Finding a healthy relationship with food

 SHOP THIS LOOK: TOP (look-a-like), JEANS, SHOES (look-a-like), WATCH, RING, NECKLACE, BRACELETS (Kinsley Armelle! Use my code BEYOUTIFULSTEPH15OFF to get 15% off your entire purchase)

There’s a fine line between thinking carefully about what we put into our bodies and obsessing over it or restricting it dangerously. Finding a healthy relationship with food is tough for a lot of people, especially those who have or are suffering from an eating disorder. Being someone who has previously suffered years with anorexia and bulimia I know exactly how hard it can be to find that healthy balance and relationship with food, but having a healthy relationship with food is possible! So how do you establish a healthy relationship with food? Learn how to overcome the emotional power food has in your life. If you understand the triggers and temptations that prompt you to eat mindlessly the you will become aware of your patterns. in other words have self-awareness, you can begin to change your eating habits and work towards eating for physical reasons instead of emotional ones. Here are five steps that helped me get on track and hopefully they can help you too!

Here are some extra tips:

 Don't Diet: Bingeing might have made you gain weight, as it does for a lot of people. But trying to cut calories or not eating certain kinds of foods can cause overeating and that can make it harder for you to recover from the disorder. It can lead to a cycle of dieting and bingeing that’s hard to break. Stick to whole foods and allow yourself that occasional treat when you are craving.

Find Healthy Ways to Manage Stress: Many people binge because it makes them feel less stressed, at least in the short term. You might not be able to avoid stress, but you can practice healthy ways to relax. Exercise, meditation, or a phone call with a friend can soothe you and help ease the urge to overeat.

Make Regular Meals a Habit: Don’t skip meals. Being very hungry can make you more likely to overeat. It also ups the odds you’ll choose foods that are high in fat and sugar, which can trigger a binge. It’s important to eat breakfast every day, too. A morning meal can help curb hunger all day long. Choose healthy foods for meals and snacks. You’ll get nutrients that your body needs. You might also feel fewer cravings for unhealthy foods that make you want to overeat. Healthy choices include fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods like eggs, chicken breast, salmon, and Greek yogurt.

Seek Support: There is nothing wrong with seeking help from either your friends or family or even from professionals!

Stephanie xo

Stack and Save with Kinsley Armelle

TOP, PANTS (look-a-like), BRACELET (KINSLEY ARMELLE!!), BANGLE, WATCH, SHOES (look-a-like), EARINGS

Who doesn't like rocking a stack of bracelets?! Can you say beautiful! I am literally obsessed with these Kinsley Armelle stacks! The hard part of putting bracelets together is no longer a problem, you literally don't have to put any thought into it. These are my current top 3 fave's; the Indigo Stack, I absolutely love the colors in this stack! The Joplin Stack, such a feeling of bright and elegance. And my all-time favorite the Storm Stack, I am obsessed with anything black and gold so as soon as I saw this when I fell inlove! They are all so gorgeous and versatile and can be mixed and matched. Head over to Kinesley Armelle and purchase your favourite stack, or create your own by choosing individual bracelets! If you use my code BEYOUTIFULSTEPH15OFF you will get 15% off your entire purchase!

CLCIK ON IMAGE TO SHOP THESE! DON'T FORGET TO USE CODE BEYOUTIFULSTEPH15OFF TO GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE!

Stephanie xo

I'm not weird, I'm just a limited edition

TOP (look-a-like), LEATHER LEGGINGS, SHOES (on sale for $69.99), BAG OR THIS (look-a-likes because this one is no longer available #SORRY), SUNGLASSES (on sale for $49.99), WATCH 

Good morning peeps and happy 'pre-Friday'! Today on the blog I wanted to do something different. So I am sharing with you guys some weird/fun facts about me. You may or may not already know some of these or some of you may even notice just by my posts. Alright so here it goes!

#1: I only drink warm or hot water...Weird right? I cannot stand cold water! I don't know if it has something to do with brain freeze, or the simple fact that I hate feeling cold. The thought of drinking cold water just makes me feel cold!

 #2: I have this weird obsession with cute coffee mugs and water bottles. I literally go to Winners and Home Sense just to browse their mugs and water bottles. You may notice in A LOT of my pictures I'm probably holding a mug or water bottle, or it's somewhere in the background. I should start playing 'can you spot the mug or water bottle?' ahaha...

