Alex Hays Fitness

EASIEST DINNER EVER:

+ sausage of your choice
+ bag of frozen green beans
+ 1/2 pound red potatoes
+ 5 minutes in the instant pot

Thank me later. 😘

My mind is blown over how good I feel after just 3 weeks. 🤯

I didn’t realize how badly I was running my body down. The chronic stress of being a healthcare worker in this nightmare that 2020 brought us was really taking a toll on my physical health.

I started noticing it in how “puffy” I felt… how my clothes were fitting tighter… how uncomfortable I felt in my skin… how my insides seemed to hate foods I once enjoyed without issue… how much stomach pain I had after meals. I knew it wasn’t normal.

I had been wanting to try an elimination diet for awhile, but I didn’t really know what to do or where to start. I knew what sorts of things I needed to remove, but I didn’t understand what or how I should eat instead. This gut health program changed everything. Walking into the final week of the elimination phase feeling so good. My body is less swollen. My clothes fit better. I have more energy. I’m getting better sleep. The list goes on.

Next week I get to add back gluten & dairy (separately of course). I am excited to see how my body responds to those foods! This has truly been such a fun learning process for me. Forever a student, I suppose. ❤️

Accidentally leaving my phone at home made for the most perfect, unplugged time with my favorite boys.

More romanticizing our lives please. I. Am. Here. For. It. 🙌🏼

Can we all promise to quit playing the comparison game?

Your competition is not the girl on IG who looks like she has it all together s
Your competition is not your neighbor.
Your competition is not your friend from HS out there living her dream.

Your competition is YOU. Strive to be the best possible version of yourself everyday & you win. Fight those doubts and limiting beliefs in your head & you win. ❤️

Alone. Lost. Unsupported. Fitness journeys, man. 😅

I felt it all. And even when I had “support” it didn’t always feel genuine. It was like people were only there for me when it was convenient for them. On top of that, it was embarrassing and almost shameful that here I was - a healthcare provider - and I couldn’t even take care of my own health. The struggle was so real.

That all changed with a “yes”. I said YES to a community of women focused on their health & wellbeing. I said YES to working with people who genuinely care & support me. I said YES to being a beginner & trying a different fitness regimen than the one I imagined.

My life has changed. I don’t feel struggle in that area anymore. I never feel alone. I never feel lost. I always feel supported. I truly believe having a group of people in your corner of life is the secret to any success. Community is the secret sauce. I’m forever grateful & this is the whole heart behind my wellness community. I want the gals in my group to feel that love & support. (We’re here to help you if you ever need that).

Also just needed an opportunity to share a pic with because she’s the best & this community is how we met! ❤️

I was having a conversation with someone about my current food journey. I made a comment about so many weeks without gluten and dairy and her comment was, “what are you even eating then? Rice and vegetables?”

I felt a few things there…
Unsupported by my friends
Sad that I felt like I had to defend myself
Ashamed for who knows why
Angry because I wasn’t understood

Honestly, not everyone is going to get it, but that wasn’t on my mind in the moment lol. But no, I am not just eating rice and vegetables. I’m eating chicken, fish, pork, turkey. I’m having allllll sorts of vegetables, some that I haven’t even tried before. I’m experimenting with recipes. I’m having beans, rice, potatoes. I’m loving my apples & PB snack. My current overnight oats are my obsession.

I’ve never felt deprived or that I “can’t” have things. I could have dairy or gluten if I wanted, but I don’t want to. I want to see how my body responds when I reintroduce it once it’s all out of my system. I feel so much food freedom during this program. I’m seeing big changes in my skin, my tummy, & just my energy.

If you’ve been interested in trying something like this, reach out! I’d love to share. If you just need some extra accountability with your fitness from someone who gets it, I’m here for you!

We’ve had quite the Saturday. ☀️

Grateful for a body that can withstand my crazy adventures.

March ⏭ April

It was 2+ years in the making. My body running in survival mode. I felt my health taking a down turn in 2020. I committed to working out daily, but I still felt like I was getting worse. I focused on nutrition (I thought), but I still felt myself slipping away. I felt so stuck. So lost. I had no idea what to do.

That’s when I got to work. I did A LOT of work on my mental health. I removed myself from environments and situations that weren’t serving me & I know now were actually harming me. I felt my stress drop & I was managing the daily life stress much better. That’s when I started noticing the final, seemingly hidden problem… gut health. The chronic stress cycle is not great on our bodies. I was having issues with foods that I’ve never experienced before. I was swollen & bloated regularly. I was super uncomfy in my clothes & very much uncomfy in my skin.

For the last two weeks, I’ve removed the common food sensitivities from my diet and focused on eating whole foods that help my gut. I’ve already noticed a HUGE difference.

+ I’m not puffy.
+ I’m not surviving on caffeine 2-3x a day.
+ I’m sleeping well & actually feel rested when I wake up.
+ I’m actually seeing physical results with my workout program! Muscles are growinggggg! 💪🏼

This is what I’ve been missing. Health is a journey. I thought I had it all figured out and life threw me a curveball. I had to pivot & learn. I had to adjust what I was doing to feel good again. And that desire to feel good is what my fitness group is focusing on. If that feels like you, let’s talk. My group is open for new friends who want to feel good in their skin again. I lost it, but I’m finding it. And I want to help you too. Comment “I’m interested” or DM me for the deets!

I asked the girls in my wellness group what they were struggling with and many of them said consistency. That’s what we’ve been focusing on! Developing seemingly small, daily habits that build up to something big.

Starting day one is easy when you think about it. It’s showing up for days 4, 5, & 6 that gets tough. That’s where having a support system is key and that goes beyond fitness. Share your goals with your trusted crew. Ask them if it’s okay if you check in with them regularly. Allow them to hold you accountable to doing what you said you wanted to do. There’s power in that.

That’s why I created our virtual wellness community - accountability! Having people who just get it is an incredible feeling. They get why you’re pushing toward the goals you’ve set because they are pushing too! We always have room for you if you need some extra help getting to where you want to be in your health journey. I’m just a DM away. ❤️

It was a happy Easter indeed.

Swipe for a cute surprise. 🐶

Thoughts with finishing up week 1 of my elimination diet on my journey to find food sensitivities and heal my gut:

+ It wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. I think that’s because this is a GUIDED program focusing on what to eat, not what you *can’t* have. That subtle difference has helped the mental game.

+ The goal of 30 plants each week has been a fun challenge. I think I’m in the mid-20s so far.

+ I don’t miss cheese like I thought I would.

+ I’m feeling so much better after just a week. I don’t feel as bloated & I feel like my insides don’t hate me as much if you know what I mean.

+ I realized my sugar addiction is much stronger than I originally thought. Switching to no sugar added PB will teach you things. 😂

+ I also wanted to share what I’ve been eating on this plan. First we have my meal prep for my pulled chicken fiesta bowl (hello fresh copy cat). The second meal is a pasta e fagioli soup with chickpea pasta. The last meal was our dinner last night, zoodle burrito bowl!

We are reintroducing raw veggies next week and I’m PUMPED for my salads to be back! 😋

Sunday snippets ☀️

The weather probably had a lot to do with it, we had a really good day. I’m feeling refueled & refreshed & ready to tackle this next week.

My fitness challenge kicks off TOMORROW & I’m diving into my gut health journey. Meal prepped my face off today & I am feeling ready for this next challenge.

Give me your best shot, Monday. I’m ready.