Maybe because it’s summer or the fact that I’ve been living in the new Tan + Lines collection (dropping Thursday!!) but I’ve gotten more health / fitness questions than usual lately. To answer efficiently, I figured I’d do a big Q+A here. I get endless questions about postpartum fitness and “bouncing back” so I’ll dedicate an entire newsletter to that next week. Make sure you’re signed up here!
Q: DO YOU EVER DEAL WITH FOOD GUILT?
A: From time to time I indulge in a day of eating like absolute shit. I throw nutritional value out the window and eat purely for pleasure. On those days I usually mentally prepare myself for it so I don’t feel guilty. Plus, I’ll make sure to work my ass off (literally) following a day like that to balance things out. Sometimes I can’t help but feel guilty, but normally I just write it off as a great cheat day that I earned. After all, I’m a big believer in everything in moderation!
Q: DO YOU RESTRICT ANYTHING?
A: Not really, but I do try to limit the amount of carbs I consume. Little things like switching from regular pasta to lentil pasta, or cauliflower crisps instead of bread. But again, everything in moderation is okay! Sometimes I just want a fresh batch of homemade REAL pasta and that’s totally okay.
Q: DO YOU TAKE ANY SUPPLEMENTS?
A: I use the Ritual women’s to get my daily necessary vitamins and supplements. Otherwise, I’m not a HUGE fan of taking pills so I avoid it like the plague. I use Tone It Up and Vital Proteins for collagen and protein powders if I’m in the mood for a shake after a workout. I also share a Bio-K probiotic with Paul every morning for our gut health. I cover all these health essentials in The Little Pink Book, BTW.
Q: ANY HEALTH HACKS?
A: Drinks TONS of water. All day long! It helps with literally everything – bloating, constipation, skin issues, dehydration, etc. I honestly feel like water is the answer to almost any ailment.
Q: HAVE YOU TRIED INTERMITTENT FASTING?
A: Absolutely not. I will kill someone if I don’t eat in the morning. I get super jittery and unstable without food. The closest thing I do to fasting is just having my morning green smoothie instead of my full breakfast before I work out and then have a normal breakfast after the workout.
Q: NON-NEGOTIABLE PARTS OF YOUR DAY TO KEEP YOUR HEALTH ON TRACK?
A: My workout schedule. I have to schedule sessions in order to hold myself accountable otherwise I will NOT workout. It can sometimes be a pain, especially if I have a busy day and it would be so much easier to just cancel, but I know if I don’t make my sessions I will feel like shit later knowing I didn’t get my workout in. It affects my body, sleep, and overall mental clarity. I break down my specific workout plan in The Sivan Ayla Workout Plan if you’re interested.
Q: WHAT FINALLY MOTIVATED YOU TO WORKOUT AGAIN AT HOME?
A: Joey! He comes to my backyard and trains Paul & I because as I mentioned, I’m not very good about working out on my own. I need someone to push me, tell me what to do, etc. Joey has always been my biggest motivator so it was an easy decision to have him train me at home while gyms are closed. BUT, for anyone who does have the discipline to workout at home, he has tons of great programs including his most recent Slim for Summer program.
Q: WHO IS HEALTHIER, YOU OR PAUL?
A: I’d say it’s about equal, but Paul drinks a greens supplement, which I don’t. But we eat the same things, drink the same things, and both make exercise a priority.
Q: HOW DO YOU CURB SUGAR CRAVINGS?
A: If I have a craving I don’t deprive myself. I just try to make better decisions. So if I have a sweet tooth, which I do often, I try to opt for dried fruit instead of gummy bears. But I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love me a good bag of sour candies here and there.
Q: ARE YOU NATURALLY THIN?
A: Yes. Growing up I was one of those painfully thin kids with a super fast metabolism. I also have a thyroid condition so my hormone levels are balanced by my medication, which affects my metabolism. I’m very grateful that this works in my favor, but I do notice each passing year that weight does pack on if I’m not eating right or exercising. So my health is something I ALWAYS prioritize.
Q: WHAT DO YOU EAT IN A DAY?
A: Lots of questions on this so I’ll try to share more on Stories, but this is an accurate and basic day:
+ Breakfast: always 2 eggs and a side of something (avo toast, tomatoes & cottage cheese, etc.)
+ Lunch: Usually a salad with chicken
+ Dinner: Fish, chicken, turkey, or veggie bowls. Side of quinoa, rice, couscous, and veggies.
+ Snacks: Fruit, nuts, dried fruit, hummus & chips, dolmas, yogurt, etc.
*We try to always balance out each meal with a protein first then add greens and a starch.
If you have any pregnancy / postpartum health questions, leave them here and I’ll address them in the next newsletter.