But this week, I wanted to make them a little more fun.

So I mixed Greek yogurt with vanilla protein powder, stuffed it inside the dates, popped them in the freezer, and then topped them with melted dark chocolate + Maldon (obviously).

I wasn’t totally sure how they would turn out, but they ended up being sooo yum that I had to share the recipe!

They’re creamy and a little tart from the frozen yogurt, sweet and chewy from the date, with that thin layer of dark chocolate + flaky salt on top. Basically, the perfect little freezer treat.

Warning: these are dangerously addicting.

Why I Love Dates Nutritionally

Dates are obviously sweet (which is why they make such a good dessert), but unlike something sweetened with added sugar, they also come with fiber, minerals, and antioxidant plant compounds.

• Dates → natural carbs + fiber. Dates are naturally high in carbohydrates, making them a quick source of energy, but they’re also a good source of fiber. That fiber supports digestion and regular bowel movements (aka... they can help you poop)

• They’re especially rich in potassium + copper. Potassium is an important electrolyte involved in muscle contraction, nerve signaling, and fluid balance, while copper plays a role in energy production, iron metabolism, and connective tissue formation.

• They contain antioxidants. Dates provide several types of antioxidant plant compounds, including polyphenols, which help protect our cells from oxidative stress.

• They’re great pre-workout fuel. Because dates are rich in easily digestible carbohydrates, they’re one of my favorite little snacks when I want some quick energy before a workout. Carbs are our body’s preferred fuel source for higher-intensity exercise, and dates are an easy way to get them without eating something super heavy.

And then these have a little something extra...

• Greek yogurt + protein powder → protein + a steadier blood sugar response. Dates are mostly carbohydrates, so adding protein from the Greek yogurt and protein powder, plus some fat from the chocolate and coconut oil, helps slow down how quickly those carbs are digested and absorbed. That means a more gradual rise in blood sugar rather than a quick spike and drop, which can help with more sustained energy, better satiety, and avoiding that hungry-again-an-hour-later feeling.

• Dark chocolate → minerals + cocoa flavanols. Dark chocolate provides minerals like iron, magnesium, and copper, along with cocoa flavanols, plant compounds that have been studied for their antioxidant and cardiovascular benefits.

So yes, they’re still a sweet treat, but one that also gives you fiber, protein, minerals, antioxidants, and carbs for energy.

Soooo here's the recipe:

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I loveee soup in general, but I especially love it during seasons of life when I’m traveling a lot... aka right now.

I’ve been traveling sm recently (which I am very grateful for), but as much as I love it, traveling can also wear me out a bit. Between airplanes, being out of my normal routine, and eating most meals out, I usually come home feeling a little bleh, bloated, and very ready for some nutrient-dense home-cooked meals.

And the right soup can be perfect for that type of craving. Obviously, not every soup is automatically nutrient-dense just because it’s soup, but it’s one of the easiest meals to make that way.

It’s also great because you can freeze whatever I don’t eat and have an easy, home-cooked meal waiting for me the next time I get back from a trip.

I’m going to New York in a few weeks and don’t land back home until around 8:30 on a Sunday night. The absolute last thing I’m going to want to do is figure out dinner or think about going to the grocery store. But knowing I can pull this out of the freezer, heat up a bowl, and have dinner handled... exactly why I love meals like this.

Little sleep + digestion tip: When you can, try to give yourself around 2–3 hours between dinner and going to bed. Eating a large meal too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep and can be uncomfortable for digestion. Obviously, that isn’t always realistic (hello, 8:30 p.m. flight arrival), so on nights when I do have to eat late, I personally prefer something lighter and easier on my stomach. Soup is perfect for that.

Anyways... I saved a chicken and rice soup recipe on TikTok that looked so yum, so I used that as my starting point and then made a few changes to make it more my own (aka higher protein and better ingredients). I used chicken broth as the base, added shiitake mushrooms and celery for more veggies, skipped the chicken stock paste, and added fresh dill, thyme, and plenty of lemon at the end.

And it turned out so good. Still cozy and comforting like the original, just with a little more protein, a lot more veggies, and fresh lemon + herbs that make the whole thing feel lighter and brighter. This is def a recipe I’ll be adding to my rotation.

Why I Love This Nutritionally

This soup is a really easy way to build a balanced, nutrient-dense meal: plenty of protein, paired with a carb, and lots of vegetables, all in one bowl.

• Chicken → high-quality protein. Chicken is a lean, complete protein, meaning it provides all nine essential amino acids. Protein helps keep you satisfied, supports more stable blood sugar, and provides the amino acids your body needs for muscle repair and recovery.

• Bone broth → protein + minerals. Unlike regular chicken broth, bone broth contains more protein thanks to the collagen and gelatin released during the cooking process. It also provides electrolytes like sodium and small amounts of minerals. Between the chicken and bone broth, there’s protein coming from both the solids and the base of this soup.

• Eggs → even more protein + choline. The eggs aren’t just what give avgolemono its creamy texture. They add another source of complete protein, along with nutrients like vitamin B12, selenium, and choline, an essential nutrient that plays an important role in brain health, nervous system function, and cell structure. With eight eggs in the whole pot, they also give the soup a pretty substantial nutritional boost without needing any cream.

• Lots of veggies → fiber + micronutrients. This soup is packed with carrots, celery, onion, and shiitake mushrooms, making it such an easy way to get several different plants into one meal. Together, they add fiber along with a variety of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds.

• Garlic → more than just flavor. And there is a lot of garlic in this recipe. When garlic is chopped or crushed, it forms allicin, a sulfur-containing compound that has been studied for its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.

• Shiitake mushrooms → beta-glucans + micronutrients. Shiitakes are one of my favorite additions. They contain beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber, along with B vitamins and minerals like copper and selenium. Their beta-glucans and other compounds have also been studied for their roles in immune function.

• Lemon + herbs → vitamin C + plant compounds. Lemon adds vitamin C, while dill and thyme contribute a variety of antioxidant plant compounds. They also completely change the flavor of the soup and make the broth taste so much brighter and fresher.

• Rice → carbs for energy. I pair the soup with rice to round everything out with a source of carbohydrates, our body’s preferred source of energy. Protein + carbs + vegetables also make this a much more complete and satisfying meal.

A Few Notes Before You Make It

1. Bone broth > chicken broth

This is one swap I make every time I make soup, and I don’t think enough people realize how different the two are nutritionally.

Depending on the brand, a cup of bone broth can have around 8–10 grams of protein, while a cup of regular chicken broth or stock may only have around 1–3 grams. If you’re already using broth as the base of your soup, switching to bone broth is such an easy way to sneak in quite a bit more protein without changing the meal.

Pro tip: Flip the carton around and check the protein before you buy it. The amount varies a lot between brands.

Also, a little bone broth tip: if your bone broth turns almost Jell-O-like in the fridge, that’s actually a good thing. It’s a sign that the broth contains a good amount of gelatin, which forms when collagen from bones and connective tissue breaks down during the cooking process.

And this is exactly why I look for a bone broth that gels when it’s cold. More of that gelatinous texture generally means there’s a meaningful amount of gelatin in the broth. Gelatin is rich in amino acids like glycine and proline, which your body can use as building blocks to make its own proteins, including collagen.

Collagen is a major structural protein in the body. It helps make up your skin, joints, cartilage, bones, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue, and collagen-related amino acids are also present in tissues throughout the digestive tract. So while drinking bone broth isn’t magically going to “heal your gut” or fix your joints, choosing a gelatin-rich broth gives you a source of these amino acids that a standard chicken broth typically provides much less of.

So yes, the cold, gelatinous texture looks a little gross, but it’s actually something I want to see when I open a bone broth. And don’t worry, once you heat it up, it melts right back into liquid.

2. Cook your rice separately!!

This is actually something I didn’t do when I made it, and I wish I had.

If you’re planning on having leftovers, cook the rice separately and add it to each individual bowl when you serve the soup. If you cook and store the rice in the soup, it continues soaking up the broth while it sits in the fridge. By the next day, you have way less broth and veryyy soft rice.

Keeping them separate means better leftovers, and you can decide how much rice you want in each bowl.

3. Don’t stress about the shiitakes.

I love the shiitake mushrooms in this, both for the flavor and the nutritional benefits, but if your grocery store doesn’t have them, don’t let that stop you from making the soup. Swap in another mushroom you like, or just leave them out altogether. It’ll still be good.

