The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast - #86: Melissa Wood Health - Plant Based Diets, Meditation, Battling Eating Disorders, and Being The Best Version of Yourself

Episode Date: October 31, 2017

On this episode we are joined by Melissa Wood-Tepperberg aka Melissa Wood Health (@melissawoodhealth) who is a a health coach, mom, yoga guru, and all around badass to discuss all things health and wellness. This episode covers a plant based diet, meditation, fitness, becoming the best version of yourself and colonics. We also discuss Melissa's battle with an eating disorder and how she overcame it and came out inspiring herself and those around her.  To connect with Melissa click HERE To connect with Lauryn click HERE To connect with Michael click HERE This episode is brought to you by Liquid I.V.  Liquid I.V. is the great-tasting, portable powder drink mix that is changing the way the world hydrates. The hydration multiplier uses the breakthrough science of Cellular Transport Technology (CTT) to deliver hydration to the bloodstream faster and more efficiently than water alone. Available in Lemon Lime and Acai Berry, Liquid I.V. contains three times the electrolytes of leading sports drinks and is free from preservatives, artificial sweeteners or colors. One stick can provide the same hydration as drinking two to three bottles of water. The benefits of proper hydration include improved athletic performance, fighting jet lag, burning calories, decreased signs of aging, and boosted mental clarity. go to www.liquid-iv.com and ENTER PROMO CODE SKINNY20 AT CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE 20% OFF YOUR ORDER

The following podcast is a Bostik Media production. This episode is brought to you by Liquid IV, the insane tasting and portable powder drink mix. So basically Liquid IV is changing and enhancing the way we hydrate. Liquid IV uses breakthrough cellular transport technology, also known as CTT, to deliver hydration to the bloodstream faster and more efficiently than just water alone. So here's the deal guys. I used this the whole time I was in New York. I wanted to test it out, try it out. And I mean, let's be honest between the pollution travel and a few red wine hangovers, I needed something to keep me very much hydrated. I threw this in my backpack and it was a great

way to really get that hydration to seep into my bloodstream. All you do is drop it in your water and enjoy. It's perfect for the girl on the go. Liquid IV is also providing all TSC listeners 20% off when they go to liquid-iv.com and enter code SKINNY20 at checkout. All right, let's get into the show. She's a lifestyle blogger extraordinaire. Fantastic. And he's a serial entrepreneur. A very smart cookie. And now Lauren Everts and Michael Bostic are bringing you along for the ride. Get ready for some major realness.

Welcome to the Skinny Confidential, him and her. Aha! Happy, happy Halloween. Here we are again. Had to play the Monster Mash. He insisted on doing that. I am sorry, guys. He thinks he's doing the Monster Mash. He has two costumes today. I am not sorry, guys. He thinks he's doing the Monster Mash. He has two costumes today.

I am not sorry, guys. Oh, my God. I am Lauren Everett of The Skinny Confidential, a blog, brand, book, and obviously a podcast. And I'm Michael Bostic, entrepreneur, marketer, brand builder over the last 10 years, specializing in product development, marketing both for my own companies and for others. And today, it's Halloween and we are spooky. Also, a unicorn and a karate kid. Yeah, we have good friends of ours, Ghislaine and Mauricio. I don't know if you listen to the show or not, but if you don't, you should, guys. Well, they probably won't hear that if they don't. All right. They have a son, Wolfgang. He's really into unicorns, but now also very into the Karate Kid.

So I'm going to show up as a unicorn. And then midway through, I'm going to change into the Karate Kid. Okay, but here's the problem with everything. Michael is going to be a unicorn, but it looks like he's doing a girl from behind in this costume. And I really can't describe it accurately, so I think you guys are going to have to tune into my Instagram story or my Snapchat to see exactly what I mean. But basically, the unicorn comes out of your penis. Well, that's not what I was going for. The costume is supposed to be like a guy riding a unicorn.

You're riding her. I don't know. You are riding a unicorn. You're riding her. I don't know. You are riding the unicorn. Well, today we will be talking to Melissa Wood, who is a health coach, mom, yoga guru, and all around badass. We'll be covering topics like plant-based diets, meditation, struggles with eating disorders, enemas, morning routines, fitness routines, and how to heal yourself from within. During this episode, you may hear some city sounds, New York City, because that's where we were when we were interviewing her. I really already miss the city tremendously. So bear with us. We weren't in the studio. Before we get into it with Melissa,

I'm going to give you guys the her tip and then Michael will be giving you the him tip. Okay, for the her tip of the week, this is like my favorite tip ever. I've been so excited to share this. It's kind of weird, but just bear with me. So a treadmill desk does wonders, but not like an actual treadmill desk, like a makeup. What's interesting is you having trouble saying treadmill. Treadmill. Oh my God, I pronounce everything wrong. How do you say it?

Treadmill. Treadmill. Treadmill, like a mill. A treadmill, is that how you say it? Yes. Desk workouts. Okay. So I really wanted a treadmill desk, but I quickly realized that I didn't want to spend $80 million on one. So I decided to make it up. It's the easiest thing ever, but it works wonders. So basically I get an extra 4,000 steps in, which is so ideal by walking on the treadmill. Is that how you say it? Right when I wake up. Here's the fun part though. I return emails while I'm walking. A lot of you guys know this if you follow me on Instagram story or

Snapchat, but here's the deal. You can get an extra 4,000 steps in. Like I said, do your emails at the same time. I get a hundred emails answered and 4,000 steps walked in like I said, do your emails at the same time. I get a hundred emails answered and 4,000 steps walked in. I'm very much about this situation. The goal is to walk for an hour, but sometimes I only walk for 45 minutes. So either works, just do what you can here. And I try not to think of this as a workout, but more of a work hour. So I'm getting my work done, but I'm also moving at the same time. So instead of thinking sweat, workout, I'm thinking work, work, work. I walk at 3.0 and I do a 1.0 incline. I'll have my coffee or my energy drink or my hydration drink, whatever that is next to me with a water. I'm getting my hydration in. I'm getting my emails in. I'm getting my steps in. I'm happy as a clam.

So I'm telling you guys this works. Try it. If you do it and you like it, let me know on my latest Instagram or tweet me your results. And I feel like I find this work hour so helpful and you will too. Speaking of emails. Oh, you're copying me. I'm not copying you. I actually didn't know that was going to be your tip this week. But my tip is also about emails and it's about email batching. Some of you may have heard about this before.

I heard it the first time from Tim Ferriss. I kind of have been doing it for a while, but didn't really realize or quantify how I was doing it until I heard his podcast, or it was a book, but I heard it from him. Basically, essentially what it is, is email batching. Instead of just checking your email like we all do throughout the day over and over and over. I set times throughout the day, maybe 30 minutes, maybe an hour, usually an hour in the morning, 45 minutes, and then 30 minutes in the middle of the day and another 45 to an hour at the end of the day to do email batching. So I won't look at my inbox throughout the day over and

over like we all do. What I try to do is to dedicate a certain amount of time to just get to emails and only emails. And then I ignore my inbox until I have another batching session. I find that the reason I do this is when you're constantly checking your inbox over and over throughout the day, you kind of become a slave to your emails. And I think it's really difficult to focus and get important work done. And I also think like, you know, it's not going to kill you if you don't respond right away. Some things are time sensitive, but you know, if you space it out and you have it every couple hours or every three or four hours, you know, if it can't, if it has to be done right then and there, it's probably, you're probably not setting yourself up the right way to begin with to be

optimal. So I try to set email batch times so that I'm not distracted and I can focus on my more important tasks throughout the day. And I recommend that we all do the same. So what you're saying is our tips were simpatico. They were simpatico. My tip is essentially email batching, but I'm on a treadmill. Yeah. I wanted to ask you, what if you don't have access to a treadmill? Can you just go walk around outside or what do you do? You could, but I mean, if you can get access, it definitely helps, but you could go walk around

outside. That would work too. But the problem is, is that on a treadmill, you don't have to look where you're walking really. Whereas if you're walking on like the sidewalk, you have to look up. All right. I get it. All right. So let's meet Melissa. If you guys aren't following Melissa Wood Health, you're missing out. I have to say that she's even more amazing in person. Her spirit and energy is just on. You guys know when you meet someone like that who just has like this insane energy? That's definitely Melissa. She has a blog and a very popular Instagram account called, you guessed it, Melissa Wood

