How burnout can be caused by over exercising and under eating

Today I'm going to share how burnout can be caused by over exercising and under eating. I'm going to be sharing my personal story of how I experienced my first burnout and that's right, I said my first burn out because there were actually two separate instances, both completely different circumstances of me burning out. But today we're going to focus on over-exercising and under-eating and what that looks like to your health.

As a certified wellness coach, I help high achieving women increase their network, both financially and relationally by beating burnout and revitalizing their health and I having a personal experience of burning out by going after that “ideal body”, you know, that slim perfect figure where there are no bumps, nothing's poking out. Everything is exactly where it should be. You are perky and you are tight and you are super fit and lean, right? There is no wiggle and no jiggle. Is that what we're all going for is? Does that sound a little familiar to you?

I was going after that ideal body and after years and years of fighting with my weight, and it actually all started when I went on the birth control pill in 1999. After that my body was just no longer my own. I had no control, or so I thought, of what my body was doing, and I basically played the weight game from then until 2012. In 2012 I had had enough, I had had three kids, I was not planning to have any more kids. And I said this is the time for me to just basically reinvent myself, and I am taking charge of me and my health by focusing in on my weight, and I'm going after that very ideal, fit, Barbie-esque type shape. So, what did that look like? I threw everything of who I was into working out. I was working out morning and night. I was waking up at two thirty in the morning to get to the gym by three o'clock in the morning. I was doing a little bit of cardio before weights, an hour of weight training and then another hour of cardio when I was done weight training. And then in the evening, I was doing more. Sometimes I went for a 3-5 mile run and sometimes I did a cardio type of workout video.

But often times it was more weight training with a run. That can only be sustained for so long. Basically, I started hitting a wall. I was definitely losing weight. My shape was definitely changing. I had gotten to the leanest that I had ever been. But here's the thing, I technically “looked the best” according to society but I felt the worst that I ever had, and it was awful.

I had also gone through a separation and divorce in 2012-2013. I had gone from being a stay at home mom with a successful photography business that I had on the side to being a single mom and being thrust into the workforce. I got a job working full time for a nutritional supplement company and I had also dove right into a terrible relationship. I don't recommend that by the way. Going through a divorce, becoming a single mom, going to work full time, having a terrible relationship, and then coupling that with insane exercise and under eating led to my first burnout.

Recipe for disaster

I was so hyper-focused on what I was eating. I was eating a high protein, low carb, zero fat diet, and that just does not allow for any energy to be produced whatsoever. I was getting sick all the time. I was irritable, I was cranky, I wasn't sleeping well, and I wasn't performing well at work. I was struggling with mental fogginess, I wasn't thinking straight, I was forgetting things, and that's just not who I was. It was kind of freaking me out a little bit about what I was becoming. Then what I was also dealing with was sickness, chronic sickness; I was getting colds over and over and over, it was taking so long to get over them, and then finally in 2014 I had a prolonged sickness that kept me home for nearly three weeks!! At that time I had to pause and ask myself “what am I doing in my life that's causing all of this sickness and this fatigue in this overall exhaustion?”. I realized that I was not the mom that I want to be at all, I was not the employee that I want to be. I was still trying to run a coaching business on the side while still doing some photography, that was just a recipe for disaster. I was juggling everything and striving to do more.

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So, I had to literally take a step back, look at my schedule and see what needs to go, what needed to be removed. The very first thing that I let go of was the exercise and the under-eating. I also happened to be working for the foremost expert in adrenal fatigue. And so through my education and my training and working with Dr. Wilson, the reality hit me- I was basically burnt out. I had adrenal fatigue, I had run a cortisol panel to check my hormones to see where they were; and let me tell you, that was a hot mess. What is considered normal was nowhere near where I was at all. So, I took a six month break from any exercise whatsoever, basically, the only exercise that I was doing was pretty much walking the dog. Once in awhile I did some yoga, but other than that there was nothing else. I definitely got rid of the terrible relationship because that wasn't serving me well at all. I decided to just focus in on myself and being the best me that I could be and that started with eating properly.

There is currently an overabundance of people that are scared of carbs right now. When you are burnt out it is essential that you have carbs and fat along with protein in your diet for energy production and healthy hormone conversion.

Your body simply can not create energy if you are missing key nutrients that come from carbohydrates and fats and proteins. So, if you're omitting any of that let me just warn you right now to maybe consider taking a look at your diet. If you are struggling with burnout, chances are that your diet could have a huge impact on your recovery.

