of living. Whether you’re here for fitness tips, life updates, or just to hang out, this one’s for you. Let’s chat! Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari’s Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast’s Instagram click here! For Mari’s Newsletter click here! Sponsored By: Check out SKIMS best intimates including the Fits Everybody Collection and more at https://www.skims.com/pow After your purchase, select “podcast” in the survey and choose our show in the dropdown to support us. #skimspartner Try Maui Nui’s 100% wild-harvested venison—responsibly sourced, protein-packed, and delicious. Order now at mauinuivenison.com/POW Get 20% off Honeylove’s ultra-comfortable bras and shapewear at honeylove.com/POW! Elevate your comfort, elevate your style. #honeylovepod Upgrade your snack game with MASA! Made with just three real ingredients—organic corn, grass-fed beef tallow, and sea salt. Get 20% off at masachips.com/discount/MARI20 using code MARI20. Show Links: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon on Muscle, Creatine & the Links Between H. Pylori & Acne | Part 2 The Ultimate Morning Routine For Balance, Mental Health & Hormone Support Support your gut health with Bloom Greens & Superfoods—packed with 30+ ingredients to ease bloat, aid digestion, and boost energy. Try Bloom today! Topics Discussed 00:00:09 Welcome 00:00:45 Skin update 00:02:20 Length of IVF process 00:03:11 Solidcore 00:03:30 Stopping caffeine? 00:04:07 Separating business from relationship with Greg 00:06:02 Can you eat eggs now? 00:06:38 Idea what I eat in a day 00:11:47 Ozempic 00:12:39 Worrying about regain the wait lost back in 2017 00:13:29 Staying humble after having achieved a lot in a short time 00:14:37 How Greg has best supported Mari through IVF 00:15:19 Favorite jewelry purchases  00:16:26 Cutting boards 00:16:42 Favorite activewear 00:17:23 How to be in “feminine era” 00:20:42 Importance of taking creatine as women 00:21:11 Overcoming embarrassment/feeling uncomfortable at the gym 00:22:42 Staying in Texas? 00:22:47 PCOS 00:23:24 Do you miss the east coast? 00:23:39 How many kids do you want? 00:23:47 How will the dogs be around kids? 00:24:31 Guilty pleasure 00:24:43 What is important in friendships 00:25:36 Advice on releasing perfectionism

This is the Pursuit of Wellness podcast and I'm your host, Mari Llewellyn. Hi guys, welcome back to another episode. Today is a Q&A. I asked you guys to ask me anything and you absolutely did ask me anything. I took a quick scroll through the questions and they are nuts. They really vary. So I really appreciate you guys always asking me so many questions. I feel like this is such a great way to like see where you guys are at, you know, give you updates, give advice, especially, you know, going through IVF and, you know, experiencing all these different things.

So without further ado, let's hop into this Q&A. Skin update. these different things. So without further ado, let's hop into this Q&A. Skin update. So yeah, I guess a skin update, if you didn't know, I mean, I would go back and listen to some of my previous acne episodes. I had cystic acne for about 10 years on and off, had a really hard time figuring out why, and we ended up solving it by healing my H. pylori, which is a gut bacteria that

is passed back and forth between you and your spouse. So Greg and I were completely unaware that we both had it. We ended up having to do a round of antibiotics and a gut rebuild. And honestly, my acne has not come back, especially I was very worried going through IVF and taking tons of hormones, being put back on birth control, doing all these crazy things. I've had a couple zits here and there, but absolutely nothing like what it used to be. I am still working on scarring. I have a microneedling appointment coming up.

I'm diligent with skincare. I get facials and things like that, chemical peels, but so far so good. It's honestly so nice and I still pinch myself every day that I get to have clear skin because it was such a brutal, brutal time for me other than doing the inner work with the H. pylori and the supplements and the gut rebuild and the colostrum and all that. I found brands that I love.