Health. Her mission is simple. She believes that the real shift has to take place within in order for the rest to follow. She shares everything she loves from workouts to spirulina smoothies to salads that don't suck. Her words, not mine. Told you guys she's my kind of girl. She's also a happy mom, wife, certified health and wellness coach, meditator, yoga teacher,

fitness professional, and thrives on a plant-based diet. According to Melissa, her life wasn't always as pretty as it may seem. She struggled with never feeling enough, severe anxiety, painful cystic acne, and an awful eating disorder. Her goal is to really help you live your truth. There are three key elements that she consistently focuses on, meditation, mindful eating, and movement. With that, let's give her a bomb-ass welcome to the Skinny Confidential, him and her podcast, because we so enjoyed this interview. Before we get into Melissa's interview, let's talk about liquid IV.

Liquid IV is a game changer. Essentially, liquid IV is a hydration manipulator that utilizes CTT or cellular transport technology to deliver hydration to the bloodstream faster. It's portable, which is ideal for me, and super easy to throw in your backpack, handbag, clutch, whenever you're on the go. I use it in my purse. I told you guys that. I used it in New York. It was awesome because we were always running around, but Michael uses it in his briefcase or backpack or to-me suitcase that you're running around New York with. I feel like you have so many different things that you use. We have been traveling so much this year and fighting jet lag on a regular basis, so this is very, very helpful.

You obviously get dehydrated on flights, and this product has been a game changer. All you do is add one packet to a 16 to 20 ounce water, and it's the equivalent of drinking three bottles of water, which is exactly why I like it. It's awesome because then you, you know, you can't give me so much hassle about looking dehydrated and dried out. Yeah. I mean, you needed it. You were running against the pollution with that suitcase. So you needed all the help you could get. Staying hydrated is one of the most important things that you guys can do for your body. And pretty much every skin and health expert we talked to on this trip says it's one of their biggest

tips i especially need it because i feel like i'm always inflamed it sounds simple but i feel like a lot of us forget to hydrate with liquid iv it helps the whole process of staying hydrated you also don't have to worry about any preservatives artificial sweeteners colors liquid IV is dairy free gluten free soy free and vegan just like I like it it comes in two flavors today we're drinking lemon and lime but it also comes in acai berry for those of you that like the berry flavors guys also this is awesome if you're in the gym and you want to get hydrated quick Michael likes it he was trying it with Kim the other day and Kim was giving her a stamp of approval as well. Yeah, I love it when I'm trying to, when I'm

working out because I feel like I slam through water so fast out there and it's probably because I'm not hydrating properly. So I use this now before, during, and after the workout. The electrolytes are key. The berry flavor was a big standout hit in New York. Yes, it was. In your backpack. Anyway, Liquid IV hydrates you up to two to three times faster than water alone and contains three times the amount of electrolytes of sports drinks. Throw it in your water to boost mental clarity. I even added it to my calm tea tonight, which is so good. I'm drinking it right now. Okay, so for those of you guys that want to give this a try, the team at Liquid IV is offering all of the Skinny Confidential, him and her listeners,

20% off at checkout when you enter the code SKINNY20. Guys, definitely try this when you're jet-lagged. You will not be sorry. Just go to liquid-iv.com and enter code SKINNY20 at checkout to try this. Again, that's liquid-iv.com, promo code skinny20 at checkout. This is the Skinny Confidential, him and her. Okay, Melissa, so if someone wants to start transitioning into a plant-based diet, how would you have them start that transition? Great question. And it's probably the question that I get asked the most. So I like to look at it like this. Every meal that you're having, think of adding in more plant based foods, more grains, beans, nuts, legumes, and, you know, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables. And,

and just like even that perception, like the way that you're thinking of it, instead of taking the focus on, I can't have this, I'm not allowed to have this because the biggest relationship to any transformation or transition, like, you know, this word like weight loss and everyone wants to lose weight. It's such a big term, but I find when you mentally focus on that as the outcome, the chances are less likely for it to really become a long lasting, um, transition to like really sticking to it. So for, for breakfast, for instance, I, you know, I would say, do you like salty or sweet? Like what type of, what type of food do you love or gravitate towards? And then taking something that you love and creating a beautiful plant-based smoothie.

So adding in greens, adding in berries, fruit that you love. What if it's bacon and eggs from Postmates? Hint, hint, Michael. I knew when we sat down, I was going to start getting called out. No, I actually want to know what she suggests for you. Yeah. So I would look at that and I would even start with using turkey bacon and, you know, switching to better options of like foods that you love, making sure that the eggs are organic, free range, that you're buying them from a great source, like starting there and maybe adding in some sauteed spinach. What do you think the easiest vegetables to start with are?

I find for people that aren't the you know don't love vegetables i think spinach like blending spinach and something or cucumbers cucumber cucumbers are almost 98 percent water so they're so great for your body for hydration and i i think most people like cucumbers and even if you don't i love cucumbers you do right i feel like most people like cucumbers and even if you don't, I love cucumbers. You do. Right. I feel like most people that don't love vegetables can, you know, handle cucumbers and like a really good dressing. So like my husband, for instance, he, he's like the biggest meat eater. He loves eggs. He loves turkey bacon, although he hasn't been eating a ton of turkey bacon anymore, which is good, but we started there. So sometimes I would saute some spinach or roast tomatoes and add in instead of thinking about, you can't have that. Like take that out. That's a great tip. It's a mental transformation. Since we've got, I'm just trying

this week since we've got to New York and it's difficult for me to, I'm not eating any red meat. Just this is a big deal for this trip. Right. And it's been, it's been a process. Cause I feel like, like you said, I'm eliminating a lot of stuff from the menu and I'm trying to figure out, okay, like what should I have instead? And I think there's so many good options here in the city. Like there's a lot of healthy options in a lot of the restaurants. So it's easy, but I start to think, okay, when I'm at home, where do I start? What's the best way to, you know, like what's the best way to implement plants into my diet? And also while eliminating certain things. Right. Because I think that's the challenge is like, okay, I'm going to take some things out.

Yes. What do I add in? Like what's the easiest thing to replace those with? Right. So you, what are you eating right now? I, you know, it's funny for me, I don't have like a regimen. I don't know. How would you say this? I eat, I kind of like graze. I'm definitely not an overeater. He's not attached to food. And this is like, this is like a therapy session. This is her hot topic that I'm not attached to food. I love food, but I'm not, um, I don't opine over food and I don't like, I don't find myself thinking about it. Sometimes I'll forget to eat if I'm getting busy with something. Right. You ever run into that? I do now. I never did before. Okay.

I used to think about, like I would have breakfast and I would think about what I was eating for lunch. And I was also in an obsessive mindset with thinking I was really healthy and trying to be really healthy. But being so overly obsessive, journaling about my food, writing everything down. And then I would go home after eating really clean and I would eat two slices of pizza, have Ben and Jerry's and a donut. And I would go up into my apartment and throw it up because I was so rigid. So talk to me about how you go from that mindset to this healthy, amazing mindset that I've watched for the last year on Instagram. And I know that sounds weird because it's on Instagram, but I've, I've just watched you like live this beautiful life. Thank you. Thank you. That doesn't sound weird. It's really nice to hear really. And I do the

same. I watch, you know, people's lives as well. You know, it took me getting to a really bad place with myself and not liking myself and looking in the mirror and just pointing out every single thing that I needed to work on or fix, or my thighs needed to be smaller. My waist wasn't small enough. I was bloated. My skin was broken out and shifting that. So how do you do that? So I got to a place of just asking for help. I needed help. I talked to my friend who suffered from horrible acne, who cured her acne.

