Welcome to Week One!
You have taken the first big step and committed to upgrading your lifestyle and healing your PCOS. The week ahead will be full of ups and downs and new discoveries about yourself. One day, you will look back on this week and feel proud of yourself and grateful that you began this leg of your journey. You will surely wish you had started sooner. So let’s get going!
First things first. Remember our mantra, “Progress, not perfection.” It is so important, as you enter into the next 21 days and beyond, to focus on this simple phrase. The Healing PCOS 21-Day Plan provides an ideal. Adjust it as necessary to work for you. Do your absolute best and be satisfied with that. Inevitably, you will have the occasional slipup. That’s okay! We are striving for slow, sustainable change.
When things don’t go as planned, remember, you are only one choice away from getting back on track. It is okay if your alarm clock doesn’t go off and you miss your morning routine. Just keep moving forward, take a deep breath, and make your next choice a positive one. Don’t wait until tomorrow to begin again. Soon you will discover your rhythm and what works (and doesn’t work) for you!
Week One Weekend Prep: Get a Running Start
You will start the Healing PCOS 21-Day Plan on a Monday in order to have the entire weekend to prepare. On Saturday and Sunday before you begin the Healing PCOS 21-Day Plan:
- Look over the Week One Meal Plan at a Glance. Do you need to make any substitutions or rearrange the meals to fit your schedule? Using the Meal Plan and the meal-planning tips in Step 9 of Chapter 6, plan your food for the week.
- Based upon your Meal Plan, make a detailed list of the grocery items you need for the week, from breakfasts through dinners, including snacks and replacement of staples. Look in your pantry and refrigerator. What do you have on hand and what do you need to put on your shopping list for the next four days?
- Grocery shop for the next three or four days.
- Prepare and package snacks for Week One that can be made in advance, for example, Sweet Spiced Pepitas and Pumpkin Spice Protein Bars.
- Wash, chop, and store veggies for snacks and salads for the first three or four days.
- Make homemade Hummus (if not using store-bought).
- Make a batch or two of White Balsamic Vinaigrette.
- Be sure you have all of your self-care items (see Chapter 6, Step 8).
- Review the Week One Daily Protocol, so you know what to expect.
- If you haven’t already, complete the PCOS Diva Symptom Assessment.
Monday, Day 1
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Apple Pie Smoothie | ⅓ cup shell-on pistachios | Layered Lunch Wrap with Hummus | ½ sliced avocado sprinkled with sea salt and lime juice with 6 Mary’s Gone Crackers | Garlic Roasted Chicken, Roasted Roots, Orange Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and mixed greens with White Balsamic Vinaigrette |
Tuesday, Day 2
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Avocado, Egg, and Arugula Rice-Cake Breakfast Toast | 1 small sliced apple with 2 tablespoons sunflower-seed butter, sprinkled with hemp or chia seeds | 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with chicken and White Balsamic Vinaigrette | ⅓ cup Hummus and vegetable crudités | Rich and Creamy Chicken Stew and mixed green salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette |
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Apple Cobbler Super-Seed Quick Oats | 1 hard-boiled egg and vegetable crudités | Planned-over Rich and Creamy Chicken Stew and mixed greens with White Balsamic Vinaigrette | ¼ cup Sweet Spiced Pepitas | Veggie Tacos with Gingered Apple and Apricot Slaw |
Thursday, Day 4
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Chocolate Cherry-Berry Smoothie | ¼ cup Sweet Spiced Pepitas | 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with organic deli-style smoked turkey and White Balsamic Vinaigrette | 1 Pumpkin Spice Protein Bar | Lentil Soup and Dani’s Mediterranean Chopped Salad |
Friday, Day 5
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| 1 Pumpkin Spice Protein Bar | ⅓ cup shell-on pistachios | Planned-over Lentil Soup and mixed greens with White Balsamic Vinaigrette | ⅓ cup Hummus and vegetable crudités | Maple-Mustard Salmon, Whipped Butternut Squash and Garlicky Greens |
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Overnight Blueberry Buckle Steel-Cut Oats | 1 small sliced pear with 2 tablespoons sunflower-seed butter, sprinkled with hemp or chia seeds | 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with salmon and White Balsamic Vinaigrette | 1 hard-boiled egg and vegetable crudités | EAT OUT |
Sunday, Day 7
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Lemon Poppy-Seed Pancakes | ¼ cup Sweet Spiced Pepitas | 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with organic deli-style smoked turkey and White Balsamic Vinaigrette | celery sticks and 2 tablespoons cashew butter with 5 dried cranberries | Grass-fed sirloin steak with Chimichurri Sauce, Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Sweet Vidalia Onions and foil-packet sweet potatoes (4-Step Grilled Veggies) |
Discover: Week One Daily Protocol
Rocket Launch. Wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual.
