Updates from Leah Negrin

This recipe is packed with plant-based goodness thanks to organic edamame and organic peanut butter, giving your body the protein it needs to feel satisfied and supported. The purple cabbage and carrots add a boost of antioxidants to help fight everyday stress in the body, while the fiber from brown rice, edamame, and veggies supports digestion and keeps blood sugar more stable. I loved the idea of matchstick carrots here, but honestly - if you can’t find them or just need to use the regular long carrots you already have at home, go for it. Real life cooking always wins.

If you’re dragging by mid-morning, snapping by mid-afternoon, and wondering why your energy feels nonexistent even though you’re “eating healthy,” I want you to hear this clearly:

You’re not lazy.

You’re not broken.

And you definitely don’t need more willpower.

Most women I work with are underfed, overloaded, and running on fumes—trying to do it all with a smile and a metabolism that’s honestly confused as hell.

Let’s zoom out for a second and talk about what’s actually happening in your body.

A granola bar and iced coffee might feel like breakfast… but to your body, it often registers as stress.

Here’s why.

When you eat a low-protein, low-fiber breakfast (or skip breakfast altogether), your blood sugar spikes and crashes quickly. Your body responds by releasing cortisol, your primary stress hormone.

Research shows that:

So when that “healthy” breakfast leaves you shaky, tired, or ravenous an hour later, your body isn’t failing you. It’s protecting you.

When blood sugar crashes and cortisol rises, it can look like:

⚠️ Sudden energy dips

⚠️ Intense cravings (especially for sugar or carbs)

⚠️ Brain fog and poor focus

⚠️ Irritability and mood swings

⚠️ Feeling wired but exhausted

⚠️ Disrupted sleep

⚠️ A cycle that feels unpredictable or harder than usual

And then - because we’ve been taught to - we blame ourselves.

“Maybe I just need more discipline.”

“Maybe I should eat less.”

“Maybe my body just doesn’t work right.”

But the truth is simpler (and kinder).

You probably just need breakfast.

And protein.

And fiber.

And honestly? Maybe a good cry too.

This is the part most women are shocked by:

The solution isn’t cutting more food.

It isn’t tracking every bite.

And it definitely isn’t adding 47 new food rules to an already full mental load.

The fix is learning how to feed your body like it actually matters.

Because it does.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire diet today. Just do this:

✅ Add protein to your next meal

✅ Add fiber (fruit, veggies, seeds, or whole foods)

✅ Eat within a reasonable window after waking

✅ Notice how your energy shifts

That’s it. Let that be enough for today.

This one change alone can:

Please know this: you’re not imagining it, and you’re not failing.

Your body is responding exactly how it was designed to respond when it’s underfed, overstimulated, and asked to keep pushing anyway.

This isn’t a willpower issue.

It’s a nourishment issue.

And the most powerful place to start doesn’t require perfection, restriction, or a total overhaul.

Start with one meal.

Add protein.

Add fiber.

Eat earlier than you think you “need” to.

Then notice how your energy shifts, how your focus steadies, how your mood softens just a bit.

That matters. And so do you.

You don’t need to do everything today.

You just need to give your body what it’s been quietly asking for.

One steady step at a time.

The start of a new year often brings pressure to do more, eat less, and push harder. But when it comes to hormone health, extreme resolutions can backfire.

If you’re starting the year feeling exhausted, moody, bloated, or dependent on caffeine just to function, it’s not a lack of discipline. It’s your hormones responding to stress.

After months of holiday stress, disrupted sleep, and blood sugar swings, your nervous system is already taxed. Jumping into restrictive diets or intense workouts raises cortisol, your primary stress hormone.

Elevated cortisol can suppress progesterone, disrupt sleep, impair digestion, and worsen blood sugar instability. That’s why many women feel worse — not better — by mid-January.

A true reset doesn’t mean doing more. It means supporting your body first.

1. Stabilize blood sugar before restricting food

Skipping meals or relying on caffeine keeps stress hormones elevated. Prioritize regular meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats to support insulin sensitivity and steady energy.

2. Reset your circadian rhythm

Consistent sleep and wake times help regulate melatonin and cortisol. Morning sunlight and dim evenings are simple but powerful tools for hormone balance.

3. Choose gentle movement for hormone health

Walking, stretching, and low-intensity strength training reduce cortisol and improve metabolic health without overstressing the body.

4. Support your nervous system daily

Nervous system regulation is foundational for hormone healing. Even five minutes of breathwork, rest, or quiet time signals safety to the body.

5. Track your menstrual cycle

Cycle tracking provides insight into energy, mood, and hormonal patterns. Working with your cycle — not against it — supports long-term hormonal balance.

This year doesn’t need to be about fixing yourself.

It can be about restoring balance, reducing stress, and building sustainable habits that support your hormones long-term. When your body feels safe and supported, energy improves, cravings stabilize, and sleep becomes more restful.

That’s the kind of reset that actually lasts.

This recipe is made with organic peanut butter, which provides healthy fats that support heart health and help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. The combination of carbohydrates and fats delivers steady, sustained energy—perfect for a mid-day pick-me-up or a pre-workout snack that won’t leave you crashing later. Plus, the dark chocolate chips add antioxidants that help fight oxidative stress and support overall wellness.

This recipe supports heart health with pistachios and walnuts that provide heart-healthy fats to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, while dark chocolate and walnuts add antioxidants that protect your cells from everyday stress. The balanced mix of healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates offers steady, sustained energy, and the touch of maple syrup and dark chocolate adds natural sweetness without sacrificing nourishment.