I started seeing a health coach when I didn't even know what a health coach was. I had a therapist and I started looking at my life, who I was surrounding myself with, what I was putting my energy into and then really highlighting the things that made me happy, that made me feel good. And I realized, you know, after taking a weekend to myself, I was on this beautiful trip. I was looking around, there were all these beautiful people and I on this beautiful trip. I was looking around. There were all these beautiful people and I was so empty inside. I was so sad. I wasn't fulfilled.

I just, I didn't feel like I was just happy. And I came home from that trip and I realized I had nothing to do with anything. It was all my perception towards myself, towards the way I was just viewing life. And I took that weekend and I tuned out of everything and I just tuned into myself and I did everything that made me feel good. And at the time it wasn't even fully conscious of what it was. I did, I went and like got a salad from chopped and then I went rollerblading for two hours. I took a hot yoga class that night. And I just, at the end of the day, I wrote down what I did, how I felt. And I looked at everything at the end of the weekend.

And I was like, that's it. I feel my best when I take the best care of myself. And it's not about being obsessive and eating clean and being this way. Because people always say to me, you're so disciplined. You're so, and I'm like, it's not about being obsessive and eating clean and being this way. Because people always say to me, like, you're so disciplined. You're so, and I'm like, it's not that to me. It's just like, I like to feel really good. I don't have room in my life anymore to feel horrible when you're taking care of a baby. It's like you have to really thrive.

And it's less about me like being in my head. So that's my biggest advice to someone who's in a really bad place with themselves is to start tuning in to what makes you feel good. Like what makes you want to get out of bed? What lights you up? Maybe it's going to the movies. Maybe it's something not health related at all, but spend more time doing things that light you up opposed to the things that like pull you into that dark place. And so how does diet come into all of this? Like how does, how do you transition from you were eating meat or no? I was eating meat. I was eating, I mean, I was eating healthy, but I was, it was, I had that obsessive mindset. So I was like, oh, no carbs, cannot eat carbs.

And I was like pretty much paleo. Like I ate protein and vegetables and I was eating a lot of fruit, but throughout the day, which I'll talk about a little bit about food combining, which has really helped with my energy levels, clearing up my acne. And, um, it was through, so through the journey of just like becoming more conscious and then through the consciousness and, and meditation played a really big role in this. So spending more time with myself and stillness and focusing less on like that hamster wheel that was constantly going. And I was just had this like tunnel vision and really getting to know myself. It sounds so crazy, but through meditation, through that stillness, I was able to quiet that voice that wasn't true.

It's not even, it's like that ego mind that can take over your world that we all focus on. And I started to really listen to who I really was and knowing that all of that stuff I focus on wasn't true. And so through that, through just becoming more mindful, I started looking at what was on my plate and thinking about how that got there. And through documentaries like forks over knives or what the health and just really becoming so passionate about observing all of this stuff. I, I, I lost all, just like every sense of myself to even want that food

anymore. And, and through eliminating animal products, my skin cleared up almost immediately through fully just letting that go. So I want to go back just a little bit, if it's okay. Did I answer that question? Yeah, you did. You're in a really good place right now, married, a beautiful kid, everything healthy. But in the past, you've come out about anxiety and eating disorders. What were what kind of place were you in in your life when those issues were occurring for you? Yeah, I, I, I came from a very dysfunctional family background. I love my parents. I forgive them. They did the best that they could. So I don't want to highlight like that they did, you know, horrible things to us. It was just their, how they were taught. And I took myself out of those situations. So I moved to New York from Syracuse and without even knowing

at the time that I was like taking myself kind of away from the drama that I lived in and thrived on and started surrounding myself with people that I almost wanted to be like, like that have that light, that have that thing that you couldn't even put your finger on it and spending more time with people like that. And through meditation is probably 100% the one thing that has dramatically just changed my life, changed me as a person, the way that I show up in this world, the way that I respond to things that suck or could make me super reactive. It's through that, that, that commitment to that process. So what does that healing process look like? And what would you tell someone who's struggling with those same issues? Yeah, I, first and foremost, you have to be honest with yourself and ask for help. So like number one thing saying like, I am not in a good place,

recognizing that being really honest, saying it. And is it a specific person you say that to, or is it yourself? I think to yourself first, like I remember vividly the morning I woke up after just having an awful night of everything and waking up and saying like, I cannot feel this way anymore because I don't even want to live with myself. I hate who I am that I know I need help. And then I called someone I trusted. So someone who I've seen the transform in their own life. So a friend that, you know, introduced me to her therapist. So a therapist, I think life coaches are amazing health coaches too. Like, you know, most of the people that I work with come to me for to lose weight or to get healthier. And

it ends up being our sessions are all focused on the way that we're viewing ourselves and we're viewing the world and the people around us and shifting that. So it's almost like I've become this self perception shifter. So helping people look at things differently. What does the session look like with you? It's, it's a lot. I like to know everything. I get very, you know, I want to know what you do the second you wake up to everything that you're doing throughout the day, the thoughts that you're thinking, food that you're putting in your body, how you're eating. So are you just grabbing food, you know, eating while your laptop's up and just your habits. So really looking at how you function throughout a daily basis.

So it's so much more than just what you're eating. 100%. I mean, that helped everything in my life. I think just the mindfulness, but I mean, above all else, it's meditation that has truly transformed me and the place that I'm in. And just, I would not be where I am today without that. Like I could be doing everything else as I was doing, but I wouldn't be where I am today. I know that. Meditation is so hard for both of us.

Where do you start? Cause it seems so overwhelming. It does. It does. And I get that. And that's why I'm starting my YouTube channel is to make it more. It's like, it's not this difficult thing. It can be really simple. So even just like this, like just how you're sitting on cross your legs, just let your feet. I'm doing this. Yeah. Okay. Just let your feet, just feel your feet on the ground. We're going into a deep meditation. We're going into a deep meditation. Who knew? I had no idea where we're going. We're going to guide you through the journey. And just resting your palms in your lap. So just getting really comfortable and just letting the middle of your back rest. So not letting all of your weight go, just resting gently and having your head, neck and shoulders just free of anything. Cause this is where we hold our tension.

Just letting that go and closing your eyes. So just starting right here, just connecting to the breath. So not trying to push or force your breath. Just simply observing it. So every inhale through your nose, every exhale out your mouth. And as your thoughts come up, as they will, they don't just turn off, I invite you to just recognize them. Just give them just an ounce of attention

and then make the choice to come back to your breath. So focusing on that inhale and that exhalation. And just allowing that to take you somewhere. And if the noise in your mind gets a little louder or you're being pulled away again and you're focusing on everything that you have to be doing. That's probably one of the biggest things. It's like, how the hell am I sitting here to become more mindful or present?