4. Make it your own.

The vegetables in this recipe are definitely not rules. Add more of something you love, leave out something you don’t, or throw in whatever vegetables you already have sitting in your fridge. Spinach, kale, zucchini, peas, or really any other soup-friendly veggie would work.

That’s one of my favorite things about soup: you really don’t have to follow the vegetable list perfectly for it to turn out good.

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I make some version of chicken salad almost every week, and the reason I never get sick of it is that it’s so easy to switch up. I keep the same basic formula (shredded chicken + Greek yogurt) and change just a few ingredients depending on what I have/am in the mood for.

So, this week, I made a lemon dill chicken salad. It’s fresh, lemony, a little herby, and has a tiny bit of heat from the jalapeño. And even though I know summer is technically almost over, it’s still veryyy hot in Texas, so this is the perfect refreshing lunch.

And because it turned out too good not to share, here’s the recipe.

The Nutrition Breakdown

Beyond being easy to meal prep, this is a really great high-protein lunch that can fit into so many different nutrition goals, whether you’re focused on building muscle, supporting fat loss, keeping your blood sugar steady, or simply putting together more balanced, satisfying meals.

Here’s what you’re getting:

• Chicken breast → high-quality protein. Chicken is a lean, complete protein, meaning it provides all nine essential amino acids. Protein also helps with satiety, blood sugar stability, and muscle repair and recovery.

• Greek yogurt → even more protein + creaminess. I use Greek yogurt as the base instead of relying entirely on mayo. You still get that creamy chicken salad texture, but with an extra boost of protein.

• A mix of protein + fat → a lunch that actually keeps you satisfied. The chicken and Greek yogurt bring the protein, while a little mayo adds fat and makes the meal more satisfying. Together, they help make this a lunch that’s filling and satisfying without feeling too heavy.

• Lemon + dill → vitamin C + plant compounds. Lemon provides vitamin C, an antioxidant that also supports iron absorption, while dill contains a variety of antioxidant plant compounds. Plus, both bring so much fresh flavor to such a simple recipe.

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Well, research suggests at least 43% of what we do every day isn’t the result of a conscious decision at all1.

Let me explain…

Lately, I’ve found myself putting so much weight on the big choices…Where I choose to live. What job I take. What I decide to pursue.

Especially in this season of life I’m in right now.

I think we tend to do that. We imagine that the life we want will come from one big decision.

Or, on the other hand, sometimes we expect the life we want to…happen.

We picture the person we want to be and the life we want to live without thinking much about all the ordinary days it will take to get there.

But the life we want doesn’t come from one big decision. And it definitely doesn’t just happen.

Our lives are actually built much more quietly…in the things we don’t choose.

Because nothing big happens without the compounding effect of the tiny.

Here’s the thing: MUCH of what you do every day isn’t the result of a conscious choice at all.

You don’t consciously decide the exact order of your morning routine…you just wash your face, and then brush your teeth, and then make your coffee, and then feed your dog, and then…

You just…do it.

And the same thing happens with any behaviors and any routine.

It’s why you can choose a new workout plan, but never actually stick to it.

Why you can choose to eat healthier, but find yourself back in your old routine a week later.

Why you can have every intention of walking more, scrolling less, drinking more water, going to bed earlier, reading your Bible in the morning, cooking dinner at home…and still struggle to actually do those things consistently.

Because wanting to do something and actually doing it are two very different things.

Behavioral science tells us that much of what we do every day happens automatically. We respond to familiar cues. We repeat familiar behaviors. We fall back into familiar routines, often without consciously deciding to do any of it.

And those tiny, automatic behaviors might seem insignificant on any given Tuesday.

But repeated over weeks, months, and years?

They quietly become your life.

Which brings me back to those three words:

It’s a choice.

Even though you may not consciously choose every behavior today, you can have a say in what eventually becomes automatic.

And that’s the choice that matters.

Not waking up every morning and somehow finding enough motivation to make all the “right” choices again. That's exhausting.

Motivation is unreliable; systems decide what you repeat.

But making a choice. Repeating it. Making it easier to repeat. And doing it enough times that eventually, it requires a little less thought, a little less effort, and a little less choosing.

The goal isn’t to spend your life making better choices. It’s to intentionally build habits so that, eventually, the better choice barely feels like a choice at all.

And that’s what I want to talk about today: how the choices we consciously make become the behaviors we eventually do without thinking, and how those quiet, automatic behaviors can slowly build the life we wanted in the first place.

And when I say “choices,” I don’t necessarily mean the big ones.

I mean getting out of bed when your alarm goes off. Going on the walk. What you eat for breakfast. Calling your mom. Putting your phone down. Staying up for another episode. Opening your Bible. The way you speak to yourself. Who you spend your time with.

The incredibly ordinary things that don’t feel very important in the moment, but become incredibly important when repeated.

Two years ago, I took a class called The Science of Habits. By far, it was the most interesting class I took in all 16 years of school.

I hadn’t opened my notes since I turned in my final project. But after that cycling class yesterday, I couldn’t stop thinking about those three words.

It’s a choice.

So this morning, I pulled my notes back out.

habit (noun)
a behavior repeated often enough that it becomes automatic.

So much of the way you move through your day isn’t the result of a decision you made today. It’s the result of a decision you made weeks, months, or even years ago, then made again and again until it became something you no longer had to decide.

And research actually has a number for that vague “so much.”

Research says that around 43% of our everyday behaviors are performed habitually.

So…nearly half of what you do is habitual/performed on autopilot

Think about your own morning.

Maybe you make your bed as soon as you get up. Put your workout clothes on because you laid them out the day before. Take your supplements after brushing your teeth. Make a protein-filled breakfast without really thinking about it… and go on a walk after. Fill up your water bottle before you leave the house…etc.

You probably didn’t wake up this morning and carefully decide to do most of those things. You just did them.

And maybe that doesn’t seem very remarkable now. But think back to when one of those things wasn’t normal for you.

Maybe you used to skip breakfast every morning, and now you can’t imagine starting your day without it. Maybe there was a time when remembering to take your supplements required three alarms, and now you take them without thinking twice.

At some point, each of those things was new. Then you did it again. And again. Until eventually, your brain learned the pattern.

What once required thought began to happen without a second thought.

The choice became the default.

And now that default is a habit.

The purpose of habits:

Habits give us cognitive efficiency. They create automatic solutions to things we encounter again and again, saving us from having to consciously deliberate over every tiny behavior throughout the day.

We only have so much conscious attention. As a behavior becomes habitual, it requires less thought, freeing up our attention for the things that actually need it. In Atomic Habits, James Clear describes this as the conscious mind essentially handing repeated tasks over to our nonconscious processes.

Imagine if every tiny act of taking care of yourself required a pep talk.

To eat breakfast every morning. To refill your water bottle when it’s empty. To go outside after you’ve been sitting all day. To put something colorful on your dinner plate.

You’d be exhausted.

You don’t want to have to make the “right” choice every single time. You want some of those choices to eventually become things you simply do.

That’s the beauty of a habit. Something that once required a choice can eventually require almost no choosing at all.

So our brains learn. They repeat. They automate.

And that is an incredible thing. Except for one tiny problem: Your brain doesn’t only automate the behaviors that are good for you.

Alarm goes off → hit snooze.

Wake up → reach for your phone.

Running late → skip breakfast.

Finish dinner → look for something sweet.

You probably never consciously decided, I want this to become one of my habits.

But you repeated the behavior. Your brain learned the pattern. And eventually, what started as something you did became something you do almost without thinking.

Good or bad, your brain learns what you repeatedly teach it.

And once that pattern is established, overriding it takes awareness, motivation, and effort. Which means when we’re tired, stressed, distracted, or simply don’t feel like trying very hard, we’re much more likely to fall back on what’s already familiar.

So, when motivation isn’t there, what will you fall back on?

Will you fall back on skipping breakfast because you’re running late, or is eating something in the morning simply what you do?

Will you collapse on the couch after a long day, or will going for a walk feel like the natural next part of your evening?

Will you automatically open Instagram when you have five free minutes, or have you practiced another default for those little pockets of time?

Will you reach for your phone the second you open your eyes, or reach for your Bible because that’s the pattern you’ve repeated morning after morning?

When motivation disappears, we fall back on what’s familiar.

And what’s familiar is built through repetition.

