Nikki Cheak (00:00.856)
Welcome back to Real Food, Real Energy, Real Life. So if your calendar feels like it's bursting at the seams, you've got school concerts and sports under the year parties, and you're thinking, okay, I'm just going to deal with my health once the summer starts, then this is your loving nudge not to wait. Because here's the truth, trying to start a brand new routine in June when everything in your life changes, you've got new routines because the kids are out of school and
You've got summer camps and all the things that just change. That's when women, most women start to fall in this all or nothing cycle again. And I really don't want that for you. So today I'm going to give you five simple realistic habits that you can start now, like right in the middle of the chaos. that's going to help you feel less bloated and more energized and more confidence when summer hits. Look, I'm not going to give you crash.
diets or extremes because if you've listened to any of these episodes, you know that's not me. You know that I work in small daily habits that actually move the needle. So if you want help getting started, I've got a couple of free resources that are going to be linked in the show notes for you. And so make sure you grab them. But if you're ready to feel more control before summer even starts, I want to go ahead and jump in. So the first habit that I am going to suggest is anchoring your morning by breaking your fast the right way.
So we're gonna start here because how you begin your day truly sets the tone for everything else. Okay, and so look, I don't need you to do some elaborate morning routine. I want you to make a decision that tells your body, look, I've got you, right? When we wake up, our cortisol and our stress hormone is naturally higher and that's normal. But look, mornings are chaotic and everything is...
going crazy and then your stress lingers all day. So when you break your fast, it's time for you to eat, right, I want you to make sure that you're starting your morning with something that stabilizes your energy and your blood sugar. And that means eating real food with protein and fiber and healthy fats, right? And usually that depends on your cycle, but for me, I'm usually eating and breaking my fast around 9.30 in the morning.
Nikki Cheak (02:24.846)
And that doesn't mean that I'm having coffee before that, because I'm usually not. Sometimes I'll have a cup of tea, and I don't want you just having a granola bar in the car, right? I need you to give your body something that it needs. And a few of my favorite ways to break my fasts are, I usually will do a couple of eggs with avocados and some greens, maybe some cottage cheese, some Greek yogurt with chia seeds and berries. I'll make a chia seed pudding sometimes.
and add in some protein powder to it. A lot of times I'll make overnight oats and that way those are really easy on the go. About eight jars of overnight oats for my whole family will take me 10 minutes to make. So it's not something that is hard. Sometimes I'll even eat leftovers for dinner. Who says that you can't have chicken fajitas for breakfast in the morning?
And so those kinds of things are things that you can do. I don't want you to overthink it. But if you anchor your morning and get that breaking your fast, then the rest of your day is going to run smoother because you're going to have fewer cravings in the afternoon. You're going to be able to focus better. You're going to have that more consistent energy and better results in the long term. So habit two is stop waiting for summer to get back on track. Okay, I'm going to just I'm just going to say it like it is.
May is nuts. It's like the new December for moms, right? School's ending, sports are nonstop, your schedule feels like it's completely been hijacked, and it just makes sense that your brain might whisper, just wait a couple weeks, right? Things will calm down and I'll figure it out. But here's the truth, waiting for summer.
To start is exactly what keeps most women in this all or nothing cycle. Because when summer hits, your routine is completely different, the kids are home, and if you're like me, I've been working from home for 15 years. And so it just changes everything and your schedule shifts again. And suddenly you're trying to figure it all out, but now with less structure and more overwhelm.
Nikki Cheak (04:30.22)
And so the secret is to start small before everything changes. And so you've heard me talk about the six week reset, but when we build those habits now, when life's already full, when we hit summer, you've already got the foundation in. And so it's already there and you're not playing catch up and you're not scrambling to get back on track and you're not relying on like, okay, I'm just going to wait until after vacation or another Monday or another, you know, when life slows down moment because there's never really a good time.
Life doesn't just slow down and you can start to create that stability even in the chaos. So that's the mindset shift that really truly makes all of this possible. I don't want you to wait to be ready. I want you to start when it's messy. Build those habits before you feel like you have time. All right, habit three, ditch the extremes and build real consistency. So, know, look, you may have tried
all sorts of different challenges, detox, boot camps, no sugar, you know, all of those things. And maybe they worked for a minute or two until like got busy or you got sick or you had a kid and a week of baseball games and drive through dinners and it all unraveled. And suddenly you're back at square one. And so the truth of the matter is it's not you. It's the plan that you've been following and extreme plans require perfect conditions to work.