And I have all of this shit to do. Like, this seems so counterintuitive. Like, I don't understand why I'm doing this. So whenever I start getting into that place is when I bring in a mantra. So on every inhale, just silently say to yourself, peace begins. And really fill yourself up with that. And exhale with me. So just silently saying to yourself, peace begins exhale with me

just using that mantra as an anchor so anchoring yourself right where you are right now and things are still going to be coming up but you are making the choice to be here with yourself and come back to your breath and come back to your breath and come back to your mantra and then just letting it go so not holding on tight to anything just using it when you need to anchor yourself back into this moment

and slowly just coming out opening your, taking your gaze down towards the ground. That is so cool. Coming up when you feel ready. Just as simple as that. And you do that every morning? So I do that every morning. Mine is a little different, but when I work with people, I'll walk them through something just digestible. Like that didn't seem difficult, right? Is that how long it actually is? I recommend

eventually doing 20 minutes at least once a day. Does it have to be full 20 minutes or can it just be small? So for someone like yourself, so for you guys, it's like, you're not meditating every day, right? I tried for a while. Okay. Literally I gave it like a, I read a bunch. I got that headspace thing and then I tried to like read up on it and I tried to do it. Um, I, I will say, I think meditation is extremely valuable, but for me I have difficult time meditating in that way, but then, but I'll like, I'll read or I'll work out. I'm alone with my thoughts a lot and I try to reflect, but it's, I'm like having trouble meditating like that. Not that I'm opposed to it. I want to do it, but maybe I got to take a course or maybe I got to like sit with somebody or maybe I got to make a better effort. Where should he start first? Should he take the course or should he eat more vegetables? I can only do one thing at once. Let's do one thing

at a time. I don't want to overwhelm him. Honestly, I think more importantly than anything is the effort that is, yeah, but in, in trying to do something that works for you. So for someone like you, I would say I would start with two minutes a day, like starting with this, finding a comfortable place before you do anything. So I need it really bad. That's the thing is like, can you tell? Well, no, it's just like you guys are go, go, go, go, go, go, go. And you have so much to do.

But I really have noticed within myself like the power that comes out of me when I'm in that place of just being really grounded with myself and just being able to move from that instead of this anxious place of like I have to get all this shit done and like it's I show up differently I show up differently so starting with five and then committing to that for two weeks and then adding on a minute. So it doesn't have to be start with 20 minutes. Make it realistic. Well, what I like about is everybody's always looking for all these external things or solutions or coaches or help to help them, but they're doing that before they actually

start to help themselves, right? Like, I feel like you got to go inward before you can go out. 100%. And so I think like, you know, like see couples, they got to go to couple therapy, but maybe before that you should figure out what's going on with you before you take that step. Cause if you don't fix yourself and then you try to go and have somebody else fix all the other issues, like you have to start at the source. Right. That's why I say like the first thing that you have to do is like, you have to tell you, you have to be honest with yourself that like, I need help. I know I need help. And some people have difficulty. Like I work with a lot of people like that, that like just struggle with getting themselves there on their own. And I think that's why we're so fortunate to live in a day, you know, where it's such a common thing to have

life coaches and health coaches and for people to help you. But. So with those type of people, what do you see as like the most common reason that they can't kind of look inward? I think they're so in their head. Okay. I think they're so judgmental toward themselves and they're just looking at everything else is, it's just like unattainable and looking at people who are thriving, thinking I'm I'm never going to get there and comparing themselves and now with social media forget it it's like I mean I can do that sometimes and then I I'm very aware so I you know turn it and I I won't let myself just sit there and you know get lost in it in it. But, uh, I think it's, it's a huge mental

thing. It's just wrapping your, your head around your mind around these things that half the time aren't even real. So what is some advice that you would give for someone that's feeling that way right now and wants to make a transition, um, a slow transition, nothing super quick. Yeah. You obviously would lay the foundation with meditation. What else would you recommend? I recommend finding a person that like you connect with. So that's like your person for me. You know, I, I started going to a lot of seminars and listening to people talk. And then when I went to listen to Marianne Williamson speak, it was like that she was that person for me.

She spoke to me. She became my person in a way. It's like I speak about her like she's my friend, but she really helped me get out of my way through just like her teaching, her way of living and showing up and find someone that you connect with. So maybe it's Tony Robbins, or I know you like Tony Robbins or whoever it is, it helps you get out of your own way. That makes a lot of sense. And it's, there's, it's free. Like you can get this stuff for free on YouTube and you know, there are resources, but you have to,

it's not only showing up, but it's wanting to really do the work. It sounds like the food situation. And I keep going back to this just because I watch your food recipes. It sounds like the food situation starts with you having an amazing relationship with yourself and having a self-aware conversation with yourself. Absolutely. Well, and it's like, you know, like you just said seminars and like even taking the steps of like, I'm going to eat healthy. It's like you can go to as many seminars, you could tell yourself you're going to eat healthy, but if you don't start taking action and executing on

that on a weekly basis, daily basis, monthly basis, you're kind of going to stay in the same place. Yes. So someone that's starting out and they're saying, okay, I'm going to make the transition to a plant-based diet, or I'm just going to make the transition to a healthy diet. And they haven't been doing that. How do you start in what, let's say like habits or routines, would you put them in to get going and stay consistent? So I would say like first thing in the morning, what do you do the first thing you, you know, you do when you wake up and most people grab for their phone, look through their emails. We both just looked at each other. So cute. No, it's, that is the hardest thing, by the way. I'm still working on that with my husband, but it's really challenging. It's not impossible, but it is challenging. So moving your phone away from your, your bed your space yes out of and by the way you'll sleep

so much better people that don't sleep well I'm like what do you do before bed so moving the phone away when you wake up the second your feet hit the floor just think of a one thing in your life that you're truly grateful for truly like something that you're so lucky to have in your life it could be anything it could be something about yourself your health like michael's would be me right every morning his feet hit the floor easy every morning go ahead sorry just want to remind them my silver medal and then going so you're not you haven't touched your phone yet. You're, you go into the kitchen, heat up some warm water, have some warm water with lemon. And you don't have to drink this like huge cup of warm water with lemon, half a cup. Okay. Just jumpstart the digestion. Take a

probiotic. Even if you have health, healthy bowel movements, there is always toxic sewage living in your gut. It doesn't matter if you're the leanest, fittest person. Is there a specific probiotic? I love Dr. O'Hara's essential formula. I'm buying that. That one really works, guys. Let me tell you. It is amazing.

Yeah. Any products that you love too? Yes. I love. We want to hear every detail. I love. I don't work for them. It's not like I, I love them. I am constantly trying like my entire supplement cabinet is probiotics

and I'm, I always find myself going back to that. And then, so depending on how you're feeling, the weather, like, is it warm out? Is it cold out? I would recommend starting, you know, the first meal a day with fruit. So having fruit in the morning because fruit digests faster than any other food. So we want things to efficiently move through us. And I look at the day like starting light and slowly starting to build. So think light to heavy as the day goes on. And you know, you start to wake up, your body becomes more alive, your energy starts to increase. So kind of moving through that cycle throughout the day. What fruit do you like in the morning? I love bananas. I'm like a huge banana person, but berries. I, I have this spirulina smoothie that I've been on a roll with for months

and months and months. I'm obsessed with it. You have to give us the recipe. It's the best smoothie ever. It will make you feel like a million bucks. Your energy is like, I can do smoothies. Your energy is so boosted, but not in a way because I know fruit gets such a bad rep because of the sugar and the carbs. Meanwhile, every cell in our body is made of glucose. So I just have this belief that this is from the earth. Like this is such a beautiful thing that's, you know, here for us to all to, you know, just thrive on. It has to be organic, right? Preferably. Okay.

For the most part. Not all. Like if you are on, if you don't have, you know, that budget accessible to you to just go and buy whatever you want, things with a peel are okay, not organic. So bananas, avocados, pineapples, mango, anything with a peel, it's okay. Is that because it's protected? It's protected within the peel. Yeah, I mean, some things seep through, but it's definitely better.

So starting the day like that. I love the Sparalina smoothie, especially for people who are like, where do you get your protein? How are you getting your protein in a plant-based diet? Sparalina is one of the best sources of plant-based protein in the world. And it makes you feel amazing. I feel like I'm flying, but without that like high. So not that caffeinated high. It's like this, this level high. And that's when I like, you were asking me about the, the workouts.

That's when I get it. I'm like ready to take on the world. I'm like baby in one hand, workout in the other videoing. And I just. You work out in the morning typically? I try to. Okay. Everyone says this about Sperlina.