And that’s where choice comes back into the picture.

Why what we choose to repeat matters so much:

Those three words mean something a little different now.

When my instructor said them in the middle of that sprint, she was asking us to choose in the moment. My legs were tired. I wanted to slow down. And for the next thirty seconds, motivation was enough to make me push.

But we can’t move through our entire lives like we’re thirty seconds from the end of a cycling sprint.

We can’t rely on motivation to make every good choice for us.

That’s why habits are so powerful. Once established, they require far less conscious effort than making the same decision from scratch every day.

And I think this is where a lot of our attempts to “get healthy” go wrong.

We decide we’re going to change everything.

New workout routine. New morning routine. New diet. Earlier bedtime. More water. Less screen time. 10,000+ steps. Meal prep on Sundays.

And then life happens.

There’s actually a term in behavioral science for the space between everything we intend to do and what we actually do: the intention-behavior gap.

I want to move my body more. I want to spend less time on my phone. I want to meal prep. I want to be more present. I want to gain muscle. I want to lose weight. I want to be healthier.

We can genuinely want all of those things. We can have every intention of doing them.

But wanting a certain life isn’t the same thing as building it.

And building a healthier life isn’t about changing everything tomorrow.

It’s about closing that gap, one habit at a time.

So start with one.

Choose something small enough to repeat.

Maybe it’s eating breakfast every morning. Maybe it’s taking a ten-minute walk after lunch. Maybe it’s leaving your phone outside your bedroom at night. Maybe it’s spending five minutes with God before your day begins.

Choose it.

Repeat it.

Let your brain learn the pattern.

And keep repeating it long enough for something that once required thought to start becoming something you simply do.

Give it time. Be patient.

One study we learned about in class followed people as they formed new habits and found a huge range in how long it took a behavior to become highly automatic: 18 to 254 days, with 66 days as the average.

So if you’ve been doing something for two weeks and wondering why it still feels like a choice, of course it does.

That’s okay.

Keep choosing it.

Let the choice become familiar.

Let familiar become easier.

Let easier become normal.

Let normal become a habit.

Because tiny changes don’t stay tiny when you repeat them.

James Clear illustrates this in Atomic Habits with the idea of getting just 1% better each day. One percent is almost invisible in the moment. But mathematically, if something improves by 1% each day for a year, the compounding effect leaves it roughly 37 times greater than where it started.

Of course, human behavior doesn’t compound as neatly as a math equation. But that’s the point of the illustration:

Tiny things, repeated consistently, can become very big things.

A ten-minute walk doesn’t change your life.

One nourishing breakfast doesn’t change your life.

Putting your phone away one night doesn’t change your life.

Spending five minutes with God one morning doesn’t change your life.

But then you do it again.

And again.

And again.

Until something tiny has quietly become part of the way you live.

Because who you become isn’t built in one day.

You don’t become someone who takes care of her body in one day. You choose to take care of it today.

You don’t build a strong relationship with God overnight. You choose to spend time with Him today.

You don’t suddenly become a good friend, daughter, sister, or partner. You choose to show up for those people today.

And then you do it again.

Maybe that’s the part we miss when we think about the person we want to become. We picture the finished version without thinking about all the incredibly ordinary days it will take to become her.

Because “being healthy” isn’t one behavior. Neither is being present. Or faithful. Or loving. Or disciplined.

A life is made up of dozens of tiny things we do again and again.

And you don’t have to build all of them at once.

Build one.

And then another.

And another.

Little by little, you’re building a life where taking care of yourself doesn’t require you to wake up every morning and convince yourself to be “healthy” all over again.

I don’t want taking care of myself to feel like a full-time job. I want it to become woven into the way I live. And that’s how a healthy life becomes sustainable.

Not through one enormous overhaul.

Not through endless motivation.

Not through making the perfect choice every single time.

But through one tiny choice.

Then another.

Then another.

Until the choices become habits.

And the habits become the way you live.

And that is where the real power of “it’s a choice” lies.

Because while our habits may be automatic, we have a say in what we repeatedly teach our brains to automate.

We get to choose what we practice.

What we repeat.

What we make easier.

What we allow to become familiar.

And, eventually, what becomes our default.

Give careful thought to your path.

There is a verse in Proverbs that kept coming to mind while I was writing this:

“Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.”

Proverbs 4:26

I keep coming back to the word path.

Because a path isn’t made in one giant step.

It’s made one step at a time.

Maybe the big decisions choose the path. But the little choices are how we walk it.

And a life is built the same way.

One tiny choice.

Then another.

Then another.

Until one day, you look around and realize you’re no longer just choosing the life you wanted.

You’re living it.

So maybe the question isn’t, What kind of life do I want?

Maybe it’s: What choices would that life require of me today?

And then we choose them.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Until one day, they don’t feel so much like choices anymore.

They’re simply the way we live.

It’s a choice.

What a gift it is that we get to choose.

xx,
Mary Frances

p.s. I think this one needs a part two. We talked a lot about why our tiny habits matter, but not nearly enough about how to actually build them. So next up: quiet habits. The tiny, 1%-better changes that make taking care of yourself feel a little more automatic, and a lot less like something you have to convince yourself to do every day :)

p.p.s. Alsoooo, I think Atomic Habits is one of those books everyone should read at least once, no matter your age. If you haven’t read it yet, consider this your sign. :)

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” — Psalm 139:13–14

The best word to describe how I have been feeling lately is awe.

I am in awe of how incredibly intricate our bodies are.

I am in awe of how purposeful and intentional every single cell, enzyme, hormone, and system seems to be - each with its own job, yet somehow working together with everything else.

Thousands of incredibly complex processes are happening while you’re reading this, even if you’re just sitting on your bed under a Lola Blanket. Your heart’s electrical system is coordinating each heartbeat. Your lungs are exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. Your nervous system is sending signals between your brain and body. Your pancreas is responding to the iced coffee you just drank. Nutrients from breakfast are being absorbed, transported, stored, or put to use. Your liver is regulating what stays in your bloodstream, your kidneys are deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, and your cells are making ATP to power it all. ETC

He thought of everything when creating us… down to the smallest processes that most of us will live our entire lives without even knowing are happening. The more I learn about the human body, the more in awe I am of how God created us.

Our bodies are so incredibly intricate.

Everything is connected.

Everything has a purpose.

& the deeper I get into studying the human body, the more I find myself thinking about how beautifully and wonderfully made we are.

The more I learn, the more I realize how little I knew about the body I’ve lived in my entire life

And just simply learning has led me to appreciate my body in an entirely new way.

So, for this week’s Wednesday post, - now that I’m halfway through my CPT course - I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned that have struck me with awe.

Things most of us could go our entire lives without ever knowing or stopping to think about. Little details that have stopped me in my tracks. Facts that have shifted the way I think about movement, exercise, and health, and more than anything, made me look at the body God gave me with a little more wonder and a lot more gratitude.

And I think we could all use a little more of that :)

1. You would not survive if you had to consciously control everything your brain does for you.

Right now, your brain is helping regulate your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, hunger, thirst, balance, sleep-wake cycle, ETC., while simultaneously processing everything you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.

Imagine having to remember to breathe while also telling your heart how fast to beat, adjusting your blood pressure every time you stand up, and keeping your body temperature around 98.6°F.

You couldn’t. And thankfully, you don’t have to.

So much of what keeps you alive is handled automatically, quietly, in the background. So that you can have friendships, go to work, learn new things, exercise, cook dinner, drive a car, have conversations, make plans for the weekend, and spend your brainpower thinking about literally anything other than keeping yourself alive.

And on a similar note…

2. Your heart never takes a break.

You might be thinking, duh…But just take a second to think about that.

At rest: it pumps around 5 liters of blood every minute (roughly your entire blood volume).

During intense exercise: that can jump to around 20–25 liters per minute.

In a single day: roughly 7,000–7,500 liters of blood. (that’s enough to fill about 40 bathtubs for reference)

Over a lifetime: around 2.5 billion heartbeats.

& it started beating before you were even born!

What makes this even crazier to me is that your heart is only about the size of your fist and weighs around 10 ounces. Something that small is capable of doing all of that, nonstop, without us ever having to tell it to.

When I see those numbers written out, I am just simply in so much awe.

