Latest From The Blog - LINDSAYGEE.CA

Beating Baby Brain with Brain Octane Oil

January 17, 2017 By Lindsay Gee

Baby brain.

If you’re a Mama, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, here’s a pretty picture I will paint for you:

You’re a Mama. You have one baby. You have an appointment. You organize everything (baby, extra sleeper, stuffie, snacks, toys, diapers, wipes, blanket, etc.) and you load everything into the car. You forgot your purse. You go back into the house. Get purse. Back to car. You forgot to lock the door. Back to house, lock door, back to car. You left the keys in the lock. Back to door, grab keys, go back to car. Turn to check on baby. You forgot baby. Back to house, unlock door, grab baby, out door, lock door, back to car. Everything is now in car. But now…you forget why you’re in the car.

Yeah. That’s baby brain. And, don’t tell me that hasn’t happened to you!

My kids are now 6 and 8 and I swear, I still suffer from baby brain, but I fear now that perhaps I was suffering from entrepreneur brain…LOL.

But don’t you worry, there’s help! I know you’ve all heard me talk about Bulletproof’s Brain Octane Oil and the benefits I have experienced myself, but I felt I need to explain some of the theory/science behind it. On days when I have my Bulletproof coffee (Upgraded coffee, ghee and Brain Octane Oil) I have energy to spare and I am able to focus for longer periods of time. I swear this stuff is a magic potion that combats baby brain and/or fatigue!

So…what is Brain Octane and why do I love it so much? Well, I love it because I have seriously experienced the mental clarity, focus and energy that Bulletproof claims you’ll receive from it. That’s the simple answer. But, I also love the science behind it.

As a PhD in Exercise Physiology, I’m often skeptical of supplements. But, the thing about the Brain Octane Oil is that I don’t consider it to be a supplement. I consider it to be a part of a balanced diet. Let me see if I can easily explain the power behind this oil.

Brain Octane Oil

Brain Octane is made of pure C8. The”8″ defines the number of carbon chains in the oil – the higher the number, the longer it takes to metabolize to energy. C8 is considered a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT). So, Brain Octane Oil is an MCT Oil.

What does that mean?

MCT oils do NOT need to go to the liver to be processed, they quickly become energy for your brain and muscles. YAY quick energy!

As I mentioned, Brain Octane Oil is made up of purely C8, so it doesn’t need to get processed by the liver and it is the fastest to metabolize in the brain. It takes just 3 steps for our body to convert this type of fat to ATP (which is the cellular energy we use). Yes, just three steps to get the energy you so desperately need. Compare that to sugar, which takes 26 steps…you see where I’m going here.

You take a tablespoon (a teaspoon if you’re just starting on it!) of Brain Octane Oil and you feel almost instant energy because the conversation to ATP in the brain is that quick.

Why not just use coconut oil?

I’m a huge fan of coconut oil, but it doesn’t give me the same mental focus and immediate energy I experience with Brain Octane oil. Here’s why: most coconut oil is very high in lauric acid. Lauric acid absolutely is good for you. HOWEVER, although lauric acid is considered an MCT oil by the science world (so far), it is a C12 and requires a stop in the liver to convert to energy. So, it’s not a true MCT oil!

Of note, most coconut oils are at least 50% C12. So, you’re not getting the immediate brain boost and that’s why I love Brain Octane Oil.

Go away, baby brain!

I am one of the most forgetful people I know. My husband bugs me about it all the time about it, but he also says I’m forgetful because I have so much in my brain. Isn’t that sweet?! Anyway, when I use my Brain Octane Oil I have seriously effective and productive days. I forget less, I have more energy and I “buzz” all day. On those days, I don’t suffer from baby brain! It’s amazing.

Bulletproof also talks about Brain Octane Oil and their XCT oil in terms of metabolism. I need to do a bit more research on that topic and read their articles further, but for me I’m sold on this product simply due to the mental focus and increased energy I experience after my morning coffee. There’s nothong like instant energy. And, I love that it’s good for my brain. YAY BRAIN HELP!

If you’re suffering from so-called baby-brain, give the Brain Octane Oil a whirl. There are tons of recipes on the Bulletproof website, but my favorite way to have my BOO (Brain Octane Oil) is in my favorite mug, mixed Bulletproof Upgraded coffee (let’s talk about non-moldy coffee in another post, shall we?), blended with ghee.

Yum. Seriously. Yum.

If you’re interested in trying the product, just CLICK HERE and you’ll get to the Bulletproof site! I highly recommend the Brain Octane Starter Kit as a good way to dip your toes into banning baby brain! Give it a whirl, and please let me know how it goes for you!

A Reminder to Myself

January 14, 2017 By Lindsay Gee

Dear Me,

You had a hard week. It scared you. It shook you to your core. Hospitals and medical issues scare you. You are okay.

