Three tiny shifts that rescue my clients (and me)
If you're reading this at 2 a.m. while doom-scrolling for answers—know that I've been right there with you.
Searching:
“Why do I gain five pounds before my period?”
“Night-time sugar cravings won't stop.”
“Wide awake at 2 a.m.—is this perimenopause?”
Let's pour a virtual cup of tea and talk about what's really happening.
The week before everything unravels…
One day you feel fine. The next, you'd trade your favorite leggings for kettle chips and a nap. Jeans get snug, sleep evaporates, patience? Non-existent.
Underneath it all:
Estrogen nosedives → blood sugar wobbles → cravings + mood swings.
Cortisol climbs when sleep tanks → your body hoards belly fat “for safety.”
Protein & minerals run low → energy switch stays stuck on dim.
Here are three tiny shift that rescue my clients and me:
Protein-first breakfast (~30 g).
Eggs + chicken sausage, or a legit protein smoothie. You'll remember this at 3 p.m. when you don't inhale the snack table.
Mineral mocktail at afternoon slump.
8 oz water, squeeze of lime, pinch of sea salt, splash of coconut water. Hydrates, calms fake hunger, tastes like vacation.
Blue-light blackout 60 min before bed.
Phone on night-shift, overhead lights off, lamp or candle on. Melatonin's love language is darkness and quiet.
If you still are losing a week every month to bloat, cravings, and 2 a.m. Google spirals, it's time for real data. A GI-MAP reveals if your gut is recycling estrogen; a DUTCH test shows cortisol patterns sabotaging your sleep.
Curious which test (or combo) is right for you? Let’s talk!
Your Sun-Soaked Success Cheatsheet ☀️
Last Friday, I attempted the holy trinity of “fun summer mom” feats:
Skate park at 1 PM—helmet drama, knee-pad negotiations, and one rogue scooter ramp-launch that shaved five years off my life.
Library by 2PM—where my daughter reenacted parkour between the picture-book stacks while I whispered “inside voices” on repeat.
Bahama Buck's victory lap—because rainbow-sprinkle shaved ice = instant cease-fire.
By 3 PM I'd racked up 10,000 steps, 47 “Mom, watch this!” alerts, and exactly zero minutes for myself…yet I still showed up for my body with a quick dumbbell circuit after bedtime.
Was it flawless? Nope.
Worth it? Every sticky-sweet second.
Because progress doesn't wait for quiet mornings—it squeezes into real-life chaos, right alongside skate-park dust and melted strawberry syrup.
Your Sun-Soaked Success Cheatsheet ☀️🌴
Keeping you strong and soaking up every summer memory:
Protein Popsicles – Blend Greek yogurt, berries, & vanilla protein powder. Freeze. Patriotic treat with 15 g protein. I love using Costco Greek yogurt and these protein powders: PROMIX Vanilla (buy it HERE), PRIME, also dairy free (buy it HERE), and LEVELS (buy it HERE).
Hydration Hack – Tuck electrolyte packets into your purse or carry-on. TSA-proof, bloat-proof, kid-meltdown-proof. RE-LYTE is my favorite! Buy it HERE.
Move-While-They-Skate – Ten body-weight squats or walking lunges every time your kid yells “Watch this!” (You'll hit 100 before you know it.)
Smart BBQ Swaps – Fill ¾ of your plate with grilled protein & veggies before approaching the chip bowl. Satisfaction first, cravings later.
Night-Cap Routine – Two minutes of 4-7-8 breathing after lights-out calms cortisol so tomorrow's you aren’t running on iced-latte fumes.
Tiny pivots ➜ massive momentum. No skate-park wipeouts required.
Good sleep 😴 starts in the morning
I can't believe people still believe this: Someone told me at the gym last week that sleep doesn't matter, you can catch up later.
Listen, one night of bad sleep will hurt you in more ways than you know. Imagine what many nights, months and years of bad sleep will do to you.
Leads to more hunger and sugar cravings
Anxiety and mood swings
Cortisol belly and face
Lower thyroid function
Slowed metabolism
Lower immune system
Think back to when you had a bad night of sleep? The next day how did you feel?