3. One of the best ways to help counter the cognitive decline associated with aging is to stay physically fit

Neurotransmitter levels (e.g., dopamine and serotonin) decline about 10% after early adulthood

The physical weight of the brain declines 5% per decade after age 40 years

Just another reason to think about exercise as something we do for our future selves - not just for how our bodies look today.

4. The surface area inside your lungs is roughly the size of a tennis court.

Inside your lungs are around 300–500 million alveoli, teeny tiny air sacs that allow the oxygen you breathe in to cross into your bloodstream, where it can be carried to your cells and used to help make energy. At the same time, carbon dioxide moves from your blood into those same tiny sacs so you can breathe it back out.

And although each alveolus is microscopic, there are so many of them that if you could open them all up and lay them flat next to each other, they would cover roughly the area of a tennis court.

5. There’s a reason you get so hot when you exercise.

Your muscles are surprisingly inefficient at turning energy into movement. During exercise, only about 20–25% of the energy your muscles use actually becomes mechanical work. Most of the rest ultimately becomes heat.

During intense exercise, that is a lot of heat for your body to get rid of. So blood flow to your skin increases, and you start to sweat. As that sweat evaporates, it carries heat away from your body, helping prevent your core temperature from climbing to dangerous levels.

So, your sweat is part of your body’s built-in cooling system.

6. A stronger, more efficient heart beats less often at rest, not more often.

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Not because there’s any shortage of recipes out there - but because finding a recipe is really only one piece of the puzzle. There’s a lot of planning that happens between saving a recipe on Instagram and actually having a week of good meals in front of you.

What sounds good for breakfast? What are you going to pack for lunch? Will it still be good three days later? What can you prep once and use a few different ways so you don’t get bored? How can you use the same ingredients across different meals so you’re not buying your entire grocery store — or throwing half of it away at the end of the week? And how do you do all of that for around $100?

That’s one side of it.

The other is making sure all of those meals actually add up to a well-nourished week.

Because a recipe can be healthy on its own, but that doesn’t necessarily tell you much about the bigger picture of what you’re eating.

When I plan these, I’m thinking about the nutrition behind not only each meal but also the entire week.

Are we getting enough protein + fiber? Are we eating a good variety of plants and different sources of fiber for the gut? Where are our healthy fats coming from? Are we getting enough carbohydrates to stay fueled? What vitamins and minerals are showing up across our meals? Are we including foods that support things like digestion, energy, recovery, and hormone health?

And then I’m looking for the small opportunities to make those meals even more nutritious without making them any more complicated.

Maybe that means cooking the rice in bone broth instead of water. Choosing x instead of y veggie in a bowl for another source of protein, fiber, and micronutrients. Adding chia + flax to your overnight oats. Choosing a few different vegetables throughout the week instead of relying on the same one every day.

It’s less about making every individual meal “perfect” and more about making sure that, across the week, we’re giving our bodies everything they need.

And that’s what I want to take off your plate with this post.

I don’t just want to answer, “What should I eat this week?”

I want to answer, “What should I eat this week — and how do I make sure I’m actually nourishing my body while I’m at it?”

So, that’s exactly what I did for you.

Below is everything I meal prepped this week: the recipes, what I prepped ahead, how I’m using the same ingredients in different ways, and the nutrition behind my choices.

I did the planning and the nutrition thinking.

You just get to make it :)

On the menu this week:

Breakfast: Overnight oats & egg bites
Lunch: Green goddess chicken salad
Snack: High-protein banana chocolate chip muffins
Dinner: Salmon + bone broth rice bowls, healthier Goodles & my no-recipe chicken thigh dinner

Nothing particularly fancy or complicated - just meals I’ve been making, loving, and actually look forward to eating.

Also, here are some links for things in these recipes:

• Ballerina Farm Maple Cinnamon Protein Powder

• Overnight Oat Jars

• Caraway nonstick muffin pan (non-toxic!)

• The perf non-toxic meal prep containers!

And one more thing before we get into it: this is meant to be flexible.

I’m not giving you a Monday-through-Friday meal plan where you have to eat this for breakfast, this for lunch, and this for dinner. That’s not really how I eat, and I don’t think that’s how most of us realistically want to eat either.

Some days you’ll want the meal you planned, and some days you absolutely will not lol. Plans come up, cravings change, you go out to dinner, or Thursday rolls around, and the lunch you were sooo excited about on Sunday suddenly sounds terrible.

The goal is to give you a really good foundation for the week - a few things already made, a few ingredients

ready to go, and enough options that eating well feels easier without your entire week of food being decided for you.

Make the salmon bowl on Monday or Thursday. Or skip the salmon altogether and make the chicken thighs instead. Make five overnight oats on Sunday if you know you’ll eat them every morning, or make one and see what you feel like the next day. Have them for breakfast, lunch, or whenever they sound good. Use green beans in your bowl because that’s what I used, or swap them for the broccoli sitting in your fridge. Make the bone broth rice on Sunday and turn it into my salmon bowl one night or serve it alongside the chicken thighs another. Go out to dinner Wednesday night and pick right back up Thursday.

You can follow this entire plan, take one recipe from it, switch things around, or just steal the parts that make your week easier.

Eating well doesn’t mean following a meal plan perfectly. It just requires having good options ready when you need them.

Now let’s get into it!!

Why I love this breakfast

Let’s talk about fiber for a second.

With all of the protein craze right now, I think most of us know how important it is to get enough protein - but fiber doesn’t get nearly as much attention. And it should!

The large majority of women in the U.S. aren’t meeting the recommended intake for fiber. For women ages 19–50, the recommended intake is about 25 grams of fiber per day, and this breakfast has around 13 grams - meaning you’re getting over half of your daily fiber just from breakfast!!!

Fiber does sooo much more than just “keep you regular.” It supports a healthy gut microbiome by feeding beneficial gut bacteria, helps support more stable blood sugar, keeps you fuller for longer, supports healthy digestion, and plays an important role in cardiovascular and metabolic health.

I also love that the fiber is coming from a variety of whole-food sources - oats, chia seeds, flaxseed, and berries - because different plant foods provide different types of fiber. That variety is especially great for your gut microbiome, since different types of beneficial gut bacteria thrive on different fibers.

And beyond the fiber, let’s talk about carbs.

Pleaseee don’t be afraid of carbs! Carbohydrates are our body’s preferred source of energy, and they’re especially important if you’re active. They help replenish muscle glycogen after exercise, fuel your workouts, and provide glucose for your brain and nervous system. For women, eating enough carbohydrates is also part of providing the body with adequate overall energy to support normal physiological functions, including reproductive health. The oats and berries here give you a really high-quality source of complex, fiber-rich carbs first thing in the morning.

And of course, we have to talk about protein.

This breakfast has 30+ grams of protein, which is something I really prioritize in the morning. Overnight, your body is still repairing and rebuilding tissue, and those processes rely on amino acids - the building blocks of protein. After a 10+ hour overnight fast, breakfast is your first chance to provide another substantial source of dietary protein.

Getting enough protein supports muscle repair, recovery, and maintenance, and it also makes a huge difference in satiety. Combined with the fiber, complex carbs, and healthy fats in these oats, it’s one of the reasons this breakfast keeps me full for literally hours.

Something I’ve noticed in my own life...

I’ve always been someone who can get really snacky at night, and for the longest time I thought that was just when my cravings were the strongest. But once I started paying attention, I noticed a pretty consistent pattern: on the days I skipped breakfast or didn’t eat enough earlier in the day, I was sooo much more likely to overeat at night.

It makes sense when you think about it. If you consistently under-fuel your body throughout the day, eventually it’s going to ask you for that energy. What can feel like a lack of “willpower” at 9 p.m. may actually just be your body responding to not getting enough food at 9 a.m., 12 p.m., or 3 p.m.

That realization really changed the way I think about breakfast. Instead of seeing it as an opportunity to eat as little as possible, I want my first meal to actually fuel me. A substantial breakfast with protein, carbs, fiber, and healthy fats helps me feel more satisfied throughout the day - and, personally, has made a huge difference in that urge to eat everything in sight at night.

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Table of Contents

(Because this one’s a little longer.)