 #3: I have to sleep with socks on and wrapped up in a soft blanket. Yes i realize i'm 25 years old NOT 5 months old, lol... It gives me a sense of comfort and my room is always so cold, so I like to be all bundled up from head to toe!

#4: 99.9 % of the time I have oats for breakfast and the weird thing is I don't warm them up, like normal people do. I'm not a huge fan of the texture when oats are cooked.

 #5: In the mornings while i'm getting ready I put on Shania Twain and dance around my room. Ohh common...I bet 90% of you do the same thing at some point through out the day! I'm not the only weird one lol.

#6: I go through a packs of gum like nobodies business, I love gum! My favourite is the fruity kinds!

#7: When I eat an apple or pear I eat the ENTIRE thing, with the exception of the stem, and yes thats including the seeds and core. I owe this weird habit to my Dad...Thanks Dad! I saw him do it when I was little and ever since then I've done the same. No food goes to waste! ahaha... 

Well there you have it some fun/weirds facts about me. What are some fun/weird facts about you? Leave a comment below, I would love to hear!

Have a great day!

Stephanie xo

Affiliating with Kinsley Armelle

SHOP THIS LOOK: TOP, PANTS, SHOES (ON SALE FOR $20!!!), BRACELETS (KINSLEY ARMELLE!) WATCH, NECKLACE, RING (ONLY $6!)

Hey Gang! I am super excited to announce that I have affiliated with Kinsley Armelle! I have been a fan of their jewelry for quite sometime, and you may have even noticed in majority of my posts I’m wearing their bracelets! Their jewelry is elegant, sophisticated and super affordable! They incorporate natural gemstones, agates, geodes and more! Their jewelry designs are perfect for any occassion, whether you are dressing up or just dressing casual, Kinsley Armelle seriously has you covered. I have linked their website on the home page of my blog, or click HERE where you can browse and shop their beautiful pieces. To get a 15 % off discount on your purchase use my code: BEYOUTIFULSTEPH15OFF. Amazing right?!

I would also like to announce that I will be doing a monthly 'Kinsley Armelle Giveaway', so stay tuned for that! I am super honoured and excited for this opportunity, and I know you will all fall involve with there stuff just like I have!

Happy shopping!

 Stephanie xo

 

 

Shop these beautiful Kinsley Armelle eternity bracelets HERE. Don't forget to use my code: BEYOUTIFULSTEPH15OFF to get 15% off your whole purchase!

 

 

 

You're Not Alone- My Interview On My Struggles With Eating Disorders

SHOP THIS LOOK: TOP, JEANS, SHOES, SUNGLASSES, WATCH, BRACELET

Hey Everyone! Today on the blog I am getting pretty personal and sharing an interview that I did on my struggles with eating disorders. If you have been following my blog for a while then you know how open I am about my struggles. I know people are struggling silently and it's important for those individuals to realize they are not alone. I have done an interview in the past but for some reason this one was super emotional for me because the person interviewing me is a beYOUtiful young lady who is currently suffering herself. 

Here are the Q & A's.

1) What did you find made it difficult to come to terms with having an eating disorder? I found it difficult to come to terms because I felt embarrassed and ashamed. I was in denial that I had something wrong with me because at the back of my mind I knew it wasn’t normal but I didn't want to put myself in the category of “Not normal”. I also found it difficult to come to terms because I felt it was the only way to avoid gaining weight. 

2) What eating disorder did you suffer with? I suffered from anorexia at the age of 17-19 and then I suffered from bulimia from the age 20-23.

3) How did your symptoms of anorexia/bulimia develop? I was an elite gymnast, trained 35 hours a week and was burning an insane amount of calories so gaining weight was never a problem for me. But when I retired from the sport I was terrified of gaining weight. I knew I wasn't going to be training insane hours so I cut my calories super low! Once I cut my calories and started to see I was in fact losing weight and people were telling me I look thinner I thought it was great when in fact I was putting my body in harm. As for Bulimia it was a combination of being in a really bad relationship and still the fear of gaining weight.