So you are probably saying, “Yes, Caitlyn I know I need more sleep.”
But you struggle with staying asleep, falling asleep, and waking up at 3 am every night with racing thoughts.
You hear about a bedtime routine, but good sleep starts the morning of!
☀️ Get outside with the sun as early as you can, if you can, go for a walk.
🍳 Eat breakfast within 30-45 min of waking with 30-40 g of protein, some fat and carbs.
🌳 Be outside as much as you can, even if it is for a 10 min walk.
⏰ Set a limit on the time you are scrolling your phone
💭 Be intentional and take time to take deep calming breaths for a minute throughout the day.
📲 Stop your screen time 1 hour before bed, calm your mind and journal your thoughts so they aren't stuck in your head
Those are just a few tips I share with my clients.
The MAIN thing is to regulate your nervous system all day by eating balanced, nutritious meals and getting outside. This all impacts our adrenals, cortisol, and circadian rhythm which impacts our sleep and hormones.
School is out and I have opened up spots for coaching. If you are wanting to focus on your health and get to the bottom of why your sleep, hormones, gut, period, and thyroid are a wreck without wasting more time, energy, and money on doing it yourself, let’s talk!
Early 30s playbook to stay off perimenopause roller coaster 🎢
Perimenopause isn't just for “women of a certain age.”
The hormone roller-coaster actually starts in your early 30s—quietly, seven-plus years before anyone utters the M-word.
That means what you do today—between Zoom calls, daycare pick-ups, and half-finished workouts—decides whether your late 30s and 40s feel like a smooth glide or a crash landing.
Your early-30s playbook (tiny moves, big pay-off)
🔥 Win the morning cortisol game.
90 seconds of deep nasal breathing before the first sip of caffeine.
Bonus: 10-minute walk in daylight. Trains your adrenals now, spares you hot-flash chaos later.
🥩 Protein + color rule.
Aim for 30 g protein + at least 1 cup produce every meal.
Those amino acids + antioxidants are future-proofing your thyroid and preventing the “sudden” belly fluff friends complain about at 38.
🧂Mineral insurance.
Pinch of sea salt + splash of coconut water in your afternoon bottle.
Balances sodium-potassium so your energy doesn't nosedive (and keeps progesterone happy down the road).
💪🏻 Lift something heavier than your toddler 3×/week.
Muscle is a savings account for metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Early deposits = compounding interest.
📲 Blue-light boundaries.
Night-shift mode on your phone at 8 p.m., lamps instead of overheads. This protects melatonin now so you're not Googling “why am I awake at 2 a.m. in my 40s?”
🔬 Test, don't guess.
GI-MAP: uncovers gut bugs that recycle estrogen (sets you up for heavy periods later).
DUTCH: maps cortisol rhythm & sex hormones so you know exactly what to shore up before they drift.
Why bother when you still feel “fine”?
Because the “overnight” weight gain, mood swings, and hot flashes you hear about at 40 are usually a decade in the making.
Invest now and you won't be stuck playing catch-up later. I have one-on-one spots for women who want a data-driven roadmap—GI-MAP, DUTCH, customized macros, and a strength plan that fits real life (not just Instagram).Your 40-year-old self will thank you—probably while sleeping through the night.
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Sunday Ritual: Meal Prep
I used to start Mondays with the best intentions—shiny water bottle, fresh workout plan, promise to “eat clean.”
By Wednesday? My fridge looked like a crime scene: wilting spinach, half a rotisserie chicken, and take-out containers I swore I wouldn't buy.
Everything changed the day I turned Sunday food prep into a non-negotiable date with myself (AirPods in, Netflix on, cutting board out).
Now the fridge is the hero of my week, not the villain—and my clients who copy this system see the same magic.