Available to All

A. Introduction

B. What Even Is Creatine?

C. How Does Your Body Use Creatine? (The Science, Made Simple)

D. So, do you need to be taking Creatine?

E. Is Creatine Safe?

F. What the Research Actually Says:

G. Emerging Research:

H. The Biggest Creatine Myths

For Paid Subscribers

I. My personal experience with Creatine

J. How to take it (Dosage, Timing & Avoiding Bloating…)

K. What 6 professionals told me about Creatine

L. Reader Q&A: Answering Your Specific Questions (gummies, weight gain, bloating…)

M. A few further resources: Podcasts I recommend

N. My final thoughts

O. References

A quick note: I wanted the science - what creatine is, how it works, and what the evidence actually says - to be available to everyone. The paid section is where I dive into the practical side: exactly how I take it, what I've learned from conversations with experts, and answers to the questions you've all been sending me. That's just how I’ve set up/structured all of my paid articles on Substack: the information is free, and the implementation is for subscribers.

The beginning of a Pilates class is always a bit of a multitasking game for me. I’m internally stressing about whether the music is actually connected to the Sonos speakers (which never seem to work), welcoming everyone, making sure my girls have the equipment they need, clipping on my mic, answering last-minute questions... the list could go on and on. But somehow, in the middle of all that, I’m also eavesdropping (It’s genetic; I got that habit from my mom lol). I just think it’s interesting to hear what people are talking about; and over the past six-ish months, I started hearing one interesting conversation more and more often.

“I think I’m going to order those Tone gummies.”

“What are those?”

“You know... the creatine gummies. You’ve seen the ads.”

Or...

“I think I’m going to try creatine.”

“I want to try it too, but I heard it makes you bloated and gain weight.”

“Oh... then maybe I won’t.”

My outer glutes are still burning from block-and-band day (iykyk), so I’m sitting on the couch by the front door while everyone heads out of the studio. It’s after my second (and last) class of the day, and honestly, it’s one of my favorite parts of teaching. I love when girls stay and chat for a few minutes before leaving. Usually we’re talking about weekend plans, an upcoming date night, class programming for next week, or a new activewear brand. Lately, though, the conversation always ends up on the topic of creatine.

A little later, I walk to my car. It’s been four hours since I’ve looked at my phone, so I open Instagram... creatine ad. Then TikTok... a video about how creatine gives women a more “toned” look. Then a Snapchat from a friend asking what I think about creatine. Then another from my mom asking if it really helps with menopause.

Ok... my ninth-grade English teacher deserves a little credit here.

She always said to add a bit of drama... so, no, I did not get that many questions in one day, although sometimes it felt like it. And she always said the best way to hook a reader is to put them in the scene first. So... are you hooked?

Good. Now let’s talk about creatine.

Creatine quickly became one of the questions I was asked most often while teaching Pilates, and it’s still one of the topics people ask me about now as I’m studying to become a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach.

I understand why everyone is so curious about it. It’s literally everywhere - Instagram ads, 1/5 TikTok videos, supplement brands, workout classes, in your best friend’s supplement stack… It's just such a hot topic of conversation right now.

And, honestly, for good reason. Creatine truly is one of the most researched supplements we have. But somewhere along the way, the conversation around creatine has become much bigger than the evidence.

Brain fog. Depression. Menopause. Fertility. Fat loss. Longevity. Toning.

Some of those claims are supported by solid research.

Others are based on promising early studies that are far from conclusive.

Some are simply incorrect.

And many are fueled by marketing that’s much more confident than the science itself.

So let’s comb through the noise:)

We’ll cover what creatine actually is, how it works, what the research supports (and what it doesn’t), how to take it safely and effectively, whether it’s worth taking, the side effects, the brands that are and aren’t worth your money, and yes... we’ll have an entire section on bloating dw!

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Before we get into the science, though, I want to recommend an article that I restacked last week. I’ll link it below. It’s worth reading before you dive into the rest of my post. Not because it explains what creatine is, but because it explains why we’re all talking about it in the first place.

The more I study health, the more I realize that understanding wellness requires more than understanding physiology. It also means understanding the culture surrounding it: how history, psychology, marketing, and social influence shape the advice we trust and the trends we embrace.

Creatine is a perfect example of that. For years, it was a supplement most people associated with bodybuilders and getting “big and strong.” Today, it’s one of the biggest conversations in women’s wellness. It’s advertised everywhere, discussed in almost every workout class I go to, and it’s become one of the questions I get asked most often.

That shift didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen by accident. Every wellness trend has a story long before it becomes a recommendation. Understanding that story won’t tell you whether creatine works, but it will help you become a more thoughtful consumer when the next “must-have” supplement inevitably comes along.

So before we dive into the research, I highly recommend giving that article a read. Then come back here, and we’ll break down what creatine actually is, what we know from the research, and whether it’s something you should consider taking.

A quick note: All of the sources I used for this article will be listed at the bottom. I feel like I sound like I’m back in high school writing a research paper…ig my teachers really nailed the importance of reliable and valid research in my head haha. But, in all seriousness, I really wanted this post to be based on the highest-quality, most up-to-date evidence I could find. If you’re going to put something in your body every day, it’s worth knowing what the research actually says.

One more note: I’m not a doctor. I’m just a girl;)

Now let’s get into it🤸

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound in your body. Its main job is to help your body rapidly produce energy (ATP). 95% of creatine is stored in your skeletal muscle; the rest is distributed to your heart, brain, and other tissues that require constant energy - including your eyes, kidneys, and even your gut lining.

A little bit about the biological mechanisms of Creatine:

Fun fact: even if you’ve never taken a creatine supplement, you actually already have creatine inside of you.

Your body naturally produces creatine in the liver and kidneys (with a small amount made in the pancreas). To do this, it combines three amino acids - arginine, glycine, and methionine- which you get from protein-rich foods (very high red meat and fish). According to the Mayo Clinic’s research, if you are consuming enough protein, you are likely getting 1-2 grams of creatine per day through your diet.

The amount of creatine your body naturally makes (plus what you get from food) is enough to maintain your normal creatine stores. And, tbh, for most people and for most people’s goals, that’s perfectly adequate.

During short, intense exercise (think sprinting, jumping, or lifting a really heavy weight), your body uses an energy system called the Phosphagen System; this system relies on phosphocreatine to supply ATP for the immediate energy you need during that intense exercise.

(Note: ATP = adenosine triphosphate. It is the main energy currency of all living cells, acting like a tiny rechargeable battery that powers the work inside your body).

The problem is that the Phosphagen System’s reserve of phosphocreatine runs out incredibly quickly. In fact, your muscles can burn through their available ATP in just a few seconds. This is why, after sprinting for just 10 seconds, you feel really, really tired…it’s because all the ATP in your muscle has been used up (note: when this happens, your body switches over to another less immediate energy system; you don’t completely run out of energy). Anyways, once ATP is used, it becomes ADP, and without a way to quickly convert it back into ATP, your muscles begin to fatigue.

Phosphocreatine (this is what stored creatine is called because it has a phosphate attached to it) donates a phosphate group to ADP, converting it back into ATP. So you have more energy to spring, jump, or lift that heavy weight!!!

So that’s where supplementation comes in. Creatine supplementation simply increases the amount of creatine available in your muscles, basically giving your body a larger reserve of ATP to use during high-intensity exercise.

If that sounds complicated, think of it like charging your phone. ATP is like your phone battery. After you’ve been using it, the battery starts to die. Phosphocreatine acts like a portable charger. It quickly recharges ATP so your muscles can continue producing force during short, high-intensity exercise.

For my fellow visual learners…it looks something like this:

So when you supplement with creatine, you’re increasing the amount of phosphocreatine stored in your muscles. That gives your body a larger reserve for rapidly regenerating ATP, allowing you to maintain power output a little longer before fatigue sets in.

So, do you need to be taking Creatine?

Social Media, Wellness Culture, Advertisments, etc, will make you feel like you need to be taking creatine. But the answer is no, you don’t need to take creatine. It really just depends on your goals.

In my opinion, there are very few things everyone needs to do. If you haven’t read last week’s article…pleaseeee do!!!!

Before you spend money on creatine, I’d focus on the basics: eating a diet that’s mostly made up of whole foods, consuming enough protein (around 0.7–1 gram per pound of body weight), staying hydrated, strength training regularly, and simply moving your body throughout the day. Those habits will have a much bigger impact on your health than any supplement ever will. So no…I don’t think creatine is something everyone needs to take.

Supplements should supplement a healthy lifestyle! Not replace one!!!!

However, if you’ve already built those foundational habits and you’re looking to improve your performance in the gym, build strength or muscle, support your recovery, or potentially experience some of the cognitive benefits that emerging research is exploring, creatine is absolutely a supplement worth considering.