You guys know I'm obsessed with clear stem skincare, which is non-hormone disrupting, non-pore clogging. I also love Clean Skin Club, which is amazing if you have a sensitive face and like you want to dry your face. I actually brought them with me to Colorado, so you're not using like dirty towels. And yeah, there's been so many tools I've used along the way and I'm so happy. How long is the IVF process taking over all? Praying for you. Thank you, love. I appreciate that. So I guess I went to my the IVF process taking over all? Praying for you, thank you love, I appreciate that. So I guess I went to my first IVF appointment consultation at the beginning of December.

We started injections right after Christmas and we are done with all of the injections, we're done with the hormones, we've done with the egg retrieval, we have our embryos, we're done with genetic testing. So, okay, how many months is that? If considering the consultation, we're at three months now, and I'm still about a month away from the embryo transfer. So, I guess you should be looking at a total of four months, but it is different for everyone. So, it's definitely long, it feels long

when you're in it, but in retrospect, you know, it's not that long compared to like how long we've been trying for. Have you tried Solid Core? A Bloom partnership with them would be epic. I actually haven't tried Solid Core. I've heard really good things. I do former Pilates here in Austin. Solid Core would be really cool. I feel like Bloom has partnered with Solid Core but yeah I think we have partnered with Solid Core guys so let me find out and let you guys know. At what point in IVF journey are you gonna stop drinking caffeine? I haven't stopped drinking caffeine at all. I do plan on very much decreasing it leading up to the transfer probably

like a cup a day right now. I'm a little bit addicted to coffee right now, and obviously I love our Bloom energy drinks for a pick me up as well. Yeah, probably quite soon I will cut it down to one cup a day, which will suck, but we will do that. And also fully cutting out alcohol. Just here to say that the juicy oranges fire, heart eyes. I agree with you, babe. It is my favorite flavor.

How did you and Greg separate business from your relationship? Big fan here. Good question. I feel like our relationship, we started Bloom 2018 together. And honestly, I think building a business together as co-founders was actually very strengthening for our relationship. We went through a lot of really stressful times together. We still do, but it's very interesting because I feel like our relationship, we've been together

for almost 11 years now. I think this is the first time in our relationship that we've really, really shifted. We were very much co-founders for five years almost now, considering Mari Fitness and Bloom. And now is the first time that I've really taken a little bit of a step back because of the IVF journey. And it's the first time where we really have different days and we get to share with each other what the difference in our days are and we have very different jobs now. Yeah, it's a very interesting time and it's taken me a minute to shift with it and feel... We used to be in every meeting together, we used to travel for work together, we were attached at the hip. But

honestly, I like having the separation. I think it's good for our relationship and it helps us be But honestly, I kind of like having the separation. I think it's good for our relationship and it helps us be kind of focused more on being husband and wife. But I always say, I think with relationships, there's ebbs and flows. Like any time I've been stressed about like us being co-founders or just any period of time with our relationship, I feel like there is seasons for everything. And I think us being co-founders for as long as we were was like a really cool, unique experience. And I think it taught us how to work together as a team. And I know that will come in useful in the future. And right now is a season of us just being like husband and wife. So I think it's really cool to just embrace those seasons. Can you eat eggs now? Yes, I can. I eat about two to three eggs a day, which is so nice. I actually have my own chicken coop

and I get to eat my own chicken eggs, which right now, especially with the bird flu is fabulous. All of you have been sending me chicken memes of them wearing Louis Vuitton and stuff like that. So my girls are very much thriving right now. We're not buying the expensive eggs out in the grocery store. And yeah, I used to have, I used to not eat eggs because I felt like it was triggering my acne.

And I feel like during H. pylori, it probably was, but now it doesn't seem to trigger me at all. And I love eggs. I think that's such a great source of protein. You're perfect or what I eat in a day. Okay, so I'll tell you what it is right now. I definitely go through phases and like hyper fixations. I have the tendency to get really fixated

on certain things, but okay, right now I'll give you an example of like yesterday or today even for when I first wake up, I make my big jug of water with electrolytes, bloom colostrum, creatine and ice. And that's what I drink when I work out. I make black hot Americano from our Breville coffee machine. I get a yogurt granola bowl from Swedish Hill without the honey. It is literally my hyper fixation. I don't know why. I've never been a huge yogurt girl. For some reason I'm obsessed with this yogurt bowl.