- Morning Motto
- Big Why
- Gratitude
Morning Reflection
- Morning elixir
- Inspiration
- Affirmation
Shower
- Dry brushing before shower
- Oil massage after shower
Breakfast
- Meal
- Breakfast supplements
- Tongue scrape
Daily Lesson
- Diva Daily
- Diva Do
Morning Snack/Tea Time
- Optional snack
- Beverage break
Lunch
- Meal
- Lunch supplements
- 15-minute walk
Afternoon Snack/Tea Time
- Required snack
- Beverage break
- Water check (have you had enough water today?)
Dinner
Nighttime Ritual
- Unplugged by 8 p.m.
- Evening elixir and/or evening snack (only if needed)
- Tomorrow’s Priority List
- Magnesium
- Tongue scrape
- Essential oils
- Stretching
- Book
- Gratitude stone
- Sleep mask and lights out by 10 p.m.
Food Prep for Monday, Day 1
- Prepare and package snacks.
- Prepare Garlic Roasted Chicken (you can season the chicken in advance and leave it in refrigerator until ready to roast).
- Peel and chop root veggies for roasting.
- Trim brussels sprouts for roasting.
- Prepare Layered Lunch Wrap with Hummus (put it together in the morning to take to work; if it sits overnight, it will get soggy).
Meal Plan
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Apple Pie Smoothie | ⅓ cup shell-on pistachios | Layered Lunch Wrap with Hummus | ½ sliced avocado sprinkled with sea salt and lime juice with 6 Mary’s Gone Crackers | Garlic Roasted Chicken, Roasted Roots, Orange Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and mixed greens with White Balsamic Vinaigrette |
Inspiration
“Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.” —Alan Cohen
Affirmation
“My courage is stronger than my fear.”
Diva Daily
“What we eat, we become.” Take a moment to reflect on this phrase, and you’ll realize its truth. It reflects the relationship between food and health: when you put good in, you get good out. The nutrients in our food determine the makeup of our cells and our hormones. If the average woman has to replace around 300 billion cells every day, then the foods we eat are the building blocks of the cells that will replenish us.
It isn’t enough to know that we are what we eat; we have to take it a step farther and feel the effect of the foods we choose. We have to get in touch with, in a very mindful way, how food makes us feel, both physically and emotionally. This one thing can literally change our life and put us in a place of power and control.
Instead of following the latest diet fad or conventional nutrition wisdom, follow your body’s wisdom. Listen to what your body is telling you. It really is as simple as that.
Diva Do
Use your journal throughout the 21-Day Plan to jot down how you feel before and after you eat every meal and snack. Think of this Diva Do assignment as collecting data for a science experiment. You are experimenting with how food makes your body feel, so of course you need to collect data. But just like a good scientist, you are going to be objective and collect the data with curiosity and without judgment. If you go completely off program and eat a donut for breakfast, don’t beat yourself up with shame, guilt, and regret. Merely make an observation about how you feel after you’ve eaten it and record it in your journal.
You will use the data you collect to make more powerful decisions regarding the food you put in your body. We are looking for the food that makes us feel vital, alive, energized, balanced, centered, and just plain good.
In your journal, write down the time and what you ate. Take note of how you felt physically and emotionally before, right after eating, and again two hours later. Sit quietly after you eat and reflect. Note how your energy level, your moods, and your physical symptoms are affected by the food in your body. Bodily sensations are physical responses to foods.