Is Creatine Safe?

Yes, Creatine is safe.

Creatine has been studied for over 3 decades and has a strong safety record as a dietary supplement. A comprehensive 2025 review found no significant difference in side effect rates between creatine and placebo groups. Furthermore, large clinical trials in women have found no evidence of kidney damage, hormonal disruption, or other serious adverse effects in healthy individuals.

Because dietary supplements are not tightly regulated like prescription drugs are, medical experts recommend buying plain creatine monohydrate with third-party testing certifications (such as NSF International) to ensure purity. Here is the Creatine I would recommend!!

Like any supplement, though, "safe" doesn't mean everyone needs it. Safety and necessity aren't the same thing.

What research actually says about Creatine:

Please Note: Almost all of the research on creatine and muscle is in the context of creatine combined with resistance training. Creatine alone - without strength training - has very little effect on muscle in women. If you're taking creatine hoping it will change your body composition without changing your training, the research doesn't support that. This is a supplement to take with strength training.

Where the evidence is actually strongest: older women

The most compelling muscle and strength research on women is in postmenopausal women, and I think understanding why actually matters for all of us.

Women begin losing muscle mass gradually from around age 30 - roughly 3-5% per decade. After menopause, when estrogen levels drop (and estrogen has real anabolic, or muscle-building, properties), that rate of loss can accelerate significantly. This makes the stakes of muscle preservation much higher in midlife and beyond.

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis focused specifically on postmenopausal women found that creatine at doses of ≥5 grams per day combined with resistance training produced small but statistically significant gains in lean mass and leg-press strength compared to placebo.

When I say “small,” I want to emphasize this…in research terms, small doesn’t mean meaningless. It means measurable and real - but not dramatic. We’re not talking about the kind of changes you’d see from a well-designed and consistent strength training program. Think of it as a meaningful edge, not a transformation. And importantly, the studies using doses below 5 grams per day did not show the same effect.

The dose matters.

The honest picture for younger women:

Here’s where I want to be really transparent with you, because I think this is where a lot of wellness content is misleading and/or false.

The muscle and strength research is less compelling for premenopausal women. One meta-analysis found that men under 50 experienced significant strength gains from creatine combined with resistance training, while women in the same age group did not show the same effect. That’s a meaningful finding - and it’s largely absent from the TikTok conversation about creatine.

That said: I don’t think this means younger women shouldn’t consider it. The safety profile is excellent across all ages, and there are specific contexts where it may be worth thinking about - particularly for women doing high-intensity training, those in a caloric deficit trying to preserve lean mass, or competitive athletes.

The fact that the research isn’t strong may just mean that there isn’t enough research on younger women and creatine; it doesn’t discount that 20-year-old Sally feels like creatine has really helped with her brain fog and energy! I take it, and I genuinely feel like it gives me more energy during workouts. But I want to be honest with you: for the average younger woman hoping to see better results in the gym, the current evidence doesn’t strongly support that expectation.

Interesting Emerging Research on Creatine:

Creatine's effects on our menstrual cycle: A 2023 randomized, double-blind crossover study of 39 active women looked at creatine loading across different menstrual phases. They found that creatine didn’t affect recovery at rest, but it did show a meaningful improvement in fatigue index specifically during the luteal phase (2nd half of the cycle when many women experience reduced performance, heavier fatigue, and slower recovery). The creatine group saw a -5.8% fatigue index improvement during that phase vs. essentially no change in the placebo group. (I do feel like I have noticed feeling less tired during my luteal phase)

Creatine and depression: This area of research is promising and interesting; however, there is not super strong evidence to support this claim right now. One study in women with major depressive disorder found that taking 5 g of creatine alongside an antidepressant (escitalopram) doubled the remission rate compared to the antidepressant alone. That’s a really interesting finding. However, when researchers combined all of the available clinical trials in a 2024 review, the overall evidence was still limited and inconsistent. While the results are promising, there isn’t enough high-quality research yet to confidently recommend creatine as a treatment for depression. This is an exciting area of research, but it’s still too early to draw strong conclusions.

Creatine’s effects on brain fog during menopause: Early research suggests creatine may help support cognitive function during menopause. In two small studies published in 2025, menopausal women taking creatine experienced improvements in measures like reaction time, mental focus, brain energy, and mood. While these findings are encouraging, the studies were small and only lasted about 8 weeks. More high-quality research is needed before we can confidently recommend creatine specifically for brain fog or cognitive symptoms during menopause.

I hope there are more studies about creatine and younger women coming out soon!!!! I am hopeful that there will be because there are so many young women taking it right now!!!!

Myths about Creatine:

Creatine causes dehydration and muscle cramps: this is not supported by controlled studies. Some evidence actually suggests the opposite: creatine may help with fluid regulation and thermoregulation during exercise.

Creatine increases bone density: Current research does not support this claim. However, creatine may have an indirect benefit on bone health by helping people train harder, gain strength, and build muscle - all of which can increase the mechanical loading that helps maintain or improve bone density.

Creatine damages your kidneys: In healthy individuals taking recommended doses, research has not shown creatine to damage kidney function. People with pre-existing kidney disease should speak with their healthcare provider before taking it.

Creatine causes hair loss: There is currently no convincing evidence that creatine causes hair loss.

Creatine makes you gain fat: Creatine does not increase body fat. Some people gain a small amount of weight initially because creatine draws more water into muscle cells.

You have to "load" creatine: Loading (around 20 g/day for 5–7 days) saturates your muscles faster, but it's not necessary. Taking 3–5 g daily will get you to the same place- it just takes a bit longer.

You need to cycle on and off creatine: There's no evidence that healthy people need to cycle creatine. Long-term use at recommended doses appears to be safe.

Creatine is a steroid: Creatine is not a steroid or hormone. It's a naturally occurring compound made from amino acids that your body produces on its own and that you also get from foods like red meat and fish.

Creatine is only for bodybuilders or men: Creatine can benefit many people - not just athletes trying to build muscle. Research supports benefits for strength, power, high-intensity exercise performance, and potentially some aspects of cognition.

My experience with Creatine:

Ironically, I didn’t start taking creatine because of social media.

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July was a month of leaps 🐸

The biggest one was deciding to start my Certified Personal Trainer certification. If I’m being honest, it’s been a lot more work than I expected. There have definitely been moments where I felt like my pre-med friends back in college... so many anatomy terms and biology concepts that are very frustrating to understand at first. But unlike some of the classes I took in school (like math... bleh), I genuinely love sitting down to study. It’s such a gift to spend my time learning about something I’m actually passionate about. Every chapter makes me more excited about the kind of career I want to build and the information I want to share with y’all. I’m already about a quarter of the way through the course, so fingers crossed I’ll be ready to take my exam early this fall!

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The second leap was starting this Substack. Finally hitting “publish” was a little intimidating, so thank you to everyone who has read an article, left a comment, shared a post, or sent me a message. It means so much more than you know. & I’m so happy you’re here.

I’m really grateful I took both of those leaps. They’re just the beginning of what’s to come, and that makes me really excited for August.

I also officially finished college! (I had to take two summer classes to finish my minor in Physical Health and Well-being.) Now that I’m done with school and everyone is moving back to Athens (and we’re not), it’s definitely starting to hit me. Such a bittersweet feeling. But I’m really happy to be done with summer school so I can give my full attention to studying for my CPT and to Substack. Doing all of it at once was a little overwhelming.

It was also such a fun month with family and friends. I got to visit Nantucket for the first time and spent 10 days in Colorado, which is the longest I’ve been able to stay there since high school. I’m feeling really grateful - and very full - from all of it.

💕💕💕 So, let’s get into the July Loves! 💕💕💕

(In no specific order.)

1. My favorite wrkt this month: My Tread Arm Sculpt

Click for the link:)

2. Absolutely LOVED the hydrangeas in Nantucket.

3. I’m loving being home & family dinners

(aka having my parents cook for me; I’m spoiled and lucky and thankful)

4. I loved this J. Crew button-up

5. I loved putting my hair in a French braid

I literally had not done a French braid since middle school, so idk where this came from, but I have been loving it. So random.

If you know me, you know I always have my hair in a clip (claw clip or Tele Tie Flat Clip). After my hairdresser, Carl, told me he could tell exactly where my ponytail is usually placed (bc of all the breakage), I pretty much stopped wearing ponytails. So, right now I am in a French braid phase:)

Not putting my hair up with ponytails has helped with breakage so much!