And if you're a mom, there is no such thing as a perfect condition. So that's why inside of the six week reset, we don't do extremes, right? We do consistency. We, you know, build meals that you can make on a Tuesday night when you get home and you forgot to thaw out chicken, right? Workouts that take 30 minutes or less and can happen at home so you're not wasting time driving back and forth to the gym and flexible routines that are going to help you bounce back fast.
And look, you deserve a pizza night, right? Or vacation, like when you're on vacation, things change. But this is not about perfection. It's about what you do most of the time with that consistency. And so if you've been swinging between restriction and like, I'm gonna go all in and my gosh, nothing works, right? This is your sign to stop chasing that all or nothing plan and start to build a rhythm that actually fits
Nikki Cheak (06:56.62)
your life, right? And everybody's life is different. And so that is habit three. And the fourth habit is going to be prioritize protein in every meal. And look, protein is super trendy right now and for very good reason, because it's going to help you stabilize your blood sugar. It's going to help you curb those cravings. And if you've heard me talk in the last couple episodes around hormones and why I...
why I started to focus on my macros, you're going to see that this is like protein is so important, right? It's going to help keep that blood sugar stable. It's gonna curb those cravings. It's gonna help you support the lean muscle, you know, which is also by the way, a faster metabolism. And if you wanna feel full longer, you're gonna stop the snack attacks at three o'clock and you're gonna support your fast loss, right? So that's why you wanna incorporate your protein at every meal. And so it can look a...
a couple different ways, right? You've got scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, maybe some cottage cheese for breakfast. You've got maybe chicken breast in a salad with some hard boiled eggs at lunch, or you've got chicken fajitas for dinner, right? And so there's all sorts of different ways that you can build in high protein meals. And in my seven day meal plan that I will drop in the show notes, there are a lot of different recipes that will help you make sure
that you're hitting those protein goals. All right, habit five, schedule mini movements that you're actually gonna do. So here's what happens every May. We say we're going to work out when things calmed down, but they don't, right? Because the end of the year events and sports and all the other things, travel, maybe you're planning your summer vacations, know, workouts tend to fall to the bottom of the list. And so that's why you need a realistic plan for movement. So,
you know, that could be 10 minutes that counts. A walk after dinner is a win. Movement doesn't always have to be sweaty or perfect, it just needs to happen. And so you want to be able to get those results that you're looking for so that you feel better about your body and you have that consistency, but 90 minute gym sessions aren't going to do it, right? Short, effective 30 minute workouts and you know, maybe some walks, that's what's going to help your schedule and that's what's going to help you.
Nikki Cheak (09:24.65)
And it's not about doing more. It's about doing what works consistently. So I want to zoom out for just a second, because if your brain is thinking, okay, you know, some of this sounds doable, but is it really worth starting now? Let me ask you this. What if you started showing up today, not perfectly, but with a plan that actually works for your life instead of waiting for the perfect day to start that never comes? Because here's the truth. Most women will wait until summer to get back on track.
and then they feel behind and overwhelmed and even more frustrated by June. But that doesn't have to be your story because busy moms and women who feel confident by summer, they're not waiting for the perfect moment to start. They're making simple, consistent moves before life gets even busier. They're not making drastic changes and they aren't starting over every Monday or chasing some unsustainable, perfect plan. But if you don't have that strategy that's going to fit your life, you're going to keep her
relying on that willpower, and that's gonna run out really fast. So think about how you expect to feel strong and energized and confident by summer if you're not having a plan that's built for you and your real life. And so inside of the six week reset, I help women like you stop starting over and actually feeling good in your skin again. So it can be you, and I will drop the links in the show note so that you can learn more if you have questions.
But look, let's recap your five summer, five habits that I want you to start now before June. So you're gonna anchor your morning, right? You're gonna stop waiting for summer. You're gonna start now, start with these shifts now. You're gonna ditch the extremes, lead with protein and schedule movement that you're actually gonna do, even if it's 10 minutes. And look, I would love to be able to help you. I'm kicking off a new round soon in the six week reset. So if you ever have questions, I'd love to help you every step of the way.
grab the free macro cheat sheet, the seven day meal plan. You'll find them in his show notes. They will help you to get started even if you're not ready to commit to something bigger right now. And so I have a couple quick favors to ask you. If this episode was helpful, I would be so grateful if you could share it with a friend who needs to hear this because we all need a little reminder every once in a while. And leave a review so that more women can find the show. It is my hope.
Nikki Cheak (11:51.778)
that I can help so many moms around the world feel better every single day and have more confidence in their real life, right? And then hit subscribe so that you never miss an episode. But remember, real food should be simple and not stressful. Real energy should be something that you create, not something you chase. And real life, well, it's happening right now. So let's make the most of it. I'll see you next time.