I get it every single day. Sometimes later in the day, I'll do two eggs and sourdough bread, or I'll do a rice bowl with rice obviously and a protein. Like I'll do beef, chicken or salmon and I'll do a little bit of salad with it. Sometimes I'll have a protein bar as a snack and then for dinner I love having tacos, I love having steak, I love having sometimes I'll have like quiche on a nice random day. Something definitely protein focused. And then lately I've been having dessert

because why not? And I'm like treating myself. Okay, so we have these like little lemon bars. I'm obsessed with lemon bars. Like I'm seriously addicted to lemon bars. I'll have a little lemon bar or I'll have dark chocolate. And I have my pomegranate juice every day because it's great for the uterus lining. Greg has also been making me this super bone broth, which is really dense in collagen and glycine. That's also good for the embryo transfer to have something warm before bed. So that is my what I eat in a day. I started wearing skims a few years ago and I seriously have not gone back.

I am someone who, if you know me, I hate bras and underwear. I went years not wearing thongs because I hate how they feel and skims really change that experience for me. They have a fits everybody high waist thong that just literally feels like it's a part of your body. You can't even feel it. And they also have a cheeky brief that I love to wear under skirts and dresses. They are seriously so comfortable.

And I am someone who always wears my triangle bralette. It looks perfect under a t-shirt. You can't even tell. And it's so, so comfortable. You don't get that like digging in effect that you get from other bras. Plus they all come in so many different shades for any skin tone. I think Skims is like the best underwear brand out there. Shop Skims best intimates, including the fits everybody collection and more at skims.com and skims stores.

After you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you, select podcasts in the survey and be sure to select our show pursuit of wellness in the drop down menu that follows. If you come to my house, you will find tons of Maui Nui venison. My husband and I are such big fans. It is really the healthiest red meat on the planet. I'm very focused on getting my red meat in right now and my iron intake during IVF, Maui Nui offers the only 100% wild harvested meat that's completely stress free and responsibly sourced. These animals are 100% wild, free to roam and choose their own diet, but they are also destructive and their mission is to balance the access deer populations by being the only operation to wild harvest these

animals in a way that benefits the environment, communities, and the food system. We personally love the meat sticks from Maui Nui. We also love the ground meat. It's so easy to just incorporate in your diet. And honestly, if you're afraid about eating deer, I was too, and it is not gamey and it's not intimidating at all. It's the healthiest red meat you'll ever meet, 100% wild harvested and stress-free. It's the highest protein to calorie ratio for up to 53% more than grass-fed beef.

Their sugar-free peppered stick packs have 10 grams of protein and just 55 calories. They taste amazing. They're convenient for on the go. And I love the fact that they have a meaningful mission. There are so many amazing people in the industry who love them like Dr. Andrew Huberman, Tim Ferriss, Dr. Peter Atiyah and so many more. Maui Newey offers the only 100% wild harvested meat that's completely stress free and responsibly sourced.

It's perfect for anyone looking to elevate their meals with delicious high quality protein. Maui Newey Venison is offering pursuit of wellness listeners a limited collection of my favorite cuts and products, but supply is limited by nature of their work. So don't wait. Head to mauinuinvenison.com slash pow to secure your access now. Again, that's Maui Nui Venison, M-A-U-I-N-U-I-V-E-N-I-S-O-N dot com slash pow P-O-W. Are you on Ozempic right now? No.

I'm doing IVF, I'm not on Ozempic. I feel like I'm getting a lot of questions about that. Definitely not. I'm currently in a window of time where I'm leading up to an embryo transfer and taking progesterone, taking estrogen, taking a bunch of different things to set my body up for success. And Ozempic is something that can lead to, I mean, there's just not a lot of studies on it, right?