This is like. I'm telling you. Yeah. Everyone says that. And earlier you're telling us you don't like protein powder. Everyone says this about spirulina. This is like. I am telling you. Yeah, everyone says this. And earlier you're telling us you don't like protein powder. So is this, would you say this is a substitute? This is what I recommend for people. Okay, so you have to tell us, like, I like to get really specific. So exactly what is the recipe?

Okay, so exactly the recipe. I do half a cup of raw harmless coconut water or a coconut water, any coconut water that you love, and then half water. So you want equal ratio to water. And then one cup of baby spinach, baby spinach blended in a blender, especially a Vitamix, you don't taste it. Half a chunk of cucumber, but peel. Peel the cucumber because it doesn't blend well with the peel on it. To get the skin off or whatever?

You want to take the skin off. Thank you. Yes. And one banana, frozen or not frozen, but you want ripe bananas. So bananas that are brown, almost the bananas that you wouldn't buy. Why is that? Because they digest faster in the body and they don't turn right to sugar. So not the big green ones?

No. You want to avoid those. That you have. And those type of bananas, by the way, not to be like gross, but your bowel movements should be like bananas. Are your bowel movements like bananas? I got to think about it. Yes or no. Let me reflect. You've never talked to me about that. I'll get you a detailed report tomorrow. I can't wait. Honestly, like after that smoothie, that's what we're talking about. I'll be checking afterwards. Healthy gut. We want everything to keep moving.

Ideally, two to three times a day is pretty optimal. Okay. Let's pause this interview and I'll run. Report back to me. So half a cup of coconut water, half a cup of water, one cup of baby spinach, one banana, a cup and a half of mixed berries. So sometimes I do raspberries, blueberries, sometimes blackberries, any berries that I have and I'll freeze them too, especially this time of year when they're not in season

and they're hard to find. I'll freeze ones that were beautiful from the summer if you, you know, whatever is accessible to you. It's okay. Like eating in season is great, but it's not always what we have, you know, accessible to us. And then what else do I do? The cucumber, berries, banana. For people that love sweets, so that are eating really healthy, really clean, but like will not allow themselves to eat fruit. I tell them, I say, add half a date, add half a date.

And I guarantee that you're going to go to dinner and you're most likely going to avoid dessert. And that's the key word, avoid. And like when you tell yourself that, it's not like, I can't have that. I'm on a diet. I'm trying to lose weight. Your body's probably going to gain weight because the way you're talking to it. I'm not a big dessert guy,

but talking about all this, what about alcohol? Wait, wait. I have to finish this smoothie and then you want to do a tablespoon of this spirulina. And that's with ice too? Add a little ice if you don't have a... It's a big smoothie.

That's a huge smoothie. It's like this. How long are you fulfilled for? I have that and I don't eat for about sometimes an hour and a half out later. I'll be hungry a good two hours. I can get through most things. And that's when you do your workout and you try to do your workout after that. And you have your little boy I do and you're such a good mom I want to talk about that so so your morning routine sounds like it's very like you have it down yes but don't worry he throws me for a loop all the time like today he got up at five

and I was like you've got to be kidding me so what do you do when he wakes up at five you gotta wake up I try to get him back to bed. I've been trying to do that. And then he's just so happy to be up in the morning. I'm like, I have to get up. He seems like such a happy little boy. He really is. But he's, he's moody now because you know, terrible twos is definitely a thing. And he's just, he's really bossy. He's super strong minded, independent, and he's a lot, but I love it. I mean, I'm kind of like that. So I get it where he gets it from. Noah has a very strong personality too. But so this morning, for instance, we got up, I had some warm water with lemon and then I have a coconut milk, rice milk milk latte because I have actually gotten to the place

where it's like that just makes me so happy okay you got to give us this recipe now too yeah sorry babe but everyone's gonna love these recipes now you're gonna like it when I'm making them for you well that'll be you know you always say you're gonna make things I'm basically starving to death you're gonna have a green banana put it in your lunchbox you guys i i simply i actually do this like so no i love i love ghetto i like have a pot on the stove and i pour in half organic rice milk and people like rip me apart for rice they're like the arsenic don't you care i'm like it's not like i'm guzzling gallons of rice milk and people like rip me apart for rice milk. They're like the arsenic. Don't you care? I'm like, it's not like I'm guzzling gallons of rice milk and just eating rice by the dozens.

It's just like, can I live? I'm like, I promise you that I'm okay. I've had everything tested and yes, I eat rice often, but it's not like I'm, you know,

I'm okay. You're going to be okay. Yeah. And people are like, you give that to your baby. I'm like, I do. I do.

This is, this is, I try to stay away from politics and health because I feel like no matter what you do am i going there no no no you're not no we're not but we run into we always run into trouble because like no i know it's like no matter what you do someone will take issue and i think at the end of the day you just have to kind of like that's a different story i want to hear about the coconut latte okay i feel like i keep i like start and then i like don't finish. Story of my life. Michael needs to let you tell us about the lattes. Okay. And then, so half rice milk,

half organic coconut milk. What are the brands? And sorry. No, that's good. I, oh God. Um, there are these new brands I've been buying. It's so embarrassing. Why can't I think of them? Sometimes I get the so delicious. It's not my favorite and I, I can't think think of them sometimes I get the so delicious it's not my favorite and I I can't you can yeah you can tell me later I'll tell you later that's so crazy they're literally just like the box I know what you're buying the aisle why can't I can you no I honestly have no idea what they're not think but I look at them every day and I know them I just lost it and then I so I'm I'll make coffee in a French press when I'm like feeling not totally exhausted or I'll make an espresso. But I do like making coffee in the French press and then using the coffee and like frothing

up the milk. So I heat it up on the stove first and then I froth it because it has to be frothed. I'm, I has to be like really creamy. We have had everything, but you always throw it away to make the kitchen look pretty. So we can't, uh, we can't do that anymore. So I can't do that routine. Okay. So you have your latte, then you do your workout.

Then I do my workout. And what does that usually look like? So it's similar, you know, it's a little different every day because I share my workouts on an app. So I like to deliver content that people are constantly asking for. Yesterday I did a 22 minute app focused workout. But the thing with my workouts is, although like people will ask for like a glute workout or arm workout. I will give you things that target that, but you're always working your full body. So even when I have you standing up

doing this like crazy arm series with just your own body weight, by the way, and your arms are burning and you get these crazy lean long lines that I've like always wanted my whole life. And when I was doing everything the way that people told me to do it, I never had any of that. And now just through moving in a way that I like to move and throughout

just, you know, working in New York as a model and training with a lot of amazing trainers and just taking a lot of different approaches and kind of molding it into my own way. I, I film those every day and I try to keep my workouts between 22 minutes, 30 minutes. I find people prefer those, those time segments. And for myself too, you know, I used to work out two hours a day when I was like, I was a beast. I was working out two hours a day and Tracy Anderson just like so aggressively. A lot of cortisol. A ton of cortisol. And then I was eating high protein and no carbs.