So, in time, between working with Dr. Wilson, working with some other practitioners to help me get back on track, and really becoming okay with the way that my body looks (and I won't lie that was a huge work), I began working towards my recovery. I had to work on my mindset, leaving behind the thoughts telling me I was failing because everything in society is saying, if you don't look a certain way then you are not worthy. That's a hard thing to change when you've been hearing, believing, or thinking that for so many years.

What I realized is that my overall outlook on my health will impact my future generations. I have a daughter, what was the example that I was setting for her by being hyper-focused on an ideal body image for me? I don’t want her to have a distorted image of health and think her worth is tied to her appearance.

For the past four years I zeroed in on what healthy looks like for me and learned what I need to do to avoid burnout. That's been trial and error. It's a practice, you never “arrive”. Some days are better than others. I pay attention to what is going on during my current season.

But what I do know is this… as we search for an ideal body and we do things that are more detrimental to get to it, it's not going to pay off in the long run. I'm going to be sharing my story in another post with the details of my second burnout that was totally different; you'll see why when when I share that with you. Today I really just wanted to focus on burn out that is a result of over-exercising and under-eating; you can recover, but it does take some intention in how you treat your body and how you feed your body.

Do you want to learn more? Check out my interview for the FitFluential Radio Podcast : https://fitfluential.com/from-adrenal-burnout-to-stress-expert/

Think you might be experiencing burnout? Download the “5 Signs Of Burnout” information guide to find out if you are burning out and what your next steps should be.

What Do I Eat If I Have Adrenal Fatigue?

As I have coached my clients that are undergoing immense amounts of stress in their lives, I have noticed a common pattern with regard to nutrition. High carb, sugar-laden food that is lacking dense nutrition and only provides an energy crash and endless cups of coffee is the usual diet of those living a modern, fast-paced life.

Leading a life that has never-ending to-do lists and expectations that are elusive, yet continue to leave us striving toward “accomplishment” has a tendency to grab on-the-go meals that can be consumed quickly and typically during a commute. A breakfast consisting of baked goods, bars, packaged shakes, or designated “breakfast” options being sold in the aisles of the grocery store that contain more sugar, preservatives, and white processed flour than the “vitamins & minerals” being touted as being delivered in each delicious bite is the norm.

Friends, if this is you, I beg of you to consider your nutrition in order to begin a road to new energy and mental clarity.

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food"  ~Hippocrates

When you are suffering from Adrenal Fatigue, nutrition is critical to recovery. Rather than looking to a prescription or a crash-diet to solve your problems, take a good look at what you are putting in your body. Food is healing and quality is everything. Poor diet can exacerbate the suffering you experience.

There are three things to keep in mind when you are trying to recover from chronic stress and Adrenal Fatigue and trying to understand what is important with your nutrition in order to recover from Adrenal Fatigue.

1. All macronutrients are important and necessary.

With the common and popular diets eliminating an entire macronutrient group, carbs are getting a really bad wrap. What people need to understand is that carbs are an essential source of vitamins and minerals that provide energy; one of the top symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue is chronic fatigue. Therefore, you NEED carbohydrates to create ATP (energy) without creating more stress internally.

However, not all carbs are equal. The carbs you want to eat will consist of whole, unprocessed foods full of fiber (flax, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and cruciferous vegetables).

You will want to combine a fat, protein, and complex carbohydrate with every meal. Combine fat, fiber (carbs), and organic protein when creating your meals. This offers longer satiation and a more balanced blood sugar level that doesn’t leave you with a crash an hour later.

2. The sweet limitations of fruit

People with adrenal fatigue and blood sugar problems should go lightly on fruits, especially in the morning. But if you exercise early in the day, it may be possible for you to handle a small amount of fruit for breakfast. Exercise elevates cortisol and aldosterone levels, which in turn raise sodium levels in your blood, allowing for greater tolerance to the effects of fruit.

However, be very careful of fruit consumption and if you notice that you become more tired, thick headed or start to experience other symptoms of either low blood sugar or low adrenals, then eliminate fruit in the morning. Any fruit that you do eat should be organically grown. Many people who suffer from adrenal fatigue are sensitive to chemicals in foods.

Here are some recommended fruits for those with adrenal fatigue: papaya, mango, plums, pears, kiwi, apples, and cherries. Fruits to avoid would be bananas, raisins, dates, figs, oranges, and grapefruit.