So it can lead to birth defects, it could lead to complications in pregnancy. So definitely not. And I want to answer that because I'm getting tons of questions about it. And I just want to be clear that no, and I don't think that that's like, we've had a few episodes on here that are about how it can be useful for trying to conceive but I definitely don't think it's studied enough and it's not something that I think anyone should take during IVF. Do you ever worry about regaining all the weight you have lost? Honestly, no. I feel like while I'm someone who's definitely health conscious and very

mental health conscious, losing 90 pounds in 2017 was just like, I can't describe it. It wasn't just a weight loss journey for me. It was such a life overhaul and such a big part of finding out who I am and such a mental spiritual journey for me. I've never looked back. It was never a question of like, oh, I'll go back to the old me. It was like, no, this is who I really am and this is how I'm the happiest. So no, I never worry about that. I know that this is like, I'm wondering if you're asking that because of pregnancy and no, and that's not something I really worry about. And I also just love nutrition so much. I think food is like medicine, so I'm really excited actually to embrace that side of it.

You achieved a lot in a few years and stay humble with your feet on the ground. I think it's trauma related, honestly. I feel like I've never been the most, even as a a kid I was always like a little unsure of myself, a little like shy, a little insecure. I feel like I've never been someone to be like the loudest in the room or the most confident and I've had to do a lot of like confidence building over the years and I think I still struggle with some imposter syndrome just because of like how I grew up. I never really anticipated being like a big business owner or anything like that. But I think it's, you know, I am very in touch with, first of all, Greg. Greg and I have been together forever and we've seen each other at our worst and at our best. And my family keeps me very

grounded and they roast me. I don't get any special treatment, that's for sure. And I feel like the people I surround myself with keep me really grounded. It's, I think it's also just like, I don't really understand the concept of like feeling like you're better than everyone just because of business or finances, you know, when someone shows up with a certain character, like that's how I would judge them. What are some of the best things Greg has done

to support you through IVF? Everyone shows up in their own way and has their own love languages. I think for me, him supporting me, going to church with me, making me bone broth, helping me make sure I take my pomegranate juice, measuring all my injections for me every night, holding my hand through it, taking care of me after my egg retrieval, giving me encouragement and support and just being there for me as my partner and just going through this with him has been such a crazy wild journey

and both of us want it so badly. So yeah, I think it's just nice to have a partner in the whole thing. Favorite jewelry purchases? That's a fun question. Okay, Greg got me these earrings for our anniversary. It wasn't a purchase of mine, but I feel like I wear them every single day

and I think of him. And then there's also a brand called, I never know how to say it, but it's like Horsin' Boons or something. It's a high-end jewelry brand, but they're like horse themed. So everything looks like a horse bit. So I have this like chunkier one

and then I have this thinner one and it of course reminds me of horses and I just absolutely love them. So I feel like I've gotten way more into jewelry recently. I used to not wear any and now I'm like obsessed with it for some reason. Also, I did a post about this on TikTok and everyone agreed with me, but like IVF makes you shop more in a dangerous way because and I couldn't figure out why I was like, why is my shopping getting so bad? And I texted my friend who's been through it before and she was like, oh yeah, like I grew my purse collection like tenfold during IVF because you're

being so patient and all you want is like instant gratitude. So the shopping has been interesting. I'm trying to watch it though. I'm trying to be the best in the kitchen. Share your cutting board, please. Thanks Mari. I just use wooden cutting boards. I mean, I try to avoid the plastic ones

because every time you cut into those like little bits of plastic are getting in your food. So I really try to do just any wooden cutting board. Someone asked for my favorite active wear. So as of late, I have been obsessed with Adanola. I think that's how you say it, Adanola. It's a British active wear brand. I'm wearing the leggings right now.

Ooh, and socks. I'm absolutely obsessed with it. I get the matching sets, the leggings. They also have tall leggings, which are absolutely incredible. What else do I like? Crop Shop Boutique is always a favorite. Form by Sammy Spolta, my good friend. Aviator Nation, I mean it's not really active wear, it's more sweatpants, but my friends own that as well and I'm obsessed.