4) What would you eat on a typical day? When I suffered from anorexia I could eat a variety of healthy foods but VERY small portions. Keep in mind I was eating over 3500 calories a day when I was in gymnastics and then dropped to less than 1000 calories a day and working out twice a day. A typical day looked like this:

· Breakfast- banana

· Lunch- a piece of chicken breast with some veggies

· Snacks- handful of nuts or a protein shake

· Dinner- canned tuna with lettuce

When I suffered from bulimia I would eat a healthy amount of food but then get sick a lot of the times not after every meal and not every day but on average once every other day and usually after dinner when I was at home. My day would look something like this:

· Breakfast- protein smoothies with fruit

· Snack- apple and almonds

· Lunch- Salad with mixed veggies and chicken

· Snack- rice cakes with peanut butter

· Dinner- fish with veggies and sweet potato

5) Was it noticeable to your friends and family? No one really said anything to me at the time but when I came out about suffering from eating disorders I did have people say to me that they suspected something. My mom was probably the only person who had asked me prior to coming out with it. I think a lot of people just didn't know how to approach me about it because maybe they felt I would get defensive about it.

6) When did you come to realize that you needed help? When I suffered from anorexia I realized I needed to change something when I had a ton of people telling me I looked tired and that I was "fading to nothing” and "looked sick". I increased my calories but I didn't actually get any help from anyone. I was still embarrassed that i had an eating disorder so i tried to just help myself. When I was suffering from bulimia I knew I needed to get help or change my habits when I was working out one day and found that my lungs were feeling super weak and I was having trouble breathing from doing the littlest things. Also I was getting severe chest pains all the time. When I went to see my doctor she had told me that due to the excessive purging my lungs have weakened from the pressure. Also my heart was being affected as well, along with other things. When my doctor told me that if I continued with this it could possibly take my life. After hearing that I hit a reality check and I came to the realization I needed to change my habits. I wasn't able to afford getting help and I still was not comfortable coming out that I had an eating disorder so I started my recovery all on my own. My doctor eventually referred me to someone who I went to see for about a month.

7) What was the hardest thing you dealt with in the recovery process? When I suffered from anorexia the hardest part was realizing that you need to feed your body in order for it to perform properly and that clean eating will not make me gain weight. It was a struggle to learn balance. When I suffered from Bulimia it was much harder to overcome. The hardest part for me was the temptation and the mental episodes I would have. The temptation to go back to my bad habits was an everyday struggle. When you suffer from bulimia you fall into these episodes where it's almost like you are not in control and you lose all sense of awareness of what you are doing. Once the episode is over (purging) I would feel guilty about it and I would think to myself “Why did you do that?” and i would be really upset with myself

8) Do you think you were pressured by friends or family, media or school/work/ before developing an eating disorder? I didn’t feel pressured by friends or family but I did feel pressured by school/work at the time. I was in school for fitness and health promotion and I had my own business working as a personal trainer and I felt that “I had to look the part to play the part” so I definitely believe this played a factor in developing my eating disorders. I do also believe that media had a role as well. I would look at models in magazines and on Facebook and Instagram that had the body that I wanted. I would tell myself that I could look like that when in reality it wasn’t realistic; everyone has different body types and is structured differently.

9) Do you think it's okay for a parent to discuss food with their child? I do think it’s important for parents to discuss food with their children HOWEVER it has to be done with the proper intentions and where the focus is not on weight. What I mean is that; you need to educate them why it's important to eat healthy and why it’s good for their “insides” rather than making the focus about weight and their physical appearance on the “outside”.

10) Do you think that men have as hard a time with these kinds of disorders as women? Absolutely! There are definitely a lot of men that suffer from eating disorders as well.

11) Have you ever heard of new research on “over exercise disorder” and “Reverse Anorexia”? If so, how do you feel about these topics? I have heard about over exercise disorder- I feel that many people who suffer from this disorder don't even realize they have it, I am definitely guilty of this. I worked out two times a day and no days off when I was going through my eating disorders. I didn't think it was a problem at all. I thought that it was okay to never give my body a break because it didn't need it. Missing a day at the gym would give me anxiety and I would feel like I gained 10lbs, when that is clearly impossible.