Here's the 2-hour ritual that saves my hormones, waistline, and sanity:
1. Protein pillars
Crock-Pot Garlic Chicken
2–3 lb chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup bone broth + 1 Tbsp minced garlic + S/P
Set on low 4–5 hrs. Shred and split:
• Dill-pickle chicken salad for me (Greek yogurt + diced pickles + dill)
• Poppy-seed chicken salad for the fam (½ Greek yogurt, ½ mayo, grapes, celery, poppy seeds)
Basic Ground Beef
Brown 2 lb with onion + sea salt. Use all week for tacos, breakfast hash, or tossed into marinara.
2. Veggie duo
Sheet-pan roasted broccoli & carrots (olive oil, garlic powder)
Sautéed zucchini ribbons with ghee + Italian herbs
3. Smart carbs
Sweet-potato wedges (cinnamon + sea salt)
Jasmine rice in the Instant Pot (bone broth instead of water)
4. Breakfast & post-workout fuel
Gluten-Free Banana Cottage-Cheese Waffles
Blend all of these below:
- 225 g of oats
-2 eggs
-50 g Malk almond milk or milk
-32 g vanilla whey
-1 container of Kalona Cottage cheese
-Cinnamon to taste, I do a TON
-1 tsp baking powder
-2 large bananas
Let this sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Then use on a medium heat on your waffle maker. I eat these with thawed blueberries everyday!
5. Kid-approved treat
Almond-butter chocolate-chip oat bars—sweet enough to keep them happy, packed with fiber so no sugar crash.
Why this matters (for you and your hormones)
Protein & fiber on deck = stable blood sugar → fewer 3 p.m. cravings
Ready carbs = thyroid & adrenals get the glucose they need—goodbye, “hangry” evening binge
Zero decision fatigue = more mental bandwidth for actual life
Skip prep and the week becomes death-by-drive-thru.
Spend two hours with a podcast, and you glide into Friday nourished and un-bloated. Want a done-for-you menu + grocery list?
I give my 1:1 clients a fresh prep blueprint every month, if they want that—plus GI-MAP-driven tweaks so their meals heal gut + hormones faster.
Gut Healing Peppermint Hot Chocolate
There is a way to drink some hot chocolate that isn’t full of sugar, unhealthy oils, and harmful milk. I love this daily and added peppermint into it now that it is December.
You are welcome to add in non-dairy milk, but I highly recommend you make it coconut milk that is in a can and has no guar gum. Guar gum is very hard on the gut so I steer clear of that. I love and recommend the light coconut milk from Trader Joe’s. If you do use this in your hot chocolate, add some water as it is very dense.
Why do we use bone broth? Bone broth is a powerful source of protein that heals and seals the gut. So many of us are struggling with intestinal permeability and we don’t even know it. This is one way to get some healing benefits without drinking it straight. Bonus is that my kids enjoy it too! Always get unflavored so that you don’t taste it in your hot chocolate.
Benefits of raw cacao include energy boost, healthy fat, fights inflammation, source of magnesium, and has b vitamins and zinc. So enjoy the chocolate friend!
As for the sweetner, I am using the stevia glycerite to sweeten so that I can cut back on calories and not spike my blood sugar. You are more than welcome to add real maple syrup or honey if you feel ok with that and don’t feel exhausted after the fact.
Here is the recipe, it is adapted from Fallon in her meal plans, so feel free to go grab that!
1.3 Cup Raw or Low temp pasteurized Whole Milk
2/3 Cup Unflavored Bone Broth
2 tbsp Raw Organic Cacao
Pinch of salt
1/8 tsp peppermint extract, not essential oil
Stevia or sweetner to taste
Heat on stove and enjoy!
The BEST Gluten and Dairy Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Do you love baking when it is about 1 week before your period? Did you know your progesterone is rising and so the sugar cravings will hit! My kids begged me for them, so of course, I obliged after a much needed trip to the grocery store for more oats.
I personally love One Degree Sprouted GF Oats, you may find them at Costco, but any Whole Foods carries them.
You can substitute any add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts as well. I loved the classic raisin.
Here you go!