You had a hard week. It made you cry. It made you cheer. It filled you with doubt. It filled you with joy. You’ve never once believed in yourself so much and so little in a day. You had a hard week. And Linds, it’s okay.

You’re ok.

Exhaustion settled in again. Your body took over. It’s a reminder to rest, recover, slow down. At some point your body will take over and lead you to the reality of your health. I hope it’ll lead you to strength and power, not fatigue and hospitals.

Enjoy the moments. Be present. Sleep. Rest.

You had a hard week. But in the week you also did good. You got people moving. You inspired people. You made your kids smile. You stressed your husband out and irritated him beyond belief (is that a win?!), but you also made him laugh. Remember that you did good. You are doing good. The people challenging you, pushing against you, demanding from you are there to teach you. You should be grateful for these lessons.

And I know you are.

Your mind and body are strong. Believe in yourself. Believe in your goodness. Believe in your joy. Believe that you have the right to experience success. Believe that you have the right to show pride and joy. Believe that you work hard enough that people don’t mind if you take a moment to celebrate, to #dancedammit. Believe that you also have the right to rest.

You had a hard week. You’ve been told that before great success comes great chaos. Well, holy shit…success is imminent then, isn’t it? Ha! We’re witty, you and I.

You had a hard week. But, you have 5000+ women supporting you. Failure is not an option and even if those 5000+ women weren’t there, if it was only you believing in yourself, failure is not an option.

You need to work hard. You need to forge ahead. You need to continue to push and dig and drive and cheer. It lights your soul up. And when people tell you to rest. Do it. Just rest. Not for long, because I know you, but rest. Your body and soul need the joy and light that inspiring others brings, but they also need down-time and nobody can fault you for that.

So, let’s do this. Let’s change the world. Let’s be the voice so many Mamas need. Let’s motivate and inspire. But Linds, let’s also take care of us. Deal? Deal.

Now, go get your coffee, drink up and always, always, always remember this:

004 – Workout Episode – Block Party

January 3, 2017 By Lindsay Gee

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

It’s time to sweat, party people! Grab your water bottle and a towel to soak up that sweat because this workout is going to make you sparkle. Join me for 2, 7.5-minute blocks of exercise. First block we focus on strength and muscular endurance. Second block, it’s all about the cardio and metabolic boost! BAM! Total workout time is about 24 minutes (including warm-up and a short cool-down). Go on…let me talk you through your workout today. It’s quick but effective, just like I know you like ’em!

Off you go!

You Laughed in 2016 – Remember That

December 29, 2016 By Lindsay Gee

It’s the end of another year and as with every year, I see post after post of people wishing away the year. Ranting about how awful the past 365 days were. Giving the past year the big eff you. And yes, while this year has been a tough one for many people, it’s time for us all to reflect on the goodness that has come out of all your hard work. It’s time to reflect and show gratitude for a life you still get to lead. You’re alive, people. You’re here.

Bad things happen. They happen all the time. Jobs are lost. Relationships break down. People die. In no way am I saying we shouldn’t grieve, because change is hard and honestly, we have lost some stellar celebrity and musical icons this year, so yes you should grieve.

But…You. Are. Here.

In a day and age where social media rules all hours, news travels fast. And unfortunately, bad/sad news travels even faster. We are constantly inundated with the badness of the world and only every now and then do we get to celebrate the goodness. So, our job, as regular ‘ol shmos is to find the goodness and celebrate it. People are going to die in 2017. It’s a given. Remember the Lion King and the Circle of Life? There’s simply no way of getting around death. People also died last year and the year before and wait for it…the year before that. We’ve lost some amazing people in 2016 and it saddens me to think of who we might lose in 2017…but we’re going to lose some. So, how are we going to get through all the deaths, the sadness, the grief and the turmoil?

I get concerned when I continuously read people bashing the year they’ve had. Okay, sure, you’ve had a doozy. But did you learn? Did you grow? Did you morph into a newer version of yourself because you needed to adapt to your life? Did you laugh? Did you love? Were there births in your life? Anniversaries? Did you celebrate and laugh? Why is it that when people reflect on the year past, anger and bitterness always wins? There were times of accomplishment and joy. Times of silliness and sun. Life was yours all year.

You. Are. Here.

Life is hard. I, myself, have had a difficult year of growth, loss and change, but boy did I laugh this year. I found new friends, new support and a lot of new love. I took comfort in old love and I got to watch my children grow and learn and experience new things every day. When I look back on 2016 I think about how much my son’s confidence has grown. I think about how my daughter is the strongest woman I’ve ever met and she’s only six years old. I reflect on the fact that I had to watch my husband go through a really difficult year and yet we were and are able to look to one another for strength and laughter. I celebrate all of this.

I encourage you to not buy into the negativity that goes around at this time of year. Don’t bash the year you just survived.