I like set active sometimes, but really Adinola is like my favorite right now. Tips on how to be more in my feminine era. Some people get mad when I call it the feminine era, but what I mean is like, as I was saying, I think either in this episode or a previous one is like I felt such a big shift in my life lately going through fertility. I used to be so masculine. Like I would be so, I was such an intense person, which I so respect and I'm so grateful I had that period of my life,

but I would wake up like sit up out of bed, 5.30 in the morning, roll into gym clothes, get to Gold's gym, do a crazy HIIT workout until I was like laying on the floor, get to the office, be there late. Like my schedule was by the 30 minute mark. Yeah, I was like fully in adrenaline, fight or flight mode 24 7 and I think, you know, building a business, like sometimes you need to do that and you need to be

that way and I did that for many, many years and I think I definitely hit burnout. I definitely realized going through this fertility journey, I wouldn't be able to function that way. Just number one, from a physical health standpoint, it's not good for you. But number two, like just mentally, I couldn't do it anymore. So I think to me being in my feminine era is about like being, and I'm still trying to grapple with this because I for some reason have a lot of guilt. I think a lot of my self-worth was like wrapped up in achieving and like business achievements and just like doing the most and doing more. And now I'm kind of like, okay, well, why else do you love yourself? And it's like a really good test and not having guilt about being slow, I think is a really

big thing. I hope that answered the question. I am not someone who generally grabs a bag of chips. So many of them are made with seed oils, artificial flavors and preservatives. And as you guys know, I went on a long journey with fitness that's been so life changing for me. And I guess along the way I tried many different diets, I tried eliminating different things and it can be tricky. It can be tricky to make it too restrictive and not enjoy your life anymore.

And that's why I love brands like Masa. They make amazing chips that are made with just three ingredients, organic, nixtamalized, corn, grass-fed beef tallow and Redmond sea salt. That is it. No seed oils, no weird additives, just real food that actually supports your body. This is incredible. I love beef tallow. I use Redmond sea salt every day.

And I love the fact that there's only three ingredients in these chips. They are so freaking delicious. I have a whole pantry full of them. You can dip them in guac, hummus, have them on the side of a salad, whatever it may be. I love the fact that it's no bloating, no guilt, just good food that's good for our bodies.

I love to be able to eat things that I genuinely enjoy. Maybe I'm watching a movie or hanging out on the weekend, and masa is just one of those better options. They don't leave me feeling sluggish or inflamed afterwards. They're just truly good. I'm all about eating away that's balanced, is sustainable, and it fits perfectly with my protein packed meals, with guac, or just straight out of the bag. I'm also someone who just loves salty crunchy food and this is perfect for me. If you want to try Masa yourself head to masachips.com and use my code MARI20 for 20% off your order. Trust me you'll never go back to regular chips again.

Why is it so important for women to take creatine? I mean, I did a whole episode on this with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon recently, if you want to go back. Creatine is the most studied supplement there is on the market. It's really good for hydrating muscles. It's really good for cognitive function. I actually stopped taking it for a little bit and I just started again because I definitely noticed a big difference. I personally think it's really great. Thank you for your podcast. I've never been so passionate about anything. That's really nice. Thank you so much. How to overcome feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed at the gym. That was something I definitely dealt with at the beginning of my journey. I remember leaving in tears or just feeling like everyone was staring at

me or I was doing something wrong. I think the biggest thing is to just know. I think there's a few ways I could answer that. From an emotional mental standpoint, just knowing that everyone there is there to better themselves. If you don't start at the beginning, then where do you start? Everyone was a beginner at some point.

You have just as much right to be there as anyone else. And I promise no one's looking at you. And if they are, that's weird on them. And they should be embarrassed. I feel like something I had to realize is everyone is just there for themselves. You're there for yourself. Don't look left and right.

Don't worry about what anyone else is doing. Just think about yourself and practice makes perfect. No one's perfect when they first try. It's so admirable of you to just show up in the first place. So something that actually helped me though from like a tactical point of view is I would wear a baseball hat, super low, so I like couldn't look at anyone else. I would wear big headphones to detract people from coming up to me. Not that people were like coming up to me, I mean like men, you know. Big headphones and also having a plan of action so I wasn't just sort of like wandering around trying to figure out what to do.

I knew exactly what I was doing and if the gym was really busy I would just go to like an empty corner with dumbbells and do an entirely dumbbell focus workout. I completely get why you would ask about that. Do you think you guys will stay in Texas? I definitely do. We love it so so much. Do you have PCOS and if so what age are you diagnosed? Technically yes I have some symptoms of PCOS. I think someone first mentioned it to me when I was like 27. But PCOS is really interesting because it's such a bundle of symptoms and so many people meet the criteria for PCOS and I find it very confusing and I don't fully agree with it. I also think it's somewhat manageable with nutrition and lifestyle.

I don't want anyone to feel discouraged if they get that diagnosis because I think so many of us have it and I also think a lot of it has to do with being on the pill for so long. Do you ever miss the East coast? Only in the summer. I feel like East coast summer is amazing. I'm sure we'll end up there at some point this summer. Greg's family lives on Long Island.

We love the North Fork. So yeah, in the summer I do. How many kids do you want? I don't know. At this moment, I would just be so grateful for one, but who knows, maybe two or three. We'll see. How do you think Lulu and Arnold will be with a baby? Lulu is like a little nurse. She's so emotional and sweet, such a female pit bull dog. She has been around babies before and she's very sweet with them. Arnold I feel more concerned about I

Feel like he'll be maybe jealous and like he's also scared of kids because he had a kid grab him once at the airport And now he's scared so I might have to get a dog trainer. We will see do you struggle with Arnold peeing everywhere? No, that is not an issue that we have thank goodness, but he did eat a whole squirrel two days ago. I came home and he had a squirrel tail hanging out of his mouth. What is your guilty pleasure? I mean, I don't know if I really have one, probably like lemon bars.

I'm not really like guilty about it though. Maybe like my fantasy novels, but I'm not guilty about that either. What is important to you in friendship and how do you balance time with them and yourself? I think important in friendships to me is like balance. I feel like a friend that asks me questions as much as I'm asking them, showing up supportively for you in like your good moments and your bad moments. I think that's very telling, like clapping for you in your good moments and your bad moments. I think that's very telling, like clapping for you when you win,

showing up when you're struggling. I think for me, as someone, when I'm struggling, I sometimes isolate a little bit, like having someone reach out, someone who's down to literally just get a coffee or do a workout, nothing, you know, I'm not necessarily like a big party girl so someone who's down to like make sourdough with me. I feel like I have friends, different types of friendships with all my friends and I feel really lucky to have the friends I have right now. Advice to release perfectionism. I put so much pressure on myself. I feel like perfectionism can delay like us reaching our

goals sometimes. I always say if you have a dream just start. Like that was such a big thing for me with the business. I feel like when I look back on our first products I'm like oh my goodness why did we put those out? But if you wait too long and wait for it to be perfect or wait for the perfect time it will never happen. So sometimes it's better to just get out there and try it and you'll learn as you go. So yeah, I think I will conclude our Q&A here. Thank you guys so, so, so much for the questions. I really appreciate it. Thank you for listening and I can't wait for the next episode. Bye. episode. Bye! Thank you for joining us on the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. To support this show, please rate and review and share with your loved ones. If you want to be reminded of new episodes,

click the subscribe button on your preferred podcast or video player. You can sign up for my newsletter to receive my favourites at marielawellen.com, it will be linked in the show notes. This podcast is a Pursuit Network production, brought to you by Michaela Phillips, Joel Contartese, Davielle Waldner, Jen Loren, and Mackenzie Maisel. You can also watch the full video of each episode on our YouTube channel at Pursuit of Wellness podcast. Love you, Power Girls and Power Boys. I will see you next time.

The content of this show is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual medical and mental health advice and does not constitute a provider-patient relationship. As always, talk to your doctor or health team.