Physical Signs of Imbalance or Inflammation
- Headaches
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Muscle cramps
- Coughing
- Runny nose
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Shakiness
- Muscle weakness
- Poor concentration
- Brain fog
- Pallor
Physical Signs of Balance
- Bright eyes
- Hunger for next meal or snack
- Stamina
- Natural deep breathing
- Good digestion
- High energy
- Restful sleep
- Focus
- Alertness
- Strength
- Good attention span
- Good color
Emotional responses may be a little harder to notice.
Emotional Signs of Imbalance
- Anxiety
- Negativity
- Feelings of emptiness or lack
- Boredom
- Fear
- Anger
- Sadness
- Depression
- Absentmindedness
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- Agitation
- Hyperactivity
- Edginess
Emotional Signs of Balance
- Cheerfulness
- Positivity
- Feelings of wholeness and abundance
- Confidence
- Excitement
- Energy
- Playfulness
- Happiness
- Enthusiasm
- Focus
- Calm
- Flexibility
- Patience
At first it may feel a little weird to get in touch with your bodily state, either physically or emotionally, after eating; or you may not feel any particular way. That’s okay; just write “fine” or “good.” But the more information you can gather, the better you will be able to get in touch with how food is making your body feel. Do whatever you can to make this process quick, easy, and sustainable for the next 21 days. If it is easier to keep this information on a notepad on your mobile device, please do!
Remember, this experiment is designed to be informative. Stay free of negative judgments. If negative feelings arise, or if you feel guilty for eating something “bad,” remember that recording this information will help you to see the connection between what you eat and how you feel physically and emotionally. At the end of the week, you will analyze the data.
- Prepare and package snacks.
- Cook three hard-boiled eggs (one for tomorrow’s breakfast and the others for snacks later in the week).
- Set remaining chicken aside for Rich and Creamy Chicken Stew and 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with chicken.
- Prepare 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with chicken.
- Prepare Homemade Chicken Bone Broth for Rich and Creamy Chicken Stew. I like to make it in a slow cooker on low overnight and then strain and store it in the refrigerator in the morning.
Day 2
Meal Plan
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Avocado, Egg, and Arugula Rice-Cake Breakfast Toast | 1 small sliced apple with 2 tablespoons sunflower-seed butter, sprinkled with hemp or chia seeds | 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with chicken and White Balsamic Vinaigrette | ⅓ cup Hummus and vegetable crudités | Rich and Creamy Chicken Stew and mixed green salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette |
Inspiration
“Life’s not about expecting, hoping, and wishing; it’s about doing, being, and becoming. It’s about the choices you’ve just made, and the ones you’re about to make. It’s about the things you choose to say—today.” —Mike Dooley, www.tut.com
Affirmation
“I free myself from destructive habits.”
It is time to take charge of your lab tests and results. For so long, I would take myself out of the process at the doctor’s office, especially when it came to blood tests. I would take the order to my lab without any understanding of what was being done. I would wait for the nurse to call and tell me, “Everything looks good” or “Your testosterone is high,” and that was the extent of my involvement in the process. If that sounds like you, then that stops today. PCOS Divas know that knowledge is power. The more we understand about our bodies and our unique brand of PCOS, the better we can translate the signals our body sends and contribute to our own healing. So today you will begin to take control, track, and understand your health care.
Diva Do
Today you will begin building a Lab Binder. If you don’t already have your labs for the last three years, pick up the phone, call your doctor, and request that the office send you hard copies of the last three years of your lab work. You will keep hard copies of all of your labs in the three-ring binder you selected during prep, along with any other doctor’s notes you receive.
Then spend a little time today becoming familiar with the labs I recommend in the PCOS Diva Recommended PCOS Labs Guide. Download it at PCOSDiva.com/labs. Get to know the names, purpose, and ranges of relevant tests. These are tests that you should advocate for when you visit your doctor.
For instance, many women with PCOS have undiagnosed hypothyroidism and often Hashimoto’s disease. Many doctors will only test thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, which doesn’t give you the whole picture of what is going on with your thyroid. You will have to ask for more tests.
Also, the majority of women with PCOS are vitamin-D deficient, and again, doctors won’t always test vitamin-D levels. Optimizing these levels can make a huge difference in the way you feel. Remember it is important to be a PCOS Diva at the doctor’s office!
Once you receive the hard copies of your tests, put them in your binder, and from here on out, always ask for hard copies to store in your binder. It is affirming to see the progress you make. For example, I can look back at my labs over time and see how my total testosterone (the range for this is 6–86 ng/dL) went from a 70 to 16! Seeing your lab results improve is validating to you and your doctor, who really speaks the language of labs.
Food Prep for Wednesday, Day 3
- Prepare and package snacks.
- Package planned-over Rich and Creamy Chicken Stew and mixed-greens salad for lunch.
- Shred 4 cups cabbage and 1 carrot for tomorrow’s Gingered Apple and Apricot Slaw and store in refrigerator.
- Chop 1 zucchini, 1 yellow summer squash, 1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, and 1 onion into ½-inch pieces for tomorrow’s Veggie Tacos and store in refrigerator.
Day 3
Meal Plan
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Apple Cobbler Super-Seed Quick Oats | 1 hard-boiled egg and vegetable crudités | Planned-over Rich and Creamy Chicken Stew and mixed greens with White Balsamic Vinaigrette | ¼ cup Sweet Spiced Pepitas | Veggie Tacos, Gingered Apple and Apricot Slaw |
Inspiration
“Old patterns will flare up when you commit to new ways of being.” —Danielle LaPorte
“I can do this.”
Diva Daily
You may not even recognize destructive old patterns until new habits start to crowd them out, but today you are going to really become aware and mindful of old patterns creeping back in.
One of the old patterns I had to contend with was eating in secret. I would deny myself anything pleasurable in public; I would eat something I considered a “forbidden food” in secret and then feel shame and guilt afterward. For instance, I would often, at the very last second at the grocery store, throw a Snickers bar on the conveyor belt. The cashier would ask if I wanted to keep it for my purse. I would grumble assent, not making eye contact, and grab the bar. I would eat the bar in a few bites in the car on the way home, hide the wrapper, and try to pretend the whole thing never happened. I ate in secret most often when I was feeling angry, sad, or stressed, and the food was a way to numb my negative emotions for a very short time. The sugar would give me a buzz, acting as an instant pick-me-up. But it was always short-lived and always followed by a blood-sugar crash and lots of shame, guilt, and regret.
I think my eating in secret stemmed from living a deprivation and denial lifestyle. Since I was constantly on some form of restrictive diet, my ego would rebel. It would say to me, “What do you mean I can’t have a Snickers?” However, once I allowed myself anything I wanted, my ego would calm down, and I wouldn’t want the Snickers so much. The secret was in the allowing.
As you move through the 21-Day Plan, you will become more aware of these old negative habits, whether they are dietary, mindset, or behavioral.
Diva Do
If this story resonates with you and you are a secret eater, make the commitment to stop now. The remedy is in allowing. Allow yourself to feel pleasure. PCOS Divas don’t eat in secret. We know that food has the power to nourish and is meant to be pleasurable, and you are definitely not enjoying it if you are hiding in the bathroom to eat it. Let go of the shame over how you eat, what you eat, and how you feel because of it. Food is nothing to be ashamed of, and guess what? Neither are you!
Is there another old pattern flaring up? How can you quell it or crowd it out with a new habit? Be aware of your triggers. Do you eat junk when you are bored or procrastinating? Did you hit the snooze button today because you didn’t prep for Day 3? Today, do two things.
Notice your old patterns and triggers, and write them down in your journal. My trigger was a grocery cart full of “diet” food that didn’t really feed my body and soul. Diet frozen dinners and sugar-free, fat-free yogurt were not satisfying. Perhaps I reached for the Snickers bar because I was unconsciously responding to the marketing tagline “Snickers satisfies.”
Create a new habit for each old pattern or trigger, and write what you will do in your journal. Now when I go to the grocery store, I make sure to purchase something that is on the Healing PCOS plan, and is also satisfying. Now I get a delicious bar of NibMor cherry chocolate every week. I no longer feel compelled to eat it in secret or stuff it down on the way home. Rather, I save it for when I can mindfully enjoy it.
