Lean Into Your Cravings (the Healthy Way)

Hi Thrive Fam,

Let’s be honest—we all get cravings. For me, it’s sweets. I have a massive sweet tooth. But here’s the thing: instead of letting cravings sneak up and knock me off track, I take control of them.

👉 I lean into my cravings—but with a healthy twist.

This way, I still enjoy the treats I love, but I make sure the ingredients are ones I can trust and that support my health instead of working against it. The key is to plan for your cravings instead of fighting them.

Here’s how I do it:

• Sub out butter for healthier fats like avocado or olive oil.

• Ditch granulated sugar forever—seriously, don’t even keep it in the house. Instead, swap it with coconut palm sugar, raw honey, or pure maple syrup.

• Trade white flour for nutrient-packed options like whole wheat, almond flour, coconut flour, or oatmeal flour.

The result? Sweet treats that hit the spot and keep me feeling energized, not sluggish.

✨ Here are a couple of my go-to recipes for healthier sweets (link or paste recipes here).

Remember—your health is a priority, and cravings don’t have to derail you. You can enjoy them, guilt-free, when you put your own smart twist on them.

Stay sweet,
Brittany

🌱 Farm to Table Living: Fresh, Healthy, and Full of Purpose

There’s something deeply fulfilling about knowing where your food comes from—especially when you had a hand in growing it or meeting the farmers who did. Whether you:

• Start your own backyard or patio garden

• Team up with friends and family to grow together

• Visit your local farmers market weekly

…you’re not just feeding your body—you’re feeding your soul and your community.

💛 Community, Happiness, and Purpose
Fresh fruit and vegetables are more than just food—they’re a connection. Sharing seeds, swapping produce, and cooking together creates meaningful bonds with friends, family, and neighbors. These moments of collaboration and sharing help us feel part of something bigger than ourselves.

👩‍🍳 The Kitchen as the Heart of Connection
Spending time in the kitchen with loved ones—preparing meals, swapping stories, and laughing over a new recipe—can strengthen interpersonal relationships in a way few other activities can. When health becomes a shared foundation, it fosters joy, trust, and purpose in the home.

🥒 Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours
Below, you’ll find some of my personal recipes to bring the garden bounty to life:

• Homemade Zucchini Sweet Bread

• Zucchini Protein Bread

• Zucchini Casserole

[Email me directly for the full recipes @ personaltraining@thrivebybrittany.com ]

🌈 Expanding Your Plate & Your Palate
Every season brings new opportunities to try fruits and vegetables you may have never tasted. Expanding your diet not only adds variety to your meals—it builds your nutrition knowledge. Remember: you don’t know unless you try! That one new vegetable might just become your new favorite.

Your Challenge This Week:
Bring at least one new, fresh fruit or vegetable into your kitchen—whether it’s from your own garden, a friend’s harvest, or your local farmers market—and create a meal around it. Share it with someone you love.

Level Up Your Kitchen: Mason Jar Living!

Welcome to Your Next Healthy Kitchen Challenge!

Last month, we tackled deconstructing plastic from your kitchen to pave the way for a healthier life. You learned:

• The health risks of storing and eating food in plastic.

• The benefits of glass storage, like preserving freshness and avoiding toxins.

Now, it’s time to get organized and have fun with it!

We first eat with our eyes—your kitchen should excite you to cook, eat healthy, and enjoy the organization of it all. Imagine vibrant greens, golden grains, and colorful fruits beautifully displayed in crystal-clear mason jars. Not only does this make your kitchen pop, but it also keeps your food fresh longer and reduces waste.

Tip: I reseal my mason jars after every use with a jar lid sealer. My fruits and veggies stay crunchy for up to 3 weeks, which saves money and prevents waste!

Here’s How to Start Your Mason Jar Kitchen:

Wash & Prep:

• Clean your fruits and veggies in a white vinegar + water bath.

• Dry completely before storing.

Jar It Up:

• Add produce, grains, rice, beans, crackers, and even flours into mason jars.

• Reseal after each use for maximum freshness.

• Bonus: Purchase a mason jar sealer to increase crispness and freshness.

Declutter & Display:

• Remove all bulky boxes and bags from your pantry/fridge.

• Use jars to create an organized and beautiful display.

Get Creative:

• Use racks, drawer sliders, or under-cabinet mounts for open counter space.

• Add cute labels for a personalized touch.

Your Challenge:
Transform your kitchen into a glass-living, fresh-food paradise and share your setup with me—I’d love to see your creations!

Deconstruct Your Plastic Living: A Healthier Kitchen Starts Here

Let’s talk about something that’s quietly working against all your hard-earned progress—plastic.

We use it every day without thinking: to store leftovers, pack lunch, heat up meals, and sometimes even to eat off of. But here’s the truth: plastic is toxic to your health, especially when it’s tied to your food.

Here’s why plastic in the kitchen is dangerous:

🧪 When plastic meets heat, harmful chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and microplastics can leach directly into your food and drinks. That includes microwaving leftovers in plastic containers or using plastic wrap in the oven—yes, even if it's labeled “microwave-safe.”

🥡 Storing hot or acidic foods in plastic? That speeds up chemical leaching too. Even the "BPA-free" products often contain substitute chemicals that may be just as dangerous to your hormones and long-term health.

🍽️ Eating off of plastic plates or with plastic utensils may feel harmless, but you're slowly exposing your body to toxins over time—some of which are linked to reproductive issues, endocrine disruption, cancer, and even developmental problems in children.

📚 Here’s what clinical studies have shown:

🔬 A 2023 study published in Environment International found that microplastics were present in 80% of human blood samples tested. These tiny plastic particles enter the body through food, drinks, and even the air—and they’re not just passing through. They’re accumulating in our organs.

🧠 Phthalates and BPA, commonly found in food-grade plastics, are now classified as endocrine disruptors, which interfere with hormone production and regulation. According to the Endocrine Society, long-term exposure is linked to:

• Reproductive issues (fertility struggles, hormone imbalance)

• Increased risk of breast and prostate cancer

• Metabolic disorders like insulin resistance

👶 A landmark study in JAMA Pediatrics showed that prenatal exposure to phthalates was associated with lower IQ scores in children by age 7. These chemicals are often leached from plastics used to store or microwave food.

🍽️ And yes—heating plastic makes it worse. A Toxicology Reports study confirmed that microwaving plastic containers releases higher concentrations of BPA and other toxins into your food, especially when the plastic is old, scratched, or worn.

 

The takeaway? Plastic isn’t neutral. It’s active—and harmful—in your system.

But there’s good news: by reducing plastic exposure, especially in the kitchen, you give your body a real chance to recover and thrive.

✅ Here’s what you can do starting today:

• Swap out plastic food containers for glass or stainless steel.

• Use beeswax wraps or silicone lids instead of plastic wrap.

• Avoid microwaving food in plastic—transfer it to a ceramic or glass dish.

• Drink from glass or metal water bottles (ditch the plastic ones for good!).

 

🔥 Thrive Challenge of the Week: Deconstruct the Plastic

This week, I challenge you to remove all plastic from your kitchen—yep, all of it. Go drawer by drawer, cabinet by cabinet. Donate, recycle, or toss anything plastic that touches your food: Tupperware, utensils, measuring cups, plates, water bottles… all of it. Then, prep your space for a healthier swap with glass and stainless steel. If you’re unsