Pursuit of Wellness - Solo Q&A: Nutrition Tips For PCOS, Stanley Cups, Homesteading, and My Favorite Amazon Makeup

Episode Date: April 4, 2024

Ep. #87 Welcome back to the Pursuit of Wellness podcast, I am here solo today to chat with you and answer any questions. We go over Greg’s bday, my new chickens,  Stanley Cups, Austin meet ups and so much more. For Mari’s Newsletter click here! Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari’s Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast’s Instagram click here! Show Links: Strength App Lily of the Desert Aloe Juice  Illuminare, Moisturizing Mineral Foundation  Merit Concealer Sponsored By: Listeners of my show can save $250 by going to mylifeforce.com/pow. Give Lifeforce a try and find out what the healthiest version of yourself is capable of. Save 15% and get free shipping on your Starter Kit when you use code POW at www.branchbasics.com. Again, that is code POW for 15% off plus free shipping when you purchase a Starter Kit. Use code POW15 at checkout for 15% off your entire order at www.vionicshoes.com when you log into your account. 1 time use only. Vionic Shoes. Wearable well-being for your feet. Topics Discussed: 01:35 - Celebrating Greg’s birthday 04:51 - Feeling “full” in Austin 05:38 - Bloom updates and travel plans 06:42 - Mari and her chickens 09:41 - Traveling between Austin and LA 10:50 - POW Austin meetup 11:20 - Thoughts on the Stanley Cup 12:07 - Dos and Don’ts 14:11 - Losing fat and keeping muscle over 6 weeks 20:15 - Episode with Buff Bunny 20:24 - Plans for a live podcast 21:07 - Aloe juice recommendation  21:45 - BPD diagnosis 23:54 - Arnold and Lulu 27:59 - Weekly workout schedule 28:47 - Acne safe makeup 29:43 - One tip for business success 30:30 - Religious background 31:14 - Horseback riding and suggestions for beginners 32:42 - Progesterone 33:25 - Macros for PCOS 33:49 - Van life adventures

This is the Pursuit of Wellness podcast, and I'm your host, Mari Llewellyn. What's up, guys? Welcome back to the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. It is your host, Mari Llewellyn. I am here solo today to chat with you, answer some questions, give you some updates, some advice. I'm actually in here all alone today. Normally I have Fi, my best friend and partner, sitting right here, but she's not here today. She's in Nashville. So I really am solo dolo. And it's a little weird because I don't have anyone giving me any energy. Like usually I pretend that she's like the audience, but I'm really just looking at myself today. So hi, if you're watching on YouTube,

if you're watching on Spotify, or listening on Apple, thank you so much for tuning in. I am really excited to be chatting with you guys today. If you're new, welcome. We talk all things health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, mental health, even just like personal fun girl chats, everything on the pursuit of wellness. And every Thursday, I do a solo episode or I'm joined by Fi. And today I'm solo. So sorry, guys, I'm so amped up right now. I just sampled this morning some new Bloom products that I cannot disclose at this time. But just know, I'm feeling on top of the world right now and I'm really energized.

That kind of gives it away. But wow. Feeling good today. I had the best weekend ever. So we were celebrating Greg's birthday. He turned 29 this week and I threw him two parties. I was so extra about the whole thing. The first one was at home and I did a whole cowboy theme.

There was hay and bandanas and little tequila bottles with cowboy hats. And I had cowboy hats for everyone. And we just barbecued and kept it really simple. Fi and Kenny were there because they were actually out of town for his actual party. So it was all of our close friends. And then on Saturday, I planned a whole dinner for him at Arbor here in Austin,

invited a bunch of his guy friends. So, oh, I should mention the cake situation. So at our house, I actually made him a banana cream cake from this British recipe and it came out pretty darn good. Like the icing was amazing. It was a very dense cake. I will say it wasn't as fluffy as anticipated, but I also used this certain flour that I found on Amazon that I want to use for a sourdough. It's Italian flour. So technically the gluten is not, I think it might be naturally gluten free. You know, that type of flour when you go to Italy

and you eat pizza and pasta and you're like, wow, I'm not bloated. I feel fine. I think I got that flour, which was the reason the cake was so dense, but even still delish. And I was very proud of myself. Then on Saturday, I actually got Greg his favorite cake, which is a carrot cake. And I was very proud of myself. Then on Saturday, I actually got Greg his favorite cake, which is a carrot cake. And I got it from a really creative like cake making place and had them make it a tomahawk steak because Greg's all about that carnivore lifestyle. So the cake was this massive tomahawk and it even had like salt on top and rosemary and like a slice cut. It looked like an actual steak. It was amazing.

And I had a little butcher's card that said, happy birthday, Greg. Really, really cute. We had such a good time. You know, I had two martinis. My drink lately is a dirty gin martini with olives. I feel like it's clean and hot take, but you don't need too many of them because after one, I'm literally like tipsy-tursy, like tipsy-tursy, what does that even mean? Tipsy-topsy, is that the phrase? I'm pretty tipsy after one martini and I feel like that limits me to just having one drink,

which I like and I never have too bad of a hangover afterwards. So we did that and then we went to a bar afterwards and I think he had a great time. I mean, I know he had a great time. So I'm just practicing for when I have children because Lord knows when I have kids, their birthday parties are going to be off the chain. You know, love planning a little party, especially for Greg. And we just had a really social weekend we had our friend Logan staying with us we went on a boat with our friends on Lake Austin for the first time which really unlocked a new side of Austin for me I was like oh wow there really is like a lake culture here it was so fun we pulled up to a cafe called Ski Shores. We had coffee. They ordered cinnamon

rolls. Like it was so cute and fun. And yeah, we just had such a great weekend. I feel like I'm meeting really good people out here and just feeling very like full. Like I feel like for a very long time with building Bloom and where I was at with my fitness journey, I was quite like isolated. And I feel like since being in Austin, I'm in my social era. I feel like every time I come on the podcast, I'm in a new era. I'm having a lot of errors at once. Okay. I'm looking at my spray tan in the camera right now. It's so extreme. Comment below if you think, oh my God, that's so bad. But yeah, I'm in my social era as is Greg. And I'm really proud of him for that. And I think this is the moment that we should be embracing

like community and just sharing life with other people. That's what it's all about. So a little update. I found out I'm actually traveling to Mexico this Friday, Saturday for a Bloom event. We are launching in a new pharmacy in Mexico called Ahura, which is so exciting. So I will be there. And then in two weeks, Fi and I are traveling to Nashville to record some really exciting podcasts.

I'm actually talking with Daisy Keech and Todd Addison. So Daisy Keech is a fitness influencer, creator, who's also been through mold and acne. And I just really want to talk to her about that because I think it's such a prevalent issue right now. And then I'm also talking with Todd Anderson, who is a sleep expert. So really cool, exciting things coming. And then I'm actually going directly to Turks and Caicos. I got Greg a trip to Turks and Caicos for his birthday. So we are going to meet up in Miami and go to Turks and Caicos together, which is so exciting. And we are very due for a break. He is extremely due for a break. So I'm really excited to relax and chill with Greg. Another update, I have officially begun my chicken journey. This is a part of my homesteading trad wife journey. And me just denying the fact that

I'm a business owner, just kidding. I feel like we can do all of it at once. So while I'm a podcast host and business owner, I'm also exploring my homesteading trad wife moment. And I've been making sourdough, I've been baking cakes, and now I've officially started my chicken coop. So I have seven hens. They are currently chicks. And I'm working with a local chicken expert who is hand raising the chicks. Because chicks take a lot of work, you need to tend to them a lot. And I just don't have time to do that. So she helped me pick out my breeds. I got, you know what? Let me pull up the breeds I got

because anyone listening who's into chickens will probably want to know or no one cares, but let's see. So we got black silkies. We got fibro Easter eggers. We got a salmon favaroli, a golden kukumaran, a New Hampshire red and a Swedish flower hen. So I got, I think seven total.

I got a couple of the silkies because we just love silkies. They're the crazy ones with the feet and the heads and they're, you know, all funny. And then we've ordered the chicken coop, which is a pretty big chicken coop. I haven't decided if I want them to free range or not. I'm a bit nervous because of my dogs and because we have a nest of falcons or like hawks in my yard. They're not very big, but I do

worry about that. So if I did free range them, I'd probably monitor them. So the coop is definitely big enough for them to roam around in and it also has storage. And I had to pick a name for the coop and I decided to name it Cluckingham Palace. I mean, come on. I had to. I had to, being from the UK. So that's the update on the chicken coop. I'll keep you guys updated. If you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen I do a lot of walks in my neighborhood. And I recently came across a house that has two alpacas living in the yard. Like it's a normal house. Actually, it's not a normal house. It's a gorgeous house. It's like a French chateau vibe. And these two alpacas live in the yard and they just sleep on the porch,

which is absolutely incredible. It's really inspired me to live my dreams. I feel like at this point, I have all the right to get a mini horse in my yard. I definitely have the space. It's just a matter of whether my husband would be down for it. Anyway, with that said, today I'm going to do a bit of a Q&A. I asked you guys four questions and as per usual, you delivered. We've got tons of questions coming in. I haven't even looked at them. So this is going to be a real raw time reaction. Let's see how personal you guys got today. Let's see how many boundaries you overstepped today. How is it traveling between Austin and LA so often? So what I like about it is the fact that when I go to LA, I'm so in work mode that I like the fact that I don't have to compartmentalize. I go, I grind for

a week, and then I leave and I feel like I'm in my sanctuary again. And I also feel like being in the Bloom office is so exciting, seeing everyone we work with, being in person with guests. I really haven't done any guest interviews in Austin yet. Oh, I've done one with Mimi. But usually I'm doing solos and I really, really, really enjoy guest interviews. So it's exciting, it's thrilling, it's exhausting, but it's just one week. I will say with trying to conceive right now, traveling can throw off your cycle and your ovulation. So that part of it gives me a bit of anxiety. So I'm trying to limit travel as much as I can because I do travel quite a lot at the moment. So let's see. But yeah, traveling back and forth is both exciting and quite tiring. And I'm happy

that I'm home for a little bit right now. I'm seeing a lot of you ask for a POW Austin meetup. This girl said it would be so fun, would love to meet like-minded girlies here. I would love to do that. I really want to do a POW girl walk around Lady Bird Lake here in Austin. So if you're listening and you are in Austin, please DM me or comment, find a way to let me know that you want that. I can just picture like a huge squad of us walking around Lady Bird Lake. I think it'd be so fun. Did you stop using a Stanley cup due to the lead? What are your thoughts? So I'm actually drinking out of a Stanley right now. And I did order a Hydroflask because those don't have lead because I did get a bit worried. But

after asking around and doing some research, I think unless your Stanley cup is like eroding and broken, I don't think there's too much to worry about. I think with people get really fixated on these things, unfortunately, when they see a viral video or whatever it may be. And there's so much else to be worried about that I don't think that this is our biggest concern, if you know what I mean. Like I'd be more worried about the processed foods, the air fresheners, things like that. So yeah, I'm wary of it, but I'm not like banning Stanley cups from my house. Do's and don'ts for the month of April. Any new habits? Wow. Love that. So I'm really working on my self-talk when it comes to my skin. And I kind of had a bit of a

reality check with myself just about how negative my self-talk is when it comes to my skin. You know, like when people have body image issues and they do body checks or they're constantly looking at themselves in the mirror and picking themselves apart. I was very much doing that with my skin and kind of holding myself back in life due to my skin. And anyone listening who has had skin issues or any other, honestly, body image issues will relate. And I've been working using activations, which I've told you guys about, or meditations and just positive affirmations for myself while I'm getting ready every day. So in the month of April, I'm focusing on self-love and self-acceptance and really embodying the confidence that I want to have and acting like the highest version of myself. Also just like, you know, might sound silly,

but me getting that chicken coop, for some reason for a while, I was like, oh, you don't need that. Like that's silly. And other people are like, wow, that's such a, I just think doing the things that I've always wanted to do, but haven't pulled the trigger on yet, like I'm doing them now, because if not now, then when type of vibe. So yeah, and in terms of

don'ts, like no negative self-talk. And also, I'm really into simplifying right now with skincare, with lifestyle. I used to push myself to the absolute limit with like my schedule and routine. And I'm just at the point where I feel like simpler is better and clearing my headspace a bit. And I'm really into this Friday to Monday deleting Instagram thing. I think it's been so helpful for my mental health. I did it this past weekend as well. And that's a huge do for April. My wedding is in six weeks. Any advice on how to lose fat while keeping muscle in six weeks? Okay. Six weeks is a decent amount of time. And before I go into this, I know some people are not into this kind of thing and you can just skip over it if it's triggering for you. But

if we're talking like on a scientific level, how you want to do this, I definitely have experience. I've lost 90 pounds in the past and have definitely really learned how to dial in my goals with my body. I think turn up the weightlifting. I think maybe get your heart rate up a bit. Like instead of taking big rests

in between your weightlifting reps, like keep doing supersets. So you're keeping your body moving the whole time. So for example, maybe you're doing overhead press with shoulders and then you go right into pushups. And then maybe you're doing some of the ski machines. So you're really moving or you're doing jump squats, like keep that heart rate up.

And then definitely want to be eating a lot of protein. I don't track calories or macros. If that's helpful for you, then I would do that. But just like try to eliminate some of the things that maybe aren't necessary. Like if you're getting a Starbucks frappuccino, that can probably go. Really focus on whole nutrient dense foods. You'll end up feeling more full. And yeah, healthy fats. I personally really like a high fat, low carb diet. That's what I did for my wedding and it worked really, really well for me. So I was still getting in enough calories for sure. And I felt full and satiated. I was having grass fed beef, avocado, olive oil, salads, but I limited the amount of carbs I was having and that helped me for weight loss.

And that's not sustainable. Now I'm eating rice and potato and whatever it may be, but I hope that helps. You guys are always asking me how to get blood work done and how to figure out how to live optimally. I know blood work is something I recommend all the time and that's where I found Lifeforce. I think this is going to be a really great tool for you all. Lifeforce is leading the way for personalized proactive health. It gives you access to regular blood testing, measuring more than 40 biomarkers every three months coupled with functional medicine and support from the team of clinicians. I actually did a blood draw this morning at my house for LifeForce

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So it's so important to have a professional with you to read that blood work. If you've ever thought about going to a functional medicine doctor or getting a concierge doctor to go deeper into your health, you know it can be incredibly expensive and there are still long lead times to be seen. A Lifeforce membership is only $129 a month with no commitments, so you are never locked in.

Listeners of my show can save $250 by going to mylifeforce.com slash pow. That's mylifeforce.com slash pow, P-O-W. Give Lifeforce a try and find out what the healthiest version of you is capable of. You guys are always asking me for my advice on clean products you can use in your home, whether it's skincare, makeup, or cleaning products. I am the biggest fan of Branch Basics. I think everyone knows this by now. Everyone comes to my house and sees the Branch Basic hand soap and the cleaning products, and no one's surprised. I'm such a Branch Basic girly. Branch Basics is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, free of fragrance and hormone disruptors, and harmful preservatives. It's baby and pet safe, clean and cost effective. Their premium

starter kit will give you everything you need to replace all of your toxic cleaning products in your home. It's really a no-brainer. I have two dogs and Greg and I are, you know, always eating, cooking off of our countertops. I want to make sure I'm using things that are not disrupting my hormones. They have an amazing refill model. So once you run out, the only thing you need to repurchase is the concentrate and oxygen boost. If you suffer from acne, eczema, allergies, make the switch to Branch Basics. You can save 15% off and get free shipping on your starter kit when you use code POW, P-O-W, at checkout, www.branchbasics.com. Again, that's code POW, P-O-W, for 15% off plus free shipping when you purchase a starter kit. Spring is right around the corner, which means I'm spring cleaning my wardrobe and looking for warmer weather essentials. The Vionic Vitals collection

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important to me. You guys can use code PAL15 at checkout for 15% off your entire order at www.vionicshoes.com when you log into your account. One-time use only, Vionic Shoes, wearable well-being for your feet. Are you releasing your power episode with Buffbunny? Yes, it's coming. I believe this Monday, guys. It's coming up. Are you going to do a live podcast? Another thing that I feel like is like a bucket list item for me, I'd love

to do it. I mean, speaking on this microphone is one thing, but to speak in front of an audience is like, ah, scary, but so thrilling. So please let me know if you guys would attend. It's just a matter of like, if I were to put the energy and time into planning, that would people actually come and I'm the first person to be doubtful of myself, but I would love to. So please let me know. And where should we do it? I would love to bring like a couple of your guys' favorite guests. I'm thinking Emily Morrow. I'm thinking Fi. I'm thinking, you know, Krista Williams, whoever you guys feel like you'd love to see on stage. What brand of aloe juice do you drink and do you mix it with anything? I get the, I think it's called Desert. Let me look it up really quick. I get the Lily

of the Desert aloe juice. It doesn't have any weird added preservatives or ingredients. So if you do get an aloe juice, make sure you check the ingredients that it's just aloe and lemon or whatever it may be. And then I like to mix it with warm water, lemon and salt. It's the perfect way to start liver detoxing. And I also will order warm lemon water when I'm at restaurants nowadays, because I feel like it really is just helpful if you're struggling with acne or liver overload or whatever it may be. Now that you don't fit the BPD profile, do you still feel like that was the right diagnosis for you um so for anyone who doesn't know BPD stands for borderline personality disorder and I was

diagnosed with that during college I do feel like it was the right diagnosis it was the one that I most resonated with and I felt very like I really did line up with the characteristics of BPD quite accurately. Now having more perspective, I don't know. I think the diagnosis brought me peace because it gave me something to work from rather than just being like, I feel all these crazy strong emotions and I don't know why. But I would classify it more as like PTSD. I think they call it CPTSD now. Just having repeated trauma my whole childhood into my adulthood and the way that I managed that. I don't think I was born with BPD, if that makes sense. When I think about my true core self as a child, before things started getting complicated with my personal life, I was like a very creative, happy kid. And perhaps I already had pretty sensitive identity. But I do feel like BPD was an accurate diagnosis. But I do feel like BPD was an accurate diagnosis, but I also just think it was the result of trauma.

Because now, after doing a lot of the work, I don't meet the characteristics for BPD anymore. And I just think that's interesting. Because a lot of the time, the way BPD is described is like, you have it for life, there's no way to get through it. I genuinely thought it would be something I struggled with for the rest of my life. And I don't anymore. It takes a lot for me to get pushed. And I still struggle with PTSD-like symptoms. And it comes out occasionally, especially when I'm alone. When Greg's traveling or whatever it may be, like that's tough for me. But I have tools now of how to deal with those moments. So it's an interesting question. I'm so curious about Arnold and English Cocker Spaniels,

do you recommend? So for anyone who doesn't know, I have a seven month puppy, Arnold. I also have an eight year old named Lulu. And Arnold, so when we decided to get another dog largely it was because we felt like Lulu was starting to feel she was acting a bit older like she was sleeping a lot she didn't have much energy she didn't really want to go on walks and she's a very active dog she's half pit bull half golden retriever so we wanted a puppy that would keep her lively and happy and excited for life. So we, I initially really wanted a wiener dog, you know, like a mini wiener dog, a long head. And Greg was like, absolutely not. Greg does not like small dogs and he feels like he can't bond with them. So I was like, okay, what if we do a lab or a golden retriever? Greg didn't want that

either. He didn't want the hair of the golden retriever and he felt like he'd grown up with labs. So he wanted something else. Then I was thinking of a bulldog. Because I was like, those are really, you know, I know they have the rolls you have to clean out and they snore and they fart or whatever else. But they're so sweet. And I love that. I love the English bulldogs. And Greg was like, I feel like they're going to be too loud. So I started researching English Cocker Spaniels because I grew up seeing them everywhere in England. They are a very popular dog in the UK. They're often farm dogs. They are bird hunting dogs. And I just think they're so cute and they're

a great size. You know, they don't really go over like 30 pounds usually and they can travel and whatnot. So Greg was really into the idea. You know, we're very active. We hike all the time. We wanted our dog to be active. And Arnold is such a special boy. Like he really is the cuddliest, funniest, like the funniest personality. He'll just flop on the ground when you touch him and just like stick his, he's just so funny and he flings himself off rocks and couches and he is hilarious. We have had to do a lot of training with Arnold. He is a hunting breed, very high energy. Like the second you get him out of his crate in the morning, he is spinning in circles. I've watched him fling himself into doors because he's ready to run outside he is all over

Lulu she's very tolerant of him so he is crazy and we've had to do a lot of training because otherwise I don't think he'd be a manageable dog for us so it's been a lot of fun but it's a lot of work Greg and I actually have to walk the dog separately because he's so obsessed with Lulu that he will completely ignore our commands if Lulu's there. So I handle Arnold and Greg handles Lulu. But he has made Lulu so much more fun and energetic. They play together. It's really, really cute. So I would say if you're ready for a high maintenance dog with a lot of energy, but like so much cuddling and fun back, then go for it. I got him from a breeder called Pauden, P-A-U-D-E-N from South Carolina. And Lulu was a rescue in Philadelphia.

So hope that answers your question. Also, while I'm at it, I get a lot of questions about Lulu. Haven't seen Lulu. Is she all right? Like, why did you kick Lulu out of your family? She's never in your photos. And I responded to this on Instagram because it's like, honestly, I never respond to negativity or hate ever because I just simply don't care. And those people don't know me. But it's just such a silly comment that I keep seeing over and over again. Lulu is such a big part of our lives. She's our soulmate. Like she's been with us since before Bloom, before I had a platform. Greg and I got her after a year of dating. We've had her since she was two months old. She just isn't like a camera hoe like Arnold is. Like Arnold will throw himself on tables and

chairs and he's always in the mix and Lulu just kind of does her own thing. So just because she's not in my photos doesn't mean she's not so important to us. So hope that answers anyone concerned about Lulu. How many times a week do you still work out? So I would say I'm weight training about four times a week right now, which I used to do six and I'd have one rest day. So four for me is quite a lot less than I used to, but I feel like I'm definitely maintaining my muscle and I'm walking a lot more. So I'm really trying to get over 10,000 steps a day, which is quite hard guys. Like I feel like I'm having to get myself up and walk all day just to make sure I'm hitting that number, but it is really nice to go outside and have that moment.

But yeah, I'm weightlifting different muscle groups four days a week, switching between lower body and upper body. So I either use my app, which is the strength app, or I'll go to a trainer or I'll do a workout class at the gym. This person asked what foundation I'm using. So I'm currently wearing all acne safe makeup if you're watching. And yeah, I recently got rid of all my acne prone or pore clogging ingredients. And I'm using all acne safe makeup. And I have to say I'm very impressed. Like I really don't think I used to have this perception that acne safe makeup would be not good. And it would be like cakey and weird, but it really is fine. And it makes me feel so much better about wearing it all day. I'm using

the Illuminair Moisturizing Mineral Foundation. I got it off Amazon and guys, it's quite affordable. I'm checking the price right now. It's $33 and I love it. I use the shade Fair. I'm wearing it right now. And I'm also wearing the Merit concealer, which I recently found out is acne safe in the shade Okra, which Celeste told me about. Shout out to Celeste. So yeah, one thing you need to do to create a successful business. The one thing that I think is the most important is that you have a big why and a big mission. I think if you get into a business where you don't feel connected to the mission and the why, you're not going to be able to push as hard as you're going to need to. Like having a business, it's such a freaking roller coaster. And it, I mean,

there have been moments in my career with Bloom where I feel like my identity was Bloom. And I know that isn't the healthiest, but you just get to a point where this business is your child. And if you don't feel so driven by the mission and the why, then it's not going to work out. So I'd say that that is the most important part. This person said, are you religious? So I'm not religious, but I've grown up around religion, if that makes sense. In England, I grew up going to a Christian school called Holy Trinity. We would go to church and we would pray. I'm not sure I quite understood why. And my family wasn't religious, but I was around it. And then at age 10, I moved to New York to a

town called Scarsdale, which is predominantly Jewish. And I was around Jewish culture. I would go to Shabbat, I would go to bar mitzvahs. So I've been around religion, but I'm not religious, but I can definitely appreciate what it can bring for people and just the traditions and culture around it, I think can be really awesome. So hope that answers the question. What do you recommend to start horseback riding? Where do you get your things from? Things, because there's a lot of equipment with horseback riding. Getting into horseback riding as an adult can be quite confusing, I think,

because most people are either raised doing it or their parents do it. It can be a difficult sport to get into. I'm talking about English riding. I think Western maybe is a bit easier. But with English, I just started by touring a couple barns, trying out lessons. You oftentimes, if you want to take it seriously, you'll end up having to lease a horse, which means basically rent out a horse that someone else owns. So that's what I did at the beginning. And I think finding a barn

that you really like, finding a trainer that you like is really important and just sort of having a goal. So I knew I wanted to jump. And, you know, ultimately I ended up buying my own horse because I was so into it. And I ride now probably three times a week. In terms of equipment, you kind of pick things up along the way. Like I ask advice of other girls at my barn. Dover Saddlery is great. Equiport. Where else do I like? There's American Tack House, Valencia, a lot of different places. But there is a lot of equipment involved with horseback riding and it can be very expensive, which is why I didn't continue doing it as a child and decided to pick it up later in life. Someone said,

I love you. Love you too. Have you already stopped progesterone? Were you taking it every day? I am taking progesterone again. I stopped it for one week because I was concerned about the fact that it might stop me from ovulating. And this was a learning lesson for me because I really think everyone is so different. And I was ovulating, like had confirmed ovulations when I was on progesterone. I also feel like I had such low, low, low progesterone, even in the luteal phase, that it was a concern. And I feel like it significantly helped my mood, my skin, my sleep. So I'm back on it and I feel really good on it. And I feel like it's the right thing for me, but it's not the right thing for everyone. So I want to preface by saying that. What are your macros

for PCOS-ish symptoms? So I don't track macros, but I like to eat whole nutrient dense foods. I limit refined sugar. I limit alcohol. I focus on healthy fats. I get enough protein in. I weight lift. I try to walk after I eat. These are all things that are going to help. And then also taking myo-anisotol, taking supplements that can aid you in your journey. When is the next van life adventure? So for those of you who don't know, Greg and I have a van with a bed and a kitchen, and we actually drove it here from LA when we moved. Our next van life adventure will be in the summer. We're going to drive to Wyoming and we're staying in Wyoming for a month actually in Jackson Hole. And we will be exploring Montana, Yellowstone, driving all over the place with the dogs. So that is the next van adventure.

With that said, guys, I am going to stop this episode here. I really hope you enjoyed it. Just a reminder, it really helps me when you follow, subscribe, and let me know what you think of the episode. It really does help me grow. And reminder, I have a newsletter where I send all my favorite acne-safe makeup, what I'm eating in a day, favorite clothes, wellness tips, and more. So I'll leave that link in the show notes for you to subscribe. Love you guys so much, and I'll see you in the next one. Bye. Thanks 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 favorites at marilowelland.com. It will be linked in the show notes. This is a Wellness Out Loud production produced by Drake Peterson, Fiona Attucks, and Kelly Kyle. This show is edited by Mike Fry and our video is recorded by Luis Vargas.

You can also watch the full video of each episode on our YouTube channel at Mari Fitness. Love you, Power Girls and Power Boys. 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.