You. Are. Here. You made it.

If you want to make 2017 better for yourself, start with some positive reflection on how you made it through 2016. Celebrate yourself. Celebrate others. Grieve death but celebrate the life that was; there is nothing we can do about it, so respect it, grieve it and then choose to celebrate it.

I don’t like being the bearer of bad news, but there are going to be difficult moments in 2017. And you know what? You’re going to handle those too. You’re going to cry and rage and feel like you’ve been run over at times in this coming year. But you’re also going to laugh until you pee your pants, you’re going to dance with your lover and you’re going to be silly with your friends. You’re going to celebrate the birth of new babies and you’re going to welcome new friends into your life.

You are here and you can handle all of it. You just handled 2016. Take a few moments and remember the good of 2016, really think about it. Think only of the good. And smile. Let that positivity guide you into your new year.

Me, I’m going to spin some records from the artists we lost this year and I’m going to dance and smile because ultimately, that’s what I want my life to be about. Dancing and smiling.

I choose to celebrate 2016 for its good, its bad and its ugly. I choose to start 2017 filled with gratitude and light instead of anger and dismay. I hope you stand tall and bright with me.

I wish you all the best in this coming year.

Change Your Life With Hot Mama’s Nutrition Program: Body Smarts

December 22, 2016 By Lindsay Gee

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it over and over and over again until I’m blue in the face:

Stop dieting. Start educating. Learn.

LEARN how to nourish your body.

Alright, first thing’s first: What is Body Smarts?

Body Smarts is a program I came up with after my first year of working on my Hot Mama business. We were focused heavily on the fitness aspect of healthy, active living by providing safe and effective classes Mamas could bring their entire family to. But, I kept getting asked, “what diet should I be on?”. I would subsequently hang my head, sigh and softly say “why don’t you just eat well and feed your body the way it deserves to be fed?”.

And the answer would almost always be “I don’t know how”, or “what does that even mean?”.

A-HA! Okay then. I can work with that! Body Smarts came was born from my desire to help women stop dieting and actually learn how to feed themselves (and their families) in a healthy, nutritious way. I wanted women to stop searching for magic pills, wraps, cleanses, etc. and really buckle down and learn what, when, where, why and how to nourish themselves.

Now, my Ph.D. is in Exercise Physiology and my nutrition background is minimal. Being a firm believer in education, I knew I was stepping outside my scope of knowledge and I refuse to pretend to know something I definitely do not. So, I to a woman already coming to Hot Mama classes who was a Registered Dietitian. Not a Nutritionist, not a weekend-warrior, an educated-super-smarty-pants-amazingly-awesome Mama to help me. I told her my idea for a new nutrition program I wanted to implement and she said: “No, no…that won’t work…how about we do it like this…”. From there she and I worked together to write, create, develop and implement our 12-week fitness and nutrition program we eventually called Body Smarts.

We’ve been running Body Smarts through Hot Mama for about three years now and feedback is phenomenal. Although the program is not designed as a weight loss program, we’ve seen transformation after transformation. We’ve recently tweaked the program yet again (we stay very current) and it just gets better and better. No diets, no pills…just women learning and experiencing what their body is supposed to feel like when it’s active and nourished properly.

Weight lost. Inches lost. Bodies transformed. Energy found. Now that…that’s Body Smarts.

Here are a few testimonials from women who have taken the Body Smarts program:

Throughout the 12 weeks, I gained awareness of optimal foods but I also learned to cut myself some slack and just relax a little bit around food. Instead of labeling foods as “good” and “bad”, just see it as nourishment. When you choose to nourish your body with the foods it needs to perform, your need to consume “treats” and “bad food” decreases! We’ve heard the phrase “honor your body” before and that’s what Body Smarts allowed me to do. Honour my body with nutrient dense food for fuel, healthy and longevity but to also let go of the guilt associated with less optimal foods can still be consumed for pure enjoyment. Food is supposed to be fun! Body Smarts takes the burden out of designing a healthy diet and gives you the tools to use for the rest of your life.

– Heather Johansen, Franchise Owner, Hot Mama to 1 daughter (2 years old)

Body Smarts has been a life changer for me. As someone who struggles with lifelong depression and anxiety, I had found myself this year at my ultimate highest weight to date. More than the day I delivered my little boy. So I joined Body Smarts with the intention of weight loss. I did experience weight loss and inches lost (about 15+ lbs and 10+ inches) but that is not even the great part. With the healthy eating habits, the increased physical activity, the support from our instructor and the great network of ladies I found myself feeling better. There are no words I can find to describe the change. But around the 6-week mark, I started to notice that the telltale signs of my depression that I had been feeling for my entire life were starting to lift. I was excited to start each new day, I had more energy and was more engaged in my life. The “heavy jacket” I felt I was wearing daily (the depression feeling) was gone. And still, is gone. This is a feeling I have never felt before. Happy. How amazing!