3. Caffeine Prolongs Exhaustion

People with adrenal fatigue often crave caffeine or cola beverages because of the stimulatory effect of the caffeine. The difficulty with this is that caffeine also over-stimulates the adrenals, which leads to further fatiguing when the caffeine wears off. Therefore, many people with adrenal fatigue get through the day by kicking their adrenals with several cups of coffee and beverages containing caffeine or by combining caffeine, sweets, and chocolate (which contains caffeine and a caffeine-like substance). Although this makes them feel better temporarily, this regimen will eventually exhaust the adrenals even more, leading them into further difficulties.

Now they have a vicious cycle repeating. They need coffee to be productive, they crash, they are exhausted and need more caffeine and sugar. And on and on it goes. Therefore, avoid or limit caffeine containing foods and beverages.

Replace your coffee habit with herbal teas, mushroom elixirs, and lots of water.

Next steps…

If you’re confused about what to eat, remember this: lean protein, carbs (in the form of greens and fiber) and fat. Every meal. It’s key to recovery.

For You…

Need a breakfast or lunch that is quick to make, packed full of vitamins & minerals and gives the nutrition you need to support a body in stress? Here is a quick, cheat sheet to print and hang in your kitchen for powerful smoothies that help to promote Adrenal Fatigue recovery. Click the image below to download!

Avocado Deviled Eggs

This is such a quick and easy snack! It also happens to be a favorite breakfast to make myself.

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs

1 ripe avocado

1 Tbsp. Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo

salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut eggs in half. Remove the yolk and place in bowl with avocado and mayo. Mix yolks, avocado and mayo together. Scoop the magic mix into the halved egg whites. Sprinkle paprika (optional).

Make sure you “mmmm” at least five times while eating. *note: this will give you 3 servings of 4 egg halves. Sometimes I eat 6 halves. Eating the whole batch at once is very tempting, but 6 eggs at one time may make your family not want to be near you later. Ha!

Noatmeal Porridge

This is so hearty and filling and it stays with you all morning. It’s the PERFECT comfort food for Fall.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or Coconut Milk

• 2 tablespoons hemp hearts

• 2 tablespoons almond flour

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

• 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon granulated stevia (or any kind of sweetener you like, to taste)

• 1 pinch sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stovetop Method: Add all ingredients except the vanilla to a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 3 to 5 minutes; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm.

2. Microwave Method: Add all ingredients except the vanilla to a large cereal bowl that’s microwave-safe. Microwave on high until thickened, about 2 minutes; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm.

   
   Note: I added pumpkin seeds, walnuts, dried cranberries, shredded coconut and cinnamon as topping. I also like to add more almond milk. This is completely optional but why would you delete magic? Muy delicioso!!

Low-Carb Mind-blowing Pancakes

These are completely mind-blowing and you truly won’t even miss all the naughty carbs from regular pancakes. Still a treat and not as depleting.

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs, large

• 2 oz Cream cheese

• 2/3 cup Almond flour

• 1 tsp Baking powder

• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp Sweetleaf - stevia sweetener

• 2 tsp Vanilla extract

Liquids

• 1 tbsp Water

Condiments

• 1 Butter and syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add all ingredients to blender. Start with eggs and water and cream cheese so you don't have anything get stuck at bottom.

2. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed. Let batter sit for 2 minutes.

3. Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat. For each pancake, pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter onto skillet.

4. Once you start to see little bubbles form, flip and continue to cook until pancake is browned on each side. Continue until you have used all pancake batter.

5. Serve pancakes topped with butter and syrup!

Stress Management: Goal Setting

Did your 2018 start out like so many other years? Full of promise and a fresh start? Did you make a list of all the things you will conquer this year? Are you like 80% of the population that has abandoned the resolutions already? 

A lack of a plan leads to leaving the goals in the dust by the end of January and thinking, "I'll get it next year!". 

If you are struggling to stay on track with the goals you set at the start of 2018, this is the episode for you. Fine-tuning your goals to be specific, targeted and time-sensitive is an essential start to the goal-setting process. In order to manage your stress, goal-setting and planning are imperative.

Goal setting can be overwhelming, especially if you are focused on many new goals. When you are overwhelmed, it's hard to stay focused, especially if there is not a plan behind each goal. 

Today we break down 3 strategies to manage your goals so that you feel equipped and confident with a plan to accomplish them.  Starting with a few goals in the areas of life that are your biggest priority is a great place to start.