6. My fav purchase of the month

Has to be this Sheridan Cox Top!!!

7. I loved Hudson House Sushi

I actually used to be a Hudson House hater (hot take). But as of two weeks ago… I am not anymore. I love their marg, fish tacos, salmon, fries, and I really love their sushi.

8. I’m loving my Dairy Boy PJs.

& the chicken on the pocket makes me so happy & obviously I love pink

9. I am loving this meal prep salad.

I meal-prepped it 3 times in July, haha… It's just so easy, fresh, full of protein and fiber and nutrients! My fam loves it too!

10. I’ve been addicted to Red Cherries.

I've been buying these nonstop lately. Besides being one of the best summer snacks, they're a great source of vitamin C and contain anthocyanins—the antioxidants that give cherries their deep red color and help protect your cells from everyday oxidative stress. They're sweet, refreshing, and one of those foods that's both genuinely nutritious and easy to keep reaching for.

11. I have been loving CPT studying!

One thing CPT studying has made me much more aware of is my posture. I’d actually love for everyone reading this to take 30 seconds and check theirs too.

Stand with your back against a wall and have a friend take a picture of you standing naturally - just how you’d stand waiting in line for your iced latte. Then, think about your posture. Your head, upper back, and glutes should comfortably touch the wall, with a small natural curve at your lower back (not pressed completely flat). Have them take a second picture.

Compare the two. You might be surprised by the difference.

I encourage you to spend the next month simply being more intentional about your posture throughout the day - when you’re standing in line, driving, walking, working at your desk, or lifting at the gym. At the end of the month, take another picture in your natural stance and see if anything has changed. Awareness is often the first step.

Posture is foundational to everything we do. It affects how we breathe, how we walk, how we lift, how our muscles work together, and how much unnecessary stress we place on our joints over time. It’s such a small thing to pay attention to, but it has a huge impact.

Here is me checking my posture!

12. I love my Aritzia Wrkt sets!!

Their Butter line is just so good. I've had one in black for the longest time, and I always reach for it, so I finally decided it was time for a second one. The fabric is so soft and comfortable (I hate when workout sets feel super restrictive), but it still hugs everything in the best way and is so flattering. I do Pilates, lift, and run in mine, and the leggings never slide down and I don’t have to keep adjusting them!

13. I really loved this book: Running Down a Dream

This is going to sound dramatic, but this book kinda changed my life.

Back in March, my dad recommended it to me. At the time, graduation was around the corner, and I was (mostly) set on pursuing medical device sales. This book made me stop and ask myself whether I was choosing that path because I truly wanted it - or because it felt like the more conventional thing I was supposed to do.

The book is all about avoiding career regret. Through really interesting stories and case studies of successful people from completely different industries, Bill breaks down the common traits of people who genuinely love what they do. It’s less about finding your dream job overnight and more about following your curiosity, developing your strengths, and permitting yourself to explore instead of feeling like you have to have your entire life figured out at 22.

If you’re in college, recently graduated, or honestly at any point in life where you feel like you haven’t found what you’re passionate about yet, I highlyyy recommend it. I wouldn’t say I’ve found my dream job yet (I’m not even working full-time haha), but I finally feel like I’m heading in the right direction. And this book helped me get there!

That’s a lot of love for July!!!!

& so much more in the in-between moments…

But then this would be too long…so stopping this here with those 13 loves!

Thanks for reading this month's Love List!!! I always love hearing what you've been loving too, so if there's anything I should try, read, or make next month, let me know in the comments. See y'all for the next one in August!

XX,

Mary Frances

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Last night, she couldn’t fall asleep, so she let herself sleep an extra thirty minutes. She knows getting seven to eight hours of sleep is important. But now she’s missed her workout class. It’s only Tuesday, and she already feels like she’s failed the promise she made to herself on Monday.

“Next week,” she thinks. “Next week I’ll do it perfectly.”

She tried mouth tape for a week, but it just kept getting tangled in her hair. She sleeps with a silk bonnet now. Somewhere in her sheets is an overnight collagen mask that promised she’d wake up glowing (even though collagen doesn’t actually absorb through your skin).

She makes her bed, opens the curtains for a few minutes of morning sunlight, but instead of thanking God for another beautiful day... She just thinks about how she’s supposed to stay outside longer (10 minutes) to support her circadian rhythm.

She doesn’t have time.

She has class.

She has work.

She has a life.

And somehow, before she's even brushed her teeth, she already feels like she's failing at being healthy.

As she eats breakfast, she opens TikTok. The first video starts. “5 to 9 before my 9 to 5.”

A girl peels off her mouth tape, silk bonnet, overnight collagen mask, and hair rollers before tongue scraping and oil pulling. While she oil pulls, she does her red light mask and stands on her vibration plate, all while making her bed, feeding her dog, and mixing her "glowing skin beauty water" (which consists of eight different powders and random tinctures). Then it's off to the gym for incline walking and upper body, followed by a cold plunge, a dog walk, and a shower. Somehow, her hair still looks perfect after sleeping in those TikTok Shop hair rollers. She makes an "easy" homemade high-protein breakfast (that's giving Nara Smith...anything but quick, simple, or easy). Then she casually heads to work looking calm, glowing, and completely unhurried. Oh, and she makes sure to let everyone know she’s always there early.

She scrolls. Why drinking bone broth on an empty stomach changed my life.

Again. Five habits that will make you hotter.

Again. Women should stop lifting weights and just do Pilates.

If you’re not lifting heavy, you’re missing out…. 3 things you’re doing that are ruining your hormones…. 1 scoop of Coconut Cult every morning changed my life…Your cortisol is too high.

Another routine. Another “non-negotiable.” Another thing she should be doing. Another thing she’s apparently doing wrong.

By the time she closes the app, she hasn’t learned how to be healthier. She's just learned 50 new ways she's apparently failing. Ofc her cortisol is high!!!

If you’ve ever felt like her, you’re not alone. I have, too.

The version of wellness we’re constantly shown isn’t designed for real life.

It’s designed for content. And it took me wayyyyy too long to realize that.

About 3 years ago, I hit a breaking point. That’s a story for another publication, but here’s the short version: I called my mom sobbing. I was exhausted, and I was confused. Even though I had been exercising my whole life, I didn’t know how to work out anymore. Only do Pilates. Not HIIT. You have to weight lift…no weight lift like this….do this routine…etc. There is soooo much information, and it is all sooo contradictory. Even though I was raised in a very healthy, balanced household, and even though I loved nutrition, and I loved cooking…I somehow didn’t even know how to eat anymore, and I didn’t know how to move my body anymore (that sentence will make sense to the people that can relate, and if you can relate, I’m sorry!). But the saddest part of all of it was that I’d stopped trusting myself. My intuition, that little voice in the back of my head, had been drowned out by thousands of voices online. Every reel, every podcast, every expert, every comment section had convinced me there was always a better way to do something, always something I could do better, always something I was doing wrong. I questioned every meal, every workout, every supplement, every decision. During that phone call, my mom told me about a dietitian she trusted. I booked a consultation 10 minutes later. Not because I wanted another list of rules, but because I needed the noise to stop.

I needed to stop listening to thousands of opinions and start listening to one person who had actually dedicated her career to studying nutrition.

And somewhere in that process, something unexpected happened.

Through intentionally turning down the volume on the thousands of voices, I found my own again.

The problem isn't walking after meals. Or eating more protein. Or meal prepping. Or getting enough sleep. Most of those habits are actually supported by good evidence.

The problem is that they’ve all been marketed as equally urgent, equally essential, and equally non-negotiable. No one can do everything. We only get 24 hours in a day, yet modern wellness culture often acts like we get 28. It doesn't account for getting sitting in traffic just listening to music (instead of a self help book), staying late at work, studying for an exam, calling a friend late into the night who's having a hard time, going on vacation, chatting with a stranger in a coffee shop, picking up a hobby just because you enjoy it, or having dreams and goals that have absolutely nothing to do with your body or the way you look. A healthy life should leave room for a life. For a full life.

While researching for this article, I learned there's actually a term in psychology for the way I was feeling 3 years ago. And I don’t think I'm the only one who's experienced it.

Analysis paralysis: when you’re given so much information, so many choices, and so much conflicting advice that you become overwhelmed and stop knowing what to do next.