– Kris de Ruiter, Hot Mama to 1 son (5 years old)

I have celiac disease and as such was extremely hesitant to take the program but Amanda convinced me it was at least worth a try and I am so glad I tried! The best part is that they don’t tell you what to eat and you don’t have to eat food you don’t like just because it’s healthy. There are challenges and some weeks are more difficult than others but you are part of a team and they are there to help you through it. I was breastfeeding through about half of the course and there are special rules that take that into account!!! It was easy to cook BS friendly meals for my family (a 5 and 3-year-old included) and my husband actually loved the program as well. He’s following the rules and everything! To be honest I don’t think we will go back to how we were eating before (even though we were really doing a great job) because I figured out how to improve our family eating habits for the better and it just works for us. I’m so thankful that I enrolled in this class.

– Kendra Long, Hot Mama to 3 kiddos (5 years, 3 years and 9 months old)

I lost 16 pounds and 15 inches in 90 days. But what’s more? I completely changed my mindset in regards to health and nutrition. My focus shifted from what the number on the scale said to “What feats am I capable of today?” I wake up every morning excited to start my day. My head feels clearer, I am happier, more energetic (I DRASTICALLY improved my running time, can lift and squat way more weight and managed to do unassisted pull-ups!!!), and the head/stomach aches have practically disappeared. I am more confident in myself which has made me a better mom/wife/person.”Losing weight” was a great side effect to the program but the best results are the ones you cannot see in a before & after picture: gaining confidence, knowledge, strength and FEELING awesome. Most importantly? Finally loving my body for all it is capable of.

– Stacey Williams, Hot Mama to 2 kiddos (11 & 6 years old)

I know this isn’t about losing weight but I do want to say what drew me to the program (and I hate to even call it a program!) was that I could eat and eat all the food groups as I’m tired of restrictive trends. I really did want to learn how to eat well and kick old habits! I feel strong after Body Smarts. I did not knowingly feel ‘unwell’ before I started but now I realize how great I feel eating well and that encourages me every day! This is a long term lifestyle change that I have made and that I am committing to. I have more energy for parenting and I’m more likely to hop on that toboggan with my girls. I spend less time worrying what to wear because everything in my closet fits and jeans are actually comfortable. I have an awareness and knowledge about ingredients and actual healthy cooking that I never had before. The only exclusions are my choices if I want to make them. I had no idea the impact Body Smarts would have on me and my overall mental and physical health when I signed up. I recognize myself again and as one friend noted…that smile! I’m so happy!

– Deanne Fairfield, Hot Mama to 3 kiddos (5-year-old & 3-year-old twins!)

20 lbs and a ton of inches lost in 12 weeks. I discovered new food, and I found cooking and planning healthy meals and snacks was not that hard. I was eating and not starving and bingeing, and my energy level came up making those long sleepless nights easier to manage. The biggest thing that happened was I found a confidence in myself I never had before. I was taking selfies with my kids and wear clothes from my closet that haven’t seen the light of day since my wedding 10 years ago. I even tried on a dress modeled it for friends and strangers at a clothing party, something I wouldn’t have done even in my teenage years. I can’t say enough about body smarts. No gimmicks, no diets, no magic pills or expensive shakes just healthy, wholesome foods and the tools and support to make the change.

– Candace Nicholson-Wilson, Hot Mama to 2 kiddos (8 years old and 9 months old)

See? Body Smarts…who knew nutrition education could change your life so thoroughly? Me. I did. YAY! And now we have a bunch of franchise owners who also know how to implement the program and take their Hot Mama community through the 12-weeks of awesome.

It’s time to break the dieting cycle and really educate yourself on food. Once you know the basics, you know them for life. It’s not a diet and it is definitely not a fad. It’s a way of living that can positively change your life (and your family’s lives). You’ll have more energy. You’ll feel better. You’ll have more confident. You will glow.

I’ve seen it. Mama after Mama. The confidence that comes from a well-nourished body and soul is amazing.

Body Smarts is nutrition and fitness education. But it’s also support from an incredible group of women. You’re not alone in the process because yes, some weeks are grueling and change is hard, so you need the support of strong like-minded women around you. We have weekly meetings, a support group on Facebook, recipes, encouragement and a whole lot of love and laughter. The power of the group is amazing and I hope you’ll grab your courage and join us. We can, absolutely, change your life with Body Smarts.

I encourage you to try out our 12-week program. We have classes in-person at most of our Hot Mama locations. If you don’t have a Hot Mama location near you, we offer the course online. Our next course is starting the week of January 23rd. So, connect with your local franchise owner OR connect with me! I can hook you up!

Email me at lindsay@lindsaygee.ca for more information. OR CLICK HERE, choose a location, then click “Body Smarts”