The trick is to be mindful of your pattern triggers. You may need to call upon the 5–4–3–2–1 rocket-launch strategy to go with the new habit for a while (before your mind talks you out of it). It will take some conscious effort here to reprogram those old patterns into healthier new ones. The important thing is to forgive yourself if you slip up, and make adjustments. Remember, “Progress, not perfection.”
Food Prep for Thursday, Day 4
- Prepare and package snacks.
- Prepare 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with smoked turkey for lunch.
- Take a moment to regroup for the next three or four days. Look at the Meal Plan. What produce, refrigerator, and pantry items need to be replenished? Prepare a shopping list for the remainder of this week. Plan to go shopping tonight or tomorrow.
Meal Plan
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Chocolate Cherry-Berry Smoothie | ¼ cup Sweet Spiced Pepitas | 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with organic deli-style smoked turkey and White Balsamic Vinaigrette | 1 Pumpkin Spice Protein Bar | Lentil Soup and Dani’s Mediterranean Chopped Salad |
Inspiration
“The time has come to accept and embrace exactly who you are and exactly where you are today. Truly love yourself and realize deeply that you have great worth. Then decide and commit to heal past wounds, to do your best, and to improve yourself for yourself at your own pace every day from now on.” —Doe Zantamata
Affirmation
“I am worthy of great things.”
Diva Daily
Is there a PCOS symptom that is standing between you and the best version of yourself? For me it was hirsutism. Worrying about the hair growth on my chin took up much of the space in my head that could have been used for higher thoughts. It wasn’t until I took charge of this symptom by researching and putting into action what I learned that I began to make progress. I discovered that laser hair removal worked wonders for me and eventually invested in an at-home laser. By combining that with the PCOS Diva lifestyle, I was able to greatly reduce this symptom, so it is no longer a worry. But it wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn’t researched to find solutions.
Knowledge is power. Action helps move you from victim to in control. PCOSDiva.com is a great place to begin your research. Take time today to visit the site and type a symptom that is bothering you in the search box. Is it hair loss, stress, fertility, anxiety? Read the available resources on these topics. Write the symptom down in your journal and record what you’ve learned. Start gathering additional information on the symptom and potential resolutions from trusted resources, and begin to take action to find a solution that works for you. With persistence and perseverance, you too can move beyond the struggle of PCOS to live the life you imagined.
Food Prep for Friday, Day 5
- Prepare and package snacks.
- Package planned-over Lentil Soup and mixed-greens salad for lunch.
- Wash, chop, and store veggies for snacks and salads for the next three days.
Day 5
Meal Plan
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| 1 Pumpkin Spice Protein Bar | ⅓ cup shell-on pistachios | Planned-over Lentil Soup and mixed greens with White Balsamic Vinaigrette | ⅓ cup Hummus and vegetable crudités | Maple-Mustard Salmon, Whipped Butternut Squash, and Garlicky Greens |
“One of the marks of excellent people is that they never compare themselves with others. They only compare themselves with themselves and with their past accomplishments and future potential.” —Brian Tracy
Affirmation
“I love taking good care of myself.”
Diva Daily
You have begun to limit your screen time in the evening. Today, you will take this a step farther and begin to take charge of the media and messages you consume. Most media sell you the idea that you are not enough. You are only enough when you buy the ageless skin-care cream, perfect-body diet, or luxurious hair-care product or when you are the perfect mom and a superstar at your job. The more media you consume, the more you believe the story that you are not enough. Ads try to convince you that whatever they are selling is the missing piece to a perfect life. So much media today cultivates a feeling of lack and dis-ease.
Social media can be just as toxic. Looking at curated images of someone’s life can drive even the most self-assured to think that their life is lacking. You can now can cover up pimples, whiten teeth, and airbrush with the swipe of a finger, creating images of perfection. People don’t generally post that their kid got suspended from school or their relationship with their partner is on the rocks. You don’t see the real, authentic, and sometimes messy lives, only the perfect stills.