But I didn't look half as good as I feel now or as good as I like the way that I look now compared to when I was trying, trying, trying. Stop fucking trying, people. Right. Let go of that word, trying. Do you think, that's a great tip, stop fucking trying. Stop trying. Do you think that you could kind of go the other way? Like on one side is the unhealthy spectrum and then the other side is like you kind of

go so healthy and you focus so much on that that maybe you get a little obsessed with it. Like I've seen people kind of go both ways. Oh yeah. So what's the, what's the healthy balance between like, you're going too far, you're being too healthy, you're not living, you're working out too much. And then the other side, which is you're not being healthy at all. I think it depends on the person, but you know, the, you know, the people you go to lunch with and they're like, you're going to have that or like, Oh no, those are called people I don't go to lunch with. Well, I think that's when it gets, I mean, listen, especially in this space, like I see

people in the same field and no judgment, by the way. It's like everyone has a different way of working. And if that works for you and for your clients, awesome. But personally, I see it. I'm like, oh God, it's so restricting. And like, just to carry that mindset with you, like it's, it's suffocating. So like people always say to me, like, you're so disciplined. You you're so like rigid. I'm like, Oh God, I'm not at all. Having Benjamin has helped me become less obsessive

and more in tune. So I'm more in tune with things. Like I eat bread every single day. What's your favorite bread? Sorry. I have to know. No, I love Ezekiel sprouted bread. Okay. And I like the Ezekiel sprouted muffins, English muffins. And I also buy them gluten-free. I get sick of things really fast. So I buy like three different kinds and I rotate. And then I like buying fresh bread if I'm, you know, at the farmer's market and they have amazing bread that's not enriched white flour. I didn't allow myself to have bread for years and I was binging on bread. I wasn't, it's like, have a piece of freaking bread with avocado on it. It's okay. You know? And, um, and you look great. Thank you. Like just the audience will go check out your Instagram, but you look great. Thank you. And it's through liking myself. No, loving myself. I didn't, I didn't even like myself

because I wasn't what I thought I should be. So letting go of that, like what you think you have to be and just start by this. This is a prayer from Louise Hay in in her book you can heal your life which really helped me by the way you can heal your life and a return to love by marianne williamson if you are in a place where you do not like yourself and you're at a real low and in your life pick up those two books and read them every day yes but a return to love is my bible and i i am a student of the course a course in miracles. So I'll touch on that too. It's part of my meditation practice, but it's just, it's all about shifting your perception is, um, where was it going with this? It was really going somewhere good. And then I

lost it. I interrupted you about the bread. No, it's okay. It was, um, Oh, looking at yourself in the mirror every day and saying to yourself, I love and accept myself exactly the way I am, which is hard to do if you're maybe a little overweight or you are broken out, you're, you have acne or you're losing your hair, whatever it is, but starting to love yourself in that place, because there is no guarantee when you lose 10 pounds, 20 pounds, that you're going to love yourself any more than you do now. So starting in that place. And that's really what I do in the work that I do with people is getting them to love themselves. Once they're in that place. And this is maybe something that I struggle with. Like, let's say

it's like, whether it's your business or whether it's your health or your fitness, when you get in a place like, okay, I'm happy with who I am. Yes. Then how do you continuously push yourself forward and find that motivation or that drive? If you're saying, okay, you know what? I'm really happy right now. I'm happy with my life. I'm happy with who I am. Happy with my fitness or whatever it is. Yes.

And then still find the ability to be driven and motivated. Okay. It's going to go back to connecting with people who really motivate you, who inspire you. So I go, if you guys are here tomorrow, you should come. I listen, I go to see Marianne Williams. Hello, Marianne Williamson speak live in New York every Tuesday. And if she's not, if I don't go physically, you can live stream her for free. That is like my, when I leave there, I am not kidding you.

I am flying. It is like, she just gives me something that maybe I didn't give myself for years and that I want to continue to give people like she does that for me. So she lights this fire within me. So you need to find something like, you have to find something, but there is something I would say, like, say that you're kind of in the midst of finding that. There are these four questions. It is a prayer. I learned this from Marianne Williamson, and I've been saying these for almost two years now. And I have in like in two years from before I used to ask these questions, totally changed my life and just the way that things are moving for me. And

it's where would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would you have me say and to whom? So it's this idea of not relying so much on yourself anymore to figure it out, right? Or to get this motivation or like, where am I going to find this passion, this purpose, releasing it and letting it go. And whatever you connect to, if it's a higher power, if it's the Holy Spirit, God, whatever it is, letting your intuition and God guide you. And if, I mean, it's so crazy to hear myself say this because I would have been like, what the fuck are you talking about?

Like, you want me to ask these four questions? Like, what? So I know, like, I hear myself sometimes. I'm like, oh, wow, you've become that person that you used to. How long did this transition happen? How many years? 10 years. Oh wow. 10-15 years. It's been a progressive. So it's not something that's going to happen tomorrow. I had an eating disorder for five years. Not one person in my life knew. I was such a perfectionist at hiding my eating disorder

that no one knew. My boyfriend I lived with at the time didn't know my closest friends, my family, and I was really good at hiding my pain. So somebody that's in a similar situation, that's hiding that pain. Yeah. How did they get in a place where they're comfortable enough to kind of come out and seek help? Because I think there's probably, you know, there's probably a majority, not a majority, but there's a segment of people that listen to this that may be in that same place. And they just don't know how to come out, seek help, get out of it. Where were you at in your head when you actually finally told somebody? That's a long time to keep that suppressed.

Yeah, it's a long time. I was on the bathroom floor crying on my knees after I threw up from having just a really bad night the night before drinking my face off being hungover I used to like go out all the time and I can still hang like I like to go out I still drink but it's just I have a different relationship to it and I it was like that was it for me I couldn't live like that anymore so it's unfortunately it sucks sometimes it's hitting your low everyone's low is different it's like a rock bottom type thing hitting your rock bottom that for me it was like I was disgusted with myself I couldn't even like look at myself in the mirror and I knew like in that I literally remember calling my friend I'm

like I need help after saying it to myself on the floor I need help I can't live like this anymore I've been lying I haven't been honest with myself with anyone in my life and I need to talk to someone about this so coming to terms with within yourself and putting it out there in the ether out loud too like to yourself like i need help and uh books like like going back to that like a mentor someone that you is there a specific book you remember reading that kind of helped you get to that place um a return to love for me is like the end all it's like have you? No, we need to check that out. I'll check it out then.

I'm a big reader. You guys will love this book. Okay. It is, it like literally could like make me, I love that book so much. It changed me as a person. I have given it to so many people. I recommend it all the time. You think I work for Marianne, right?

Someone wrote me recently. No, you just, I'm the same way about certain people. I don't. When they resonate. Well, it's good because like one of the end questions that we jumped to. I spoke to her twice. And I get weird when I really look up to someone. I get all shy.

And I can't even look you in the eye. And I can't talk. Lauren does the same thing. Do you? When you really like someone, it's so uncomfortable. I did the same thing with Elena Brower. Like when I first met her. I couldn't look at her.

And then we had this moment where we connected eyes. And she was like, come here. I felt something with you. And I was like, you don't even understand. Like I can't even talk right now. I love that. I'm the same way. Yeah. I get, it's like the weirdest thing. I could be around any star and I could go. I'm the same exact way. What is a, like your number one wellness tip that you would give the audience? And it could be anything. Yeah. Or it could be something that you do or a routine or something that you can't live without or...

Anything. Anything that you think. Yeah. Get colonics. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. This could not have come at a better time let me tell you i know i mean i really had to think about it and i'm like i could go really deep on this one but no colonics that's

an interesting term game changer i'm getting my first colonic and michael is coming on next monday i don't know why everything we need to know who are you going to see why is this something we have to do as a couple like i feel like there's like other things in another room i don't know why everything we need to know who are you going to see why is this something we have to do as a couple like I feel like there's like other things in another room I don't want to see that situation happening for you there's this couple we're really good friends with and they like want to do it as like a double date thing I'm like listen oh wow you guys you guys are awesome but I'm like no I'm out no I don't want to see anything like I don't I'm not a fan of like looking or like being in the room but tell me about colonics and what we can expect. Cause I've never had one. Yeah. So I, that really helped me heal my gut and my acne. So through the process of everything. So, you know, I focus on my

three Ms, which are like, it's just a daily practice for me. So it's daily meditation, mindful eating, just some practice of mindfulness and movement. So with those three things, just increasing the circulation in your body, you want to have efficient bowel movements. And this is really healing from within. This is really healing from within. So I was introduced to this amazing guy, Gil Jacobs. If you don't know Gil, he's probably just like the best of the best in the wellness world. You have to meet him.