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup of GF flour blend (I used King Arthur GF All Purpose)
2 cups of GF Rolled Oats
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup of coconut sugar
2 large pastured eggs
8 tablespoons of coconut oil melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup of organic raisins
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix well.
Mix all the wet ingredients, except raisins, in a medium size bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
Stir in the raisins.
Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Press lightly with your hand to flatten a tad.
Bake 10-15 min until done
Remove from the oven onto a cooling rack and enjoy!
I would love to see your beautiful cookies on the web! Make some for your fam and make sure to tag me and share your pics!
Ok, now you have to tell me, what would you do, chocolate chips or raisins in your cookies?
Bon Apetit!
My Top Favorite Safe Bathroom Products
There are so many products out there these days that throw out words like “non-toxic” “organic” “natural” “vegan” and more! Yet, these terms aren’t regulated so you really have to be aware of the ingredients on the back of everything you buy. I have tried and done a lot of research on these products and love them.
1.Branch Basics-I kept seeing this company all over my friends feeds and they do not disappoint! It is an all in one concentrate for laundry, all purpose cleaner, window cleaner, bathroom cleaner, and we bought the oxy boost too. There price and their ingredients are incredible, along with they are very high performing. It has gotten the stains out of our carpet, clean our clothes so well, clean our kitchen and bathrooms, I mean the list goes on. We purchased the largest starter set in June and still haven’t reordered. It is worth every penny. You can get $10 off all products using this link (it is an affiliate link)
2. Everyone Soap for Every Kid-this brand is very inexpensive in comparison to other clean brands, and it is EWG verified, which is a HUGE plus. You always want to get products with a 1,2, or best is EWG verified.
3. Attitude Shampoo and Conditioner, girl it has been a long journey to find great quality hair products that work without sacrificing your health. These leave my hair so shiny and moisturized and are EWG verified.
4. Beautycounter Kids Conditioner-let me tell you, this conditioner is fantastic! I bought it back in April, and haven’t had to repurchase yet and it makes Zoe’s hair so soft! We wash her hair 2-3 times a week.
5. Schmidt’s Kids toothpaste and Dr Brite- my kids got all the flavors of Schmidts at TJ Maxx and they love the chocolate mint toothpaste there too from Dr Brite.
I am always on the hunt for quality products and I truly love most of what Beautycounter has! They screen and test their products like no one else in the industry and we ban over 1500 ingredients where as the US only bans 30! If you haven’t seen this video, go check it out to see why I truly love being a part of this company and being a part of this mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone!
I am one message away anytime over on Instagram or Facebook where we can get you set up for a free skincare consultation! Or even better you can take this skincare quiz and we can get you scheduled even if you’re not local.
So tell me sister, what are your favorite brands for these bathroom items? Tell me in the comments below!
Getting Mentally Out Of That Slump
We really beat ourselves up by living these lies and stories we believe, we continue to tell ourselves a story. That story may be “I am fat” or “I am a failure” or “I am a bad mom”. You stay stuck in that mindset and yes you will believe it. There is so much more we can do to get out of that story line though, there are some steps we can take.
Check out the 5 people you spend the most time with. What are their mindsets like? What do they talk about mostly? Do they speak life, and truth into you and about others or are they always gossiping? Are they really poor, unhealthy, and super negative? Or girl are you surrounded by Jesus-loving, encouraging, caring women who support you in every thing you do and others do? Girl you are who you surround yourself with.
Get outside and go for a walk. I know this is something so simple but it makes a world of difference! This will help balance out your cortisol, and more! I hear the most from my friends and family that we are all deficient in Vitamin D. Yes, you should be supplementing where you are lacking in you food and lifestyle but this is something you can easily do. Incorporating movement outside that is light is a huge stress reliever and allows your brain to work better!
Get in the Word daily! I love a good devotional book and the Youversion app is phenomenal to get about a week or so of devotionals right on your phone. The only downside to this is it is on your phone and it is SO easy to get distracted with all the other apps on your phone instead of reading, journaling, and praying. Also, start listening to enriching podcasts, audiobooks, or read personal growth books. When I was on staff at churches that was part of the job, we had to do all of that for all areas of our life not just ministry.