As PCOS Divas, we must be very selective about the media we take in. Just as we feed our bodies nourishing food, we feed our minds nourishing media. Over time, I have crowded out much of my TV consumption and social-media scrolling with inspirational books, audiobooks, and podcasts.
I have a huge bookshelf containing books that further my understanding of nutrition and PCOS. Although these books are important, inspirational books provide a richness to my life and help me to repair the damage done from years of reading fashion magazines and comparing myself with what I saw on other people’s Facebook pages.
Early on, I realized that if I was going to live my life as a PCOS Diva, I had to upgrade my mindset. I found my first mindset mentors in books. The books that truly helped me grow were written by authors who had overcome adversity, especially those who shared actionable steps on how to improve the quality of my life. I also found it was important to feed my soul. Spiritually themed books satisfy my craving to live life on a deeper level. I always have a book or two on my nightstand or an audiobook on my phone.
I absolutely love audiobooks and podcasts. I listen while driving my kiddos around, grocery shopping, cooking dinner, and doing household chores. Right now I’m enjoying the Quote of the Day podcast by Sean Croxton. Each episode spotlights an inspiring quote and a 5- to 10-minute motivational audio clip.
Look for books and other media that feed your spirit and curiosity.
Diva Do
Spend 15 minutes today looking for a book that will uplift you. Sign up for an audiobook account or check out your local library. Libraries often have downloadable audiobooks as well. I promise, the more you make it a habit to read or listen to inspirational books, the more you crave them, and the more abundant your life will become.
Week Two Weekend Prep: Get a Running Start
Now is the time to begin planning and prep for Week Two. In addition to your daily food prep this weekend, you’ll also do your weekend prep for next week.
- Look over the Week Two Meal Plan at a Glance. Do you need to make any substitutions or rearrange the meals to fit your schedule? Using the Meal Plan and the meal-planning tips in Step 9 of Chapter 6, plan your food for the week.
A Few Inspirational Books to Get You Started
The Rhythm of Life, by Matthew Kelly
Begin with Yes, by Paul Boyton
Firestarter Sessions, by Danielle LaPorte
The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brené Brown
The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield
Honor Yourself, by Patricia Spadaro
Bonjour, Happiness! by Jamie Kat Callan
Beautiful You, by Rosie Molinary
- Based upon your Meal Plan, make a detailed list of the grocery items you need for the week, from breakfasts through dinners, including snacks and replacement of staples. Look in your pantry and refrigerator. What do you have on hand and what do you need to put on your shopping list for the next four days?
- Grocery shop for the next three or four days.
- Prepare and package snacks for Week Two that can be made in advance, for example, 5-Layer Trail Mix.
- Wash, chop, and store veggies for snacks and salads for the first three or four days.
- Make a batch or two of Terrific Tahini Dressing.
Food Prep for Saturday, Day 6
- Prepare and package snacks.
- Prepare 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with salmon for lunch.
- Plan where you will go out to dinner. Review online menus to determine whether the offerings will fit into the Healing PCOS Plan (see Tips for Dining Out).
- Prepare Overnight Blueberry Buckle Steel-Cut Oats to cook overnight in the slow cooker. Or prepare the ingredients to make it in a rice cooker or on the stovetop in the morning.
Meal Plan
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Overnight Blueberry Buckle Steel-Cut Oats | 1 small sliced pear with 2 tablespoons sunflower-seed butter, sprinkled with hemp or chia seeds | 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with salmon and White Balsamic Vinaigrette | 1 hard-boiled egg and vegetable crudités | EAT OUT |
Inspiration
“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” —Marcus Aurelius
Affirmation
“I am changing my habits by changing my thoughts.”
Diva Daily
Switching your viewpoint of life from one of scarcity or lack to one of abundance can completely change your life. The first step is awareness.
Diva Do
Today you will take inventory of your dominant thoughts. Use your journal to help you with this activity. Every time you catch yourself coming from a place of scarcity or lack, write it down in your journal. For example:
“I’m afraid I won’t have enough money to pay my bills at the end of the month.”
