Yummeyou

I feel like I dreamed I woke up in the Philippines.

Gist if pre conversation:
Me: E. aka “The GODFATHER of GRATITUDE” I’m going to the Philippines
E: we’ve known each other for 20 years and you’re going without me?!
ME: 😬
E: what’s your plan?
Me: Manila for three days
E: no. Manila is only interesting if you know locals. You have to do the islands, and if you only have time to do one you have to go to Siargao.
10 minutes later.
Me: I booked my ticket. I’m going to Siargao 🙌

And proceeded to have one of the most magical amazing times inspired by posts and information sent by Erwin. The most gorgeous place with incredible food and incredible people. Probably one of the most friendly cultures I’ve ever encountered. And just happy.
Salamat!

Specialty coffees, sweetened lattes, and all the extra add-ins are basically acting like an extra meal at this point.

Coffee used to be a simple beverage you enjoyed in the morning, with friends, at work, or before a workout—now it’s turned into a sugary meal in a cup that can drive blood sugar spikes, fat storage, anxiety, and that gross energy crash that messes with your mood.

If you want to rein it in, start training your taste buds back: try coffee black or with a splash of milk of your choice, and reduce sweetener a little bit each day. Swap lattes for a café au lait (less milk, more coffee, fewer calories), and if your coffee tastes too bitter, go for medium or light roast so you don’t feel like you need to drown it in syrup. My go-to is an Americano with a little steamed almond milk.

Coffee beans are one of the most highly sprayed crops (glycine, pesticides, herbicides, etc). If you’re drinking coffee daily, make it organic (otherwise it’s a daily dose of pesticides/toxins); if it’s a great organic coffee, I’ll drink it black.

Carbs have been demonized so hard that the second people want to lose weight, they cut them—no questions asked. I get it, I came from that era, and I naturally feel best on a high‑protein, high‑veggie diet too—but cooking for athletes (and getting sports nutrition certified) forced me to actually learn carbs instead of fearing them.
Carbs aren’t automatically “fat gain”—your body uses them for energy or stores them as glycogen in your muscles and liver, and athletes need that fuel or they gas out. The real problem is what “carbs” usually come with in America: processed fats, sugar, salt, and hyper‑palatable additives—aka the combo that makes you keep eating.
So don’t be scared of carbs—be smarter with them: sweet potato with a little olive oil, pasta in a real portion with simple tomato sauce + protein, quality sourdough… just don’t drown it in butter, cheese, and creamy sauces.

These are the simple, healthy habits that have helped me lose weight and maintain weight loss: guayusa or yerba mate, matcha, a 10–20 minute walk after I eat, making half my plate vegetables, drinking more water, and prioritizing sleep. They’re easy, they’re realistic, and they fit into real life—no extremes, no constant tracking.

Guayusa, yerba mate and matcha help curb appetite and support metabolism through caffeine + plant compounds. Walking after meals helps kickstart digestion, blunt blood-sugar spikes, and keeps your body metabolizing instead of sitting still; half your plate veggies keeps you full on fewer calories; more water reduces “thirst hunger” and replaces liquid calories; and sleep keeps cravings and hunger hormones lower.

Yes, science backs all of them—but honestly, that’s not what sells me. I don’t need someone to tell me they’re “good.” I live the difference: when I do these consistently, my cravings are calmer, my portions stay in check, my energy is better, and my weight stays steady.

The new year is an invitation to take a real look at your life—drop what isn’t serving you, and choose new goals you’re genuinely excited to step into. The problem is, our resolution list gets long fast… and then life happens. But everything works better when you’re operating at full capacity—when your well-being comes first.
So here’s my suggestion: pick one thing for your well-being this year. Make it fun, simple, and a no-brainer. Maybe it’s making water your main drink, cooking one meal at home each week, upgrading your daily staple (like coffee) to organic/local, adding more protein, moving every day, getting outside daily, or even just taking three deep breaths a day. Choose one and commit—then tell me what you’re choosing in the comments.

You can’t nourish a body you’re not kind to. No diet, workout, breathwork, meditation, or retreat will fix things if your self‑talk is rooted in hatred, dislike, and rejection.

I get it. I was an actress for 10 years—that’s front‑row seats to other people critiquing your body because it’s “not what they’re looking for.” We’re trained early to hate our bodies from family, media, and offhand comments, before we ever get a chance to be our body’s best friend. Meanwhile, it has stood by us through everything.

When that low‑key body‑hate is always playing in the background, your immunity drops, you hold extra weight, your mental health dips, your energy tanks, your digestion and skin suffer. As a friend told me: your body holds your mental load.

I’ve been on both sides. Some days I feel like a gorgeous breath of fresh air; other days I feel like a fat Cat woman—not that there’s anything wrong with her, it just doesn’t feel good in my skin. I once lost a ton of weight, got praised, attached my value to it, slid into anorexia, and then got shamed for being “too skinny.” It scared me into realizing: my body has always given me unconditional love. My job is to love it back.

That means asking: How do I feel? Do I feel vibrant, energized, actually happy? How can I be kinder to my body—with food, rest, and less pressure? And when I can’t find compassion, I find a goddamn sense of humor and joke around with that inner bi**ch: “Oh hey girl, there you go again- what do you need?.”

Your body deserves the effort it takes to mentally reprogram and learn to love it on your terms, not everyone else’s.