I totally get where you may be right now! I was allowing so many things in my brain that was really killing my confidence, I was a consumer not a creator. I had been burnt out by the company I was a part of, mentally and physically so I hid. I hid from my friends, I hid from social media and hid from God, even though that is not possible, I tried. Girl I was a hermit and I watched a lot of TV and read a ton of romance books. But I was miserable.
Why did you wait so long?
God has been shaping me, molding me, allowing situations to happen in my life for the past 32 years in order to be a blessing for you here. This is only the beginning, and girl let me tell you, it has taken me over 7 years to write this. I was like you, truly, until 4 months ago, I had very little confidence in myself. I hated that I was fat, that I was at a stat at home mom who homeschooled and all I saw in the mirror was failure. I was like you, scrolling through instagram and facebook, just thinking man, I would love to do that, be like her, be fit like her, successful like her, and maybe even homeschool like her.
Then one day God woke me up, he showed me all the women, like you, who are hurting. I see you waking up to anxiety, pain, serious lack of self-confidence, imposter syndrome, and lack of purpose. You then with all of this stress take it out on your family, you want to scroll and just go numb as you escape into the abyss of instagram looking at all the pretty pictures of everyone’s life and you dream and compare. There is more for you! Satan wants you to live an abundant life, using your gifts to change lives and make His name known!
So let’s dive into this journey together! I am so excited, God provided a way to make this possible. Will you walk with me in this girl? Comment below with what your biggest struggle as a mom is, and please share this with those you know would love this!I was called to ministry in high school, I heard so clearly from the Lord that I was called to be in youth ministry. So there I was, I went to ACU and lead an amazing girl’s small group at a phenomenal church in Abilene along with leading a college girls small group. I interned for 3 summers at 2 different churches and all along, God was shaping me to be the person I am today. Through 2 more ministry experiences in church I knew that I was called to this, I was called to pour into women. I longed for this as I started seeing my gym members transform and light up as they worked out and changed not just their exercise, but their lifestyle.
Our health is like a pie, so many pieces that we need to give full attention not just one specific area. I see this way too often and it breaks my heart. That is why I am doing this, girl I have been where you are. Looking for a full cup and chasing after that one quick fix program, diet, devotional book, meditation. There is SO much you’re missing out on when you focus on one piece at a time. So this been a long time coming and you have been asking for this so let’s do this together! We will dive into the many areas we need to fill up in order to pour from a full cup. Are you in?
Proximity Matters When Seeking to Truly Level Up
Who you are surrounding yourself with?
This may be a really hard thing to swallow sister, but if you are trying to level up; in your lifestyle, business, walk with the Lord, marriage, or in motherhood and your friends are DRAGGING you down - you have to let them GO.
Girl, I know that feeling when you want to start a new business or seek God more and be less negative, yet all you hear is the opposite. Girl, I hear you when you are trying to heal your body or really take care of yourself and you hear “just eat it, it’s all in moderation” or “Oh, you’re on a diet, you can’t eat that?” You have to just remove yourself from that relationship.
I have had friends and people in my life that just didn’t have the same growth mindset that I was seeking and running after. I was putting in so many hours; on reading books, listening to podcasts, in meditation, and in prayer. Yet, these people in my life were not on the same path.
My advice… check out the books you are reading, start reading books written by authors who are truly living the life you are wanting. Listen to podcasts and read those books from leaders in that space you’re seeking to grow in. There is an ABUNDANCE of knowledge for free out there girl!
But listen up, you can’t just read. You can’t just listen. You have to IMPLEMENT those critical things you are learning or you will never change.
Last thing is to seek a mentor who is extremely successful in whatever area you are running in! Sit down and prepare for an hour, if you are meeting with someone. Let them school you, take notes, and listen to everything they are sharing with you. You soak it up and then you do what they did, if God is calling you to do that! He will place people in your life for a reason. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:4
Ken Coleman is on the Dave Ramsey team and has many books and runs his podcast The Ken Coleman Show.