“It’s not fair that I have PCOS and can’t eat whatever I want.”
“I wish I looked like Cindy. She is so tall and glamorous.”
“Why can’t I have a beautiful life like Jacquie? She has it all—great job, great husband, lots of vacations.”
“I never have enough time to make healthy meals.”
Refer here for a list of Lack Thinking examples. See how many of these you encounter during your day today and write them down.
Once you start noticing these scarcity or lack thoughts, you can begin to deliberately turn them around. At the end of the day today, reframe these thoughts from the perspective of abundance. For example:
“I will never lose weight” becomes “I will find a balanced weight.”
“I never have time to exercise” becomes “I love the way my body feels when I move it, and I will find the time.”
“I’ll never look pretty” becomes “I exude a healthy radiance.”
“I never have enough money” becomes “I have enough money to cover what I truly need.”
At first you may feel as though you are lying to yourself, but even if you don’t believe the reframed thoughts, the trick is to step into positivity, appreciation, and gratitude. Focus, feel grateful, and appreciate what you do have. Hold this feeling as often as you can, especially when worry or fear enters your mind.
Think of it this way. One road in life is paved with scarcity and the other with abundance. At every turn, at every moment, you get to choose which road you want to travel. You can have joy every day of your life. It is all about your mindset.
Food Prep for Sunday, Day 7
- Prepare and package snacks.
- Prepare 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with smoked turkey for lunch.
Meal Plan
| Breakfast | Snack (Optional) | Lunch | Snack (Required) | Dinner |
| Lemon Poppy-Seed Pancakes | ¼ cup Sweet Spiced Pepitas | 10-Layer Salad in a Jar with organic deli-style smoked turkey and White Balsamic Vinaigrette | celery sticks and 2 tablespoons cashew butter with 5 dried cranberries | Grass-fed sirloin steak with Chimichurri Sauce, Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Sweet Vidalia Onions, and foil-packet sweet potatoes (4-Step Grilled Veggies) |
Inspiration
“The flower doesn’t dream of the bee. It blossoms, and the bee comes.” —Mark Nepo
Affirmation
“I am creating healthy habits that support my goals.”
Diva Daily
Discovering your PCOS Diva is about becoming more mindful. You’ve become more mindful and present about the way you go about your day, instituting new habits and rituals. You’ve also become more mindful about the way you think, the food you eat, and how it makes you feel. Now you will learn to eat mindfully.
Express gratitude. Begin your meal with gratitude, whether you offer a prayer of thanksgiving or simply bring to mind all of the people whose effort it took to put this food on your table, from farmers to pickers, to truck drivers and grocery-store workers.
Pause. Take a moment before you begin to eat to notice and appreciate the food’s texture, visual appeal, and aroma. This brief pause helps you to become more present before you begin eating.
Eat mindfully. Turn off the TV, phone, computer, or any other distraction. Sit down. Don’t eat standing up at the counter or while driving the car. Focus on the utensils and act of putting the food in your mouth. Then be mindful of the flavor and texture while you chew. Focus on chewing a bit longer than you normally would (shoot for twenty times). Try to put down your utensil between bites. From time to time, take a moment to draw a mindful breath or even a sip of water.
Acknowledge. Thoughts, feelings, and sensations will arise as you are eating. Don’t push them away. Acknowledge them and then let them pass by, like a cloud that floats overhead. Then return to eating mindfully.
Diva Do
Today, do two things.
Commit to eating mindfully during at least one meal every day for the rest of the program.
Look at the data you’ve collected in your journal on your physical and emotional responses to food. Do you notice any patterns? Are there any theories you’d like to test next week? Maybe you are beginning to realize that unhealthy food isn’t as delicious as you thought or that it doesn’t make you feel very good. Perhaps you are beginning to see how food affects your mood and energy level throughout the day. You might be discovering which foods give you the most vitality for your exercise, work, and leisure. Do you feel as though you need the morning snack? Are you starving by dinner? Did you feel you needed a nap after having the Lentil Soup lunch? Do you crave the office donuts when you have a smoothie for breakfast but not when you have a protein bar? Look through your journal and note your observations.