He's probably just like the best of the best in the wellness world. You have to meet him. He's a genius. He taught me so much about food combining and just eating plant-based and why it's like better for, you know, just the digestion for your gut, for your health, for longevity. And so I, I started seeing him and the improvement that I noticed in my everything so I've always had really visible varicose veins and bad ones were like I've had them injected I just things in my body like I noticed my skin pigment starting to change my hair was a little fuller my nails were better I started getting like leaner lines in my body through the elimination of that excess.

Because we're all stuffed with so much shit, right? Yeah. And like, even see, we need to get it out literally. And even when you're the healthiest person, like I have the, sorry, the craziest colonics, like, you know, my person is like, what does that mean? Just like movement, full movement. So Michaels is not going to be good. Not like just, how do you know? my person is like, what does that mean? Just like movement, full movement. Not like just, how do you know? Maybe I'll have a really great one. So the thing about colonics, you want to prepare your body. So most people and you guys will think like, Oh, I'm getting a colonic on Monday. So I'm going to, is this something you're like training for here? No, this is a lifestyle, baby.

This is like. Yeah, you got to say that. How do I prepare myself for this? Yeah. So no, for real. Because people, like even my girlfriends are like, oh, I went out. I feel like shit. Like I ate like shit.

I drank. I'm getting a colonic because that will make me feel better. I'm like, no, it's worse if you go into the colonic like that. You want to prepare yourself. So eating plant-based three days before. You really want to avoid animal products. Why? So I kind of, I'm going to go back to food combined just for a second because this is

something that has really changed my life and the way that my body digests food. So when, before preparing yourself for a colonic eating plant-based, why? Because plant-based foods move through you faster, more efficiently. Animal product takes longer for your body to break down because of the enzymes. It uses up more enzymes to, you know, anywhere from five to six hours to digest animal products. So when you're eating something like that, going in to get a colonic, it's just going to take a while for the movement to be...

To occur. Exactly. And to efficiently move. Like you want things. You want to get it out. You want to get like deep. So plant-based three days before, no alcohol, I'm assuming?

Avoid. Okay. Avoid. And caffeine minimal. Okay. And then what about three days after? If you can do the same. days after if you can do the same okay if you can do the same a lot of people will like go out that night you can if like if you're

here and but i would eat raw then cooked so raw then cooked what do you raw then cooked so you could have a side salad just a little not a huge salad of raw greens because that could bloat you especially if you're still dealing with a lot of buildup in there and a lot of toxic sewage i keep going back to that word that's a gill term that is not melissa wood that's gill all the way and so raw and then having cooked food because it's after the colonic after so raw yep so just like a little side salad or even even a green juice is perfect okay and then afterwards and then having some cooked vegetables you could have a little brown rice in there quinoa but preferably cooked does it hurt it's it doesn't hurt It's not the most comfortable thing going in.

But it shouldn't pinch or anything weird. Like you want to make sure that the tube is in there. Oh, God. And it's uncomfortable. Why? Because they're filling you up with water. And then it's like the release of it coming out. Tell us why it's so important so he knows why he's doing it.

Because he is doing it. No, I get the whole concept. The benefits are like i'm all for it it's more just like gearing myself up to go and and do this gear yourself up or i'm gonna give you one myself while you're sleeping has your has your husband tried this god no he's like i'm trying really hard and sometimes he's like maybe she'll get him he's probably listening out there but it's yeah he's he's I've learned not I'm not his health coach I'm not his wellness coach just continue to be an example I'm like I'm in the camp that I will always pretty much try anything at least once yes you have to try this more than once though. Okay. How many times? So people ask me that all the time. Like how often do you get it?

I know when I need one. It sounds crazy. I need one right now. My skin broke out last night. I was like, I know it's because it's been, it's probably been six to eight weeks. So, you know, I've been. What's doing it too much though? Like what?

I mean, I know people, every case is different. So I'm not a colon therapist. So I don't want to sit here and say, you know, I know Gil has literally cured cancer patients from doing colonics and eating plant-based and following food combining. So depends on the person, depends on what condition you have. When I was suffering from really bad acne, I went often. And then it got to a place where I knew I didn't want to go that often because it didn't feel good. It's all back to being in tune with your body. Yeah. I didn't, it was too

much for me. Like my body weight couldn't handle it. So now I just go when, when I feel like I would say on average six to eight weeks, it sounds crazy often. It's really not. And I feel kind of feel it out. My energy, like people are always like, God, you're so different. Like you're just, you seem like you can just, it's like you feel lighter. I have way more energy. My hair is better than it's ever been. People are like, no, you just have good hair. I'm like, no, it's because i don't have so much shit like it's gross but that's true it sits in your system it sits for years michael no i get the are you convinced i want you to make yeah his hair is good it could it we could always go better

i'm just kidding his hair is great his hair is great i inspect his hairline every night hopefully it's not going anywhere my dad's over 70 now and he's still got a full head wow noah lost his hair when he was 21 wow i swear it's because he was not eating that healthy i know that sounds crazy no that doesn't sound crazy i have a really small head and so if i didn't have hair i'd look like a freak so it can't i would have to wear like so i don't have to wear your hair every day i just got this weird small head, you know? Okay. So just really quick. What are like three benefits of colonics? Didn't we just, no, I know we said, I just want to go over really quick energy. Okay. Good hair, your skin. Okay. Your hair. Yes.

And the fuller, stronger nails, energy, um, energy. Okay. And weight loss is absolutely something that you can benefit from but i never i i don't recommend people going into clonics as like i want to lose weight right this is the tool but in you know in time it helps body like it finds like it's happy weight makes sense it does help all right i'm in you're in yeah but you're saying it on the podcast i'm not i'm not trying to do like a double date thing with it just let me just go yeah i think maybe like that's yeah that's you know because i'm we're trying to go they're veterans of this you know i'm like i'm a beginner i've never done it either no i'm gonna try it for the first time it's like taking you'd say going on

the expert ski slope with a group of experts before you've ever been skiing i agree i think this might be something you want to do by yourself sorry okay all right. All right. Well, I need to get in tune with myself. It can make you anxious. What if I start crying? Like you don't want to be. Oh, I don't need your whole life story. I love my lady though. If you want me to give you her info.

And she uses essential oils and she is like an angel. But it's in New York, right? Oh, you're doing it in LA? I'm doing it in LA. Well, there's amazing places there. Listen, I cannot, we have a lot going on this weekend. I can't risk a malfunction. You know what I mean?

I need to make sure that everything's clear. I need like a few days where I got nothing to do. You don't need your butthole leaking. Yeah. I don't, I don't need to be running around New York in a panic. It won't be like that if you get a good one. Okay. You said probiotics, but what's another supplement that you love and recommend to the audience? And I know that's hard to give blanket advice, but what's something that works for you? So I've been taking Catalyst Gold. Do you take it? Wait, is that Avalcare? No, no. I take something called Catalyst. Catalyst Gold. Is it an amino acid? This has amino acids in it, but it's biotin, a ton of vitamins. Is it a powder? No. Okay. So what is it? So it's, you know, it's not a multivitamin. Like I don't really take a ton of supplements.

I do suggest liquid B12 and vitamin D, but I'm not a doctor. So consult with your doctor. But most people are B12 and vitamin D deficient. I love those two things you just said. Liquid B12 and D3. Those are the two things I take too. Those are probably like I have liquid B12 in my bag. Like if I'm starting to feel a little just low energy because B12 increases your energy, memory, and mood. So I,

I highly recommend that to people, especially people that, and once again, I'm not prescribing this for people, but just, you know, talk to your doctor, whomever you're working with. It can help with even just like making you feel better, like showing up better every day. Um, and vitamin D because like I said, most people are deficient. And then I've been taking catalyst gold for about six months now. I'm obsessed with it and it does have a ton of biotin. So my hair does feel crazy full. And my beautiful, thank you. It just, it's fuller than it was like, you know, people are always like, no, you just have good hair. I'm like, I get it.