The biggest problem wasn’t that I didn’t know enough. It was that I knew too much. I had confused more information with better information. I had confused more habits with better health. I had confused optimization with wellness. Somewhere along the way, I’d stopped asking, “Is this actually important?” and started asking, “How do I fit this into everything else I’m already trying to do?” And that’s the trap. Because once everything becomes important... Nothing is prioritized anymore.

There’s a reason speakers, writers, and teachers often group ideas into 3s. Our brains tend to remember a few simple ideas better than an endless list. Give us thirty things to remember, and we’ll probably remember none. Give us three, and we’re much more likely to hold onto them. (The Rule of Three)

So before we talk about protein, hormones, supplements, gut health, strength training, sleep, and all the other things I’m excited to dive into on this Substack... I want to leave you with just 3 things. 3 fundamental things to remember and focus on before you buy another supplement, try another morning routine, or convince yourself you’re failing because you missed one workout.

1. Health and wellness should make your life bigger, not smaller.

Your health should support your life - not become your life. If your pursuit of wellness leaves no room for relationships, hobbies, faith, purpose, spontaneity, or simply enjoying the people around you, it’s worth asking whether your routine is actually serving you. A healthy life should leave room for a full life. Ask yourself: Is my wellness routine helping me live my life...or is it slowly becoming my life?

2. Not every healthy habit deserves the same amount of your attention.

Before you worry about sea moss, cortisol “hacks,” or the newest supplement, ask yourself: Am I prioritizing sleep? Am I moving my body most days and strength training regularly? Am I eating mostly whole, nourishing foods and enough protein? Am I drinking enough water?

3. Don’t let thousands of voices become louder than your own.

One of the healthiest things you can learn is how to listen to your body again. Wellness shouldn’t disconnect you from yourself - it should help you become more in tune with your body. Science matters. Experts matter. Evidence matters. But so does paying attention to your own body. Don’t become so consumed by everyone else’s opinions that you stop noticing your own. The goal isn’t to ignore evidence or stop learning. It’s to combine good evidence with what your body is telling you.

Here's what I hope The Love Lists becomes for you: a place that helps you separate the fundamentals from the noise. A place that reminds you that health and wellness should make your life bigger, not smaller. A place where health starts feeling simple again.

Not every wellness habit deserves the same amount of your attention. Some habits matter more than others. And learning the difference might be the healthiest thing you ever do.

Over the next few months, we’re going to rebuild wellness from the ground up. Not by adding more. By understanding what matters first. I’ve learned that most of the things that actually improve our health aren’t the things getting millions of views online. They're the beautifully boring fundamentals.

Wellness is a whole lot simpler than we’ve made it.

I don't believe God designed our lives to revolve around optimizing ourselves. I think He designed our bodies to be cared for, appreciated, and used - to love people, serve others, explore His creation, and live with purpose. Wellness should support that life, not become its purpose.

XX,

Mary Frances

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." Philippians 2:13

Something I deeply believe is that God doesn’t stir your heart without purpose. He plants dreams, ideas, and desires in us for a reason.

For me, one of those dreams has been creating this Substack. It’s been on my heart for a long, long time. I couldn’t (and can’t) quite explain why, but I kept coming back to the idea. The Notes app on my phone has slowly become flooded with ideas, quotes, article titles, and little thoughts for this publication. And recently, it has stopped feeling like passing thoughts and started feeling like a gentle nudge I couldn’t ignore.

So, here we are. I’m finally saying yes to something I believe God has been gently placing on my heart all along.

If I’m being completely honest, I don’t really feel “ready” to start this.

I just graduated from college. I am just beginning my journey toward becoming a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach. I have a lot to figure out. And if I’m being really honest... writing has never been my thing…I was a child with majorrr dyslexia and ADD, so if you find a typo here or there... let’s just call it part of my charm.

But one thing I’ve learned is that God rarely calls people once they feel ready.

Moses didn’t think he was a good speaker. Gideon believed he was the least qualified. Jeremiah thought he was too young. None of those insecurities surprised God. He knew every doubt, every fear, and every reason they believed they weren’t enough... and He called them anyway. And they went.

That is what true unwavering faith looks like.

As the saying goes, God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.

I know I'd regret letting fear, perfectionism, or the feeling of "not being ready" keep me from something that's been on my heart for so long.

****So, if, as you are reading this, you’re thinking about a dream God placed in your heart, I urge you to say yes too!!*****

What excites me most about this space is that I finally get to write the things I’ve always wanted to say. There have been so many times I’ve posted something on Instagram and wished I had another five paragraphs to explain the research, share the backstory, or tell you why it actually matters.

I’m not perf. I don’t have all the answers. I’m not certified in anything (yet!!!!). And I’m def not a professional. But I am a 23-year-old girl who has been through a lot, overcome a lot, and learned a lot. And I’m so eager to share all of that with you.

I think I may come across as someone who’s always “had health” or has always had everything figured out. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Over the years, I delt with some things…some harder and longer than others. I’ve walked through anxiety, parasites (ew), an eating disorder, hair loss, SIBO, PCOS, a 35-pound weight gain and loss, and navigating birth control and hormone health. None of those seasons were easy, but each one taught me a lottt. I’ll share those stories here over time—not because I have a perfect ending to every one of them, but because maybe something I’ve learned or the perspective I’ve gained can help someone else feel a little less alone or find answers a little sooner.

And I know those won’t be the last difficult seasons I’ll face. Life has a way of stretching us, refining us, and teaching us when we least expect it. My hope is that this won’t just be a place where I share what I’ve already overcome, but also where I can honestly share what I’m still walking through. I want you to see both the ‘end’ and the in-between.

If anything I share helps even one person feel more hopeful, more informed, or a little less alone, then it’ll all be worth the scary feeling I am feeling atm about sharing the above list meep.

One thing you’ll probs notice pretty quickly is that I won’t pretend to have everything figured out. Sometimes I think I do... and then I read a new research paper, hear a different perspective, or learn something that completely changes my mind.

But that’s what I love about wellness.

It’s always evolving, and so are we. There’s always something new to learn, question, try, or rethink.

That’s also why I really hope you’ll comment on these posts.

Health is not one-size-fits-all. Something that has worked wonders for me might not work for you. Something that didn’t work for me (I’ve tried a lottttt of things... and yes, I’ve definitely fallen for a few dumb wellness trends) might end up being exactly what your body needs. And, what served you five years ago might not serve you today - and that’s okay.

While each of us has our own body, experiences, and journey, I also know we’re far more alike than we realize.

So many women are navigating the same questions, frustrations, and seasons of life, yet we often feel like we’re the only ones.

You’re not the only one who’s stared at the supplement aisle wondering where to even begin.

You’re not the only one who’s felt overwhelmed walking into the gym.

You’re not the only one who’s tried a wellness trend that promised everything and delivered... absolutely nothing.

You’re not the only one who’s googled a random symptom at 11 p.m.

You’re not the only one who’s wondered why your body feels different than it did a few years ago.

You’re not the only one who’s felt frustrated trying to separate real health advice from social media noise.

You’re not the only one who’s wished taking care of yourself felt a little less complicated.

You’re not the only one who’s just trying to figure it all out.

I hope this becomes a place where you realize you’re not alone.

I know that because I’ve overheard countless conversations in coffee shops and restaurants. I’ve read the questions people ask online. I’ve had the same conversations with my friends, and even with my parents’ friends. I’ve had so many conversations (and received so many texts) about protein, hormones, gut health, supplements, workouts, anxiety... you name it.

The questions might look different (although, honestly, they’re usually the same three lol), but underneath them all is the same desire: we all just want to feel good in our bodies and love the way we take care of ourselves.

My hope is that this becomes a community where we can learn from one another, share what’s worked (and what definitely hasn’t), support each other, ask questions without judgment, and have thoughtful conversations about what it really means to live well and love the way we take care of ourselves.

My hope is that this publication becomes a place you look forward to coming back to each week…a place that leaves you feeling a little more informed, a little more encouraged, and a little less overwhelmed than when you arrived.

Anyways, that’s enough rambling for one first post.

I’m really, really excited you’re here. I have so many ideas, so many things I can’t wait to write about, and I’m just excited to finally have a place to share them.

Welcome to The Love Lists.

I’m so happy you’re here. 🤍

Love you! And cheers to the beginning of something very fun and new!

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