12) If you could help someone with an eating disorder, what would be the most important piece of advice that you would like to give them? So much advice I would give!!! But if I had to pick the most important piece of advice to give them I would tell them that; The first step after realization you have a problem is figuring out the triggers of your eating disorder and then finding a way to fix them so that when these triggers happen they know how to deal with them in a healthy manner.

I really hope that anyone reading this and who is suffering, or knows of someone who is suffering, knows that they are not alone and recovery is possible!! I am always willing to help anyone in any way that i can so please do not hesitate to contact me!

Hugs,

Stephanie xo 

Classy with a little sassy

SHOP THIS LOOK: MAXI SLIT DRESS, SHOES (on sale $40), WATCH, SUNGLASSES. BRACELETS (look-a-like)

Happy Monday lovelies! If this dress doesn't say 'classy with a little sassy' then I don't know what does...I'm feeling a little sassy today with this long, slit maxi dress. I love it because it's still classy and shows just enough leg which also makes it a little sassy and ladies let's be honest, we all have an inner sassiness! I paired it with these cute white wedges and some simple jewelry because the dress itself is very 'busy' (remember what I said in yesterdays post about accessorizing?!) Another great idea to add to this look is a brown belt. I love the combination of white, navy blue and brown.

 

I'm off to work...Have a FABULOUS Monday!

 

Stephanie xo  

Exercise? OHH...I Thought you said Accessorize

Shop This look- T-Shirt, Jeans, Shoes, Coach tote bag (look-a-like), Bracelet, Watch (ON SALE $12.99!), Sunglasses

First things first, I thought the title of this post was super fitting for me, seeing as I am a little bit of a fitness freak! Now thats out of the way let talk accessories! Accesorizing is can sometimes be my favourite part when putting an outfit together. It can make and outfit go from boring to fabulous, and it can also draw attention to your best features. I find accessories can really update a look and can really complete a look. by adding the final touches. When I say accessorizing I don't mean just with jewelry but also with a cute bag and a great pair of shoes. While accessories can really make an outfit they can also break it too. So in order to avoid this here are some things i think about when adding accessories to my outfit.

1. Be careful when paring busy clothing and busy accessories. This can make an outfit look like a little bit of a mess. For example; if you choose to wear a printed or graphic pattern then keep the accessories on the more simple side, instead going with bold statement accessories.

2. Use accessories to add color. Wearing shades and then adding accessories for color is a great way to make an outfit go from 'blah' to 'voila'! I love wearing a white tee, a pair of black jeans, and adding accessories like a printed shoe (specifically leopard), a coloured bag and a statement necklace. I find this to be super effortless yet so well put together.

3. When referring to jewelry stick to one statement piece, whether it be a necklace, earings or bracelet. The last thing you want is to look like you are trying too hard with the accessories.

4. Be careful with proportions. If you're wearing an outfit that is big and voluminous, scale back on the accessories. If you're wearing something sleeker then you can go a little bigger and bolder with a chunky cocktail ring or big, bright handbag.

5. Buy accessories that convey a part of your personality. I feel like this goes for anything you buy whether it be clothes or accessories. When you buy accessories, go for pieces that you're attracted to  even better if they have a personal meaning to you.

Here are some of my favourite places to shop for cute accessories:

Charming Charlie (My personal Favourite)

Aldo Accessories

Kinsley Armelle

Stella Dot

If you have a favourite place to shop for accessories, please let me know! I would love to check them out.

Just a little 'about me'; I almost always accessorize with a watch. It's my 'go to' accessory.

Be creative and HAVE FUN when accessorizing! Having fun is the most important! 

Stephanie xo

Sunday vibes

Good morning lovelies! I hope everyone is enjoying this long weekend. I like to call Sunday's my 'organizing day'. Basically my Sundays consist of running errands, doing chores; laundry, cleaning...you know all the adulting stuff, and then just relaxing. One thing I do love about Sundays is my morning Body attack workout or as us fitness freaks like to call it 'Sunday Church'. I have mentioned this class in previous posts but if you are just tuning in, it's a high intensity aerobics class that Goodlife has. I love this class because the people are AMAZING, the music is great and it always helps start my day off right!

Well I'm off for my class...Have a great Sunday!

Stephanie xo

Proud to be Canadian EH!

Happy Canada Day everyone!!!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun long weekend!!

Stephanie xo