The overwhelm is no-more with these goal setting strategies. Tell me what goals you have and if you have a plan to accomplish them!

Stress Self-Care for Working Moms

Do you remember the commercials in the 80's of the frazzled mom who would exclaim "Calgon, take me away!!"? The next scene would show her up neck deep in a frothy bubble bath and suddenly all was right in her world.

When stressors present themselves in your busy life of running a business, raising a family, maintaining relationships, volunteering, and the list goes on and on...you may feel like you are going to lose your mind. How can you fit one more thing on your to-do list? That is when self-care is so critical. Taking a step backward to change your point of view. Evaluate the bigger picture. Taking a deep breath and asking God for guidance. Giving yourself the gift of self-care.

Yet, sometimes the stressors come in the form of environmental toxins and chemicals you knowingly put in your body and not from your schedule or obligations alone. Those toxins instigate a stress response because it is foreign in your body and causes inflammation. Eliminating those from your environment and, more importantly, your body will begin with self-care.

I invited my friend, Kristin Szerszen, to share her top tips for natural self-care that rejuvenate, reduce your inflammation, and minimize your stress. She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to essential oils and the benefits for your health. I am so excited to share my blog with her!

Did you know... the average person applies 300 chemicals to their body every single day, and 80 of those chemicals before breakfast?!?

Most of these chemicals are from four things --- soap, makeup, shampoo, and hair care. The biggest pollutants in our home are fabric softener, dryer sheets, air freshener plug-ins, and candles.

Health & safety data only exists for 15 percent of all the chemicals out there, even though so many are known to cause asthma or endocrine disruptions! I highly suggest you open your cupboards and start researching the products that you are using and the ingredients that they are formulated with. I found the phone app called 'Think Dirty' to be very beneficial and helpful in my research. 

Essential oils are a safe and natural option to use in our homes and as a part of our care routine. There are some very easy and affordable ways to incorporate these products into your life. I am going to share some solutions that you can easily implement into your beauty and self-care regimen!

Aromatherapy:

It's amazing that scents can have such a powerful impact on our bodies! Therapeutic essential oils are extracted from plants. These oils help plants thrive and maintain wellness so by using them we are able to gain the benefits that plants do from having the oils inside.

Essential oils can help you stay above the wellness line as opposed to always be treating symptoms and putting a band aid on things. They support body systems the way that they are meant to optimally function.   

Using essential oils aromatically is an easy and effective way to get the therapeutic benefit of the oil that you are using. You can simply open your bottle of oil and smell it, wear diffuser jewelry that holds the oil, and use a diffuser to disperse the oil in the air in your home.

I use the diffusers in our home throughout the day. In the morning, I will use oils for alertness, focus, and to help wake our minds and bodies up for the day; my typical go-to selection is a citrus oil like Lemon or Orange. Throughout the day I will use different oils based on what may be going on for us; as a mom of a two-year-old, I find myself diffusing the oil blend called Stress Away most of the time! At night, I use calming and grounding oils like Lavender and Frankincense to help us unwind from the day. You can also use your diffuser during your detox Epsom salt bath, I often do!

Epsom Salt Bath with Essential Oils:

Who doesn't love a great bath? I have found that incorporating a relaxing detox bath with Epsom salt into my routine helps me destress and unwind. This is my favorite and most used thing in my self-care routine so I will go into good detail on this.  ;)  Oil and water do not mix so mixing the essential oil with Epsom salt is a great way to add two amazing products to your bath!

Find an Epsom salt that only contains magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) without any fillers or additional ingredients. Epsom salt has 7 amazing benefits: boosts magnesium levels, reduces stress, eliminates toxins, relieves constipation, reduces pain & inflammation, improves blood sugar levels, and volumizes hair.

Take about 1 cup of salts and mix with your preference of essential oils. I typically use about 5-8 drops per cup of salts. By using essential oils with the salts, you will also benefit from the therapeutic properties of the oils. Lavender and Frankincense oils are my favorites to use for when I want to relax. For those days that I have a tough workout or have worked hard in our yard, I use Peppermint to relieve sore muscles. You can even use Eucalyptus oil to help if your breathing needs some support! The oily combinations are endless so you can truly customize your bath experience however you want!

Once your oil is mixed with the Epsom salt, pour into your bath under the running water and mix it into your bath water. I keep two glass jars of ready to use Epsom salt beside my tub with my favorite two oily combinations; this way I don't have to mix it for every bath. 