I have nice hair. But my hair is better now than it was when I was in my 20s. So that means your hair can be better if you get a colonic and you take Catalyst Gold. I don't know if it could be much better than this, sweetheart. I'm just kidding. It's pretty strong. It's pretty strong.

The guy that cuts my hair just got married. So I haven't been able to get ahold of him. You're good. Let it go. I used to have long hair. Really? Yeah. But it didn't,

I got over it because we were out eating a pizza one day and the waiter came up. He's like, got your pizza ladies. And I was like, Oh, I cut it off. Okay. So yeah,

I'm not a huge supplement person. You're not a huge supplement person, but spirulina is like, that's like, I'm getting, is there a brand you recommend for spirulina? What one am I taking right now? Health force. I love health force. Okay. I still can't believe I can't remember that very small brand. Okay. So I just, I really want to ask you this one question. Is there one resource that you've been gifted or recommended, or is there one resource that you've been gifted that you recommend to friends and family besides the one book that you already recommended us? It could be like something on tape. It could be a movie.

Or a resource that you reference or something that you give to people to reference. A website. Any kind of tool that you use consistently. Let me think about that. So for wellness. For wellness, for health, for diet? Could be for anything. Okay. Oh, yes. Kimberly Snyder's beauty detox solution. That's a good one, huh? Yes. You guys are very much on the same page. Yeah. I really love her approach. I have a very similar philosophy i really love each other by the way yeah i she came and spoke in new york and i was blown away by her yeah she's you guys have very like similar diets i feel like too i think yeah the way that we like smoothie like heavy

all right so i'm going i'm going to transition to plant-based for a little bit. Okay. Try. You are? After this trip, maybe. I'll do it for a few weeks. You know what's one thing I suggest? Don't tell everybody. Oh, no. No, but, well, I mean, you just told everybody. No, but it's almost.

There are a few people listening. It's such a psychological thing, but even my girlfriend was like, I'm a vegetarian now. It was like day one, and then I met with her her a week later and she was like already eating meat. I'm like, it's better if you kind of just keep it to yourself and see how it works before, you know, because it's an internal thing. Yeah. Through the experiment and look at everything. So everything I shared with you guys today, it's really important. This is an experiment with yourself. So experiment, try this on, see if having fruit in the morning, avoiding fruit throughout the day.

So the number one thing, I have to put this in here. People will come to me and say, I eat really healthy. I don't understand. I have no energy. I'm bloated. And I need to lose 10 pounds. And I usually say, OK, what snacks do you have? An apple with almond butter or an apple and nuts.

I'm like, OK, avoid having the apple in the middle of the day because chances are you probably had, what did you have for lunch? And usually it's like a chicken salad or a tuna fish sandwich or something. So having that and then eating the fruit, it's like the fruit just like sits there and it wants to digest the fastest, but it's waiting for the other food to digest. So it just sits and ferments in the stomach and creates gas and bloat and weight gain. So that's one tip that I recommend experimenting with. So you start with the lighter stuff and move to the heavier stuff. Yeah. So like fruit and then having... Because it gets out faster. Yeah. It's just the way that our body breaks it

down. And then having a beautiful salad with tons of vegetables, avocado, quinoa. If you're having something like that, if, you know, keep it to starchy vegetables. It's one of the first things I've heard that really resonated with me because it makes sense. It's like a funnel, right?

And if you put the heaviest stuff at the bottom and the light stuff at the top, then you can't get past the heavy stuff, right? I'm going to use that. But that's how I think about it in my head

when you explain it. So if you're say that you you eat chicken or cheese if you're having that it's best paired with leafy vegetables so non-starchy vegetables right so if you're having chicken having it with a potato it's not optimal it's fine you know this whole like balanced approach. I'm like, it's great. How do you feel? Do you, do you love the way you look? Do you want to have more energy? Do you want to feel a little leaner in your clothes? Have a little bit more muscle definition? These things will help. Okay. So, so you start with the fruit, then you move to the leafy greens, the quinoa, the avocado.

And then at dinner, what's something that you really would recommend for dinner to end the day with? One of my favorite meals is my 10 vegetable stir fry quinoa. Obsessed with it. Is that on your blog? It's so good, yes. Okay. We'll link it all. It's so delicious.

I love it. It's so hearty. It makes me feel good. I eat pasta more now than I ever have in my whole life, and I've never felt better. But it's because of the ratios. So I don't just, yes, I eat carbs, I eat bread, I eat fruit, but it's how I pair things that creates that balance, that efficiency for things to move through me. Like I've seen you do pasta and you'll fill it with kale.

So like I've seen you do pasta and you'll fill it with kale. So like half vegetable. So you want your ratio to be higher equal to your carbohydrate portion. I copied you and did Brussels sprouts. You did? Yes. Instead. And then someone said raw Brussels sprouts are bloating. And I'm like, Oh my God, I can't win. They can be, they can be bloating cooked too but i will say the cleaner you become the less bloating that you will feel from foods like cruciferous vegetables and even beans if you eat beans soak beans and pair them with vegetables leafy vegetables or starchy vegetables is fine but a bean initially is a protein and a carb, you know, in one. That's why beans are really bloating.

But making them homemade, soaking them, they're actually amazing. And they taste phenomenal. Way better than canned. This was so informative. Was it? Oh, my God. I loved it. Okay, good.

I could talk to you for hours. Oh, I love it. Thank you so much for coming on. Where can everyone find you, stalk you? Give us your app, your blog, everything. Give us your home address. Yeah. You're so sweet. Thank you. This is so, I love you guys. You guys are such a powerhouse team. Thank you. And so adorable. And you can tell you love each other, which is really nice. We do. He's really annoying and he needs a colonic, but I do love him. God, my love. So you can find me at melissawoodhealth.com is my website.

Melissa Wood Health is my Instagram. And I share all of my workouts on Fitner. So it's Fitner app. You can, you know, download that on Apple, but it's Melissa Wood is the channel that you'd be subscribing to. And I share workouts. I have 10 workouts in my library every week. I'm constantly, you know, uploading new content and I will have a YouTube channel next week, which is also Melissa Wood Health. And am I forgetting anything? I don't think you are, but I do want to say something specifically to the audience. Okay. I really like your Instagram and I would highly recommend the

audience follows it. I'm, um, I think there's so much to look at and it's so saturated and to look through your Instagram story and look at your Instagram. There's a lot of really good information. So you guys follow her at Melissa Wood health. Do you want to spell it just in case. Yes. It's M-E-L-I-S-S-A Wood, W-O-O-D. And it's help, not help, H-E-A-L-T-H. Thank you so much. That'll be my email to you, Melissa Wood, help. And it's going to be after I go through the chronic process and having the trouble. I'm just kidding. Thank you for coming on. Thank you for having me, you guys. I hope you guys enjoyed that episode as much as Michael and I did. We loved it. She was definitely a standout and hopefully she will come back.

And hopefully my enema doesn't hurt. It's a colonic. Let's get it right. Oh. I hope you guys are subscribed and you've rated the podcast. Please do it on iTunes. Tell a friend. If you do rate the podcast, screenshot it and send it to asklauren,

Lauren with a Y, at theskinnyconfidential.com and we will send you my five beauty hacks straight to your inbox. Also make sure to follow us on Instagram at theskinnyconfidential and at michaelbostick. Don't forget this episode was brought to you by Liquid IV, the amazing tasting and portable powder drink mix. Liquid IV is changing and enhancing the way we hydrate. Liquid IV uses breakthrough cellular transport technology, also known as CTT, to deliver hydration to the bloodstream faster and more efficiently than water alone. It comes in two flavors. Definitely try the acai berry, but it also comes in lemon and lime michael's favorite liquid iv can hydrate you up to two to three times faster than water alone and contains three times the electrolytes than

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