It is so much fun to be able to create your own spa experience at home! Enjoy!  

Skin Care & Personal Care Solutions:

26 seconds is all it takes for the ingredients in your personal care products to enter your bloodstream! Once I learned this statistic, it became more important than ever for me to make sure that the products we are using are safe for our bodies.

I switched a lot of products that we use to simple DIY options or researched safer options to purchase. Please visit my blog at www.KristinSzerszen.com for recipes to make things like facial masks, hand soap, makeup remover, rash balm, anti-aging facial serum, bar soap, sugar scrub, and a recipe that I am working hard at perfecting... body butter that is smooth yet not greasy! If I started listing all of my recipes and specific solutions in this post... it would be never ending, so I'll be respectful of your time and point you to my blog where I am posting all of my recipes. 

If you are not a DIY type person, don't fret! There are solutions available for purchase that will meet your needs.  I always suggest to research ingredients!  I am happy to make suggestions on our favorites so please don't hesitate to reach out!  

Essential oils are a very versatile and safe solution to use for personal care and beauty care. There truly is an oil for everything! The therapeutic properties of oils can be used to help make product swaps in the effort to achieve a toxin free lifestyle. I would be so happy and honored to help guide you and offer any suggestions in using essential oils. Please email me at Kristin@KristinSzerszen.com with any questions. 

Thank you to Ericka for sharing her blog and having me as a guest!  

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As a gift to my readers, Kristin is giving away this awesome diffuser necklace to one of my lucky readers! Simply leave a comment below to be entered and I will pick a winner on 7/15/17. She is also offering a 10% discount at her website on any purchase with the code: ErickaEller. Yay!!! 

Happy International Women's Day!

It’s about time. The world gave ME a day….today is International Women’s Day!! I have one day to bask in all of womanhood and delight in the estrogen flowing through my body. Break out the piñata! Fiesta! Such joy! 

However, the ironic humor is that this very celebrated (everybody celebrates, right??), festive, pinnacle of all peaks, day that the world has given ME…..is the day that nature gives me the swift kick in the pants and I get my period. Of course. Happy International Women’s Day to ME. To begin the celebration, here is the fiercest of cycles! Of course. I feel like my body turned on me. 

Nonetheless, I do celebrate being a woman. I celebrate all of my femininity each day.  I don’t need a day to celebrate or acknowledge that I have a uterus. I celebrate all the good and bad of being a woman. The best part for me was that God made me a woman because He knew I could do hard things. Each day I am given breath, I am thankful for the women who have gone before me and done hard things. I am thankful that I have gifts and talents and I can share those with others. I am grateful that I have a chance to impact my children in a positive way, especially our daughters. I am grateful for women who will come alongside and help mentor me to become a better wife, mother, leader, and friend.   

I celebrate the hormone shifts because it reminds me that even on my fiercest of days, when it seems as though I have no heart, I can still cry at someone being compassionate to another human. I celebrate my changing body, because I grew three babies inside and they are miracles! Who cares if it’s softer and I have stretch marks?!! Without this body, those amazing people wouldn’t be here….there are days I wish I could shove them back inside to give me some quiet, but they are still amazing and I love them with all my heart. I celebrate all that I have accomplished. Life is tough and we have each been knocked down. There were times that I thought there was no way I could get back up. But God. He has a way of leading us down the dimly lit path. I celebrate having courage. I celebrate having faith. I celebrate being bold. I celebrate being quiet. I celebrate being thoughtful. I celebrate being scared. 

We are busy. We are tired. We are overwhelmed. We are over-scheduled. We sleep too little. We worry too much. Sometimes, it’s just one day at time. And that’s ok. We are loved. We are precious. Take a deep breath. There is always something to be thankful for. 

Each day, I choose to celebrate and love myself so that I can also love others better. It’s a choice. I haven’t perfected it. Some days are easier than others. Each of us, as women, have gifts that we must share with the world. Don’t keep it to yourself. You are a gift. Celebrate it. Make a cake...You are THAT special!

Today, try these three things to celebrate yourself:

1. Be thankful. Take time to write down 3 things you are thankful for right now. Anything. Gratitude breeds joy.

2. Do something kind for someone else. Nobody ever feels bad after doing a good deed for someone else.

3. Love yourself. Speak kind words to yourself. Take some time for you. Take a nap. Whatever you need today.

Don't just celebrate being a woman today. Celebrate every single day. Celebrate you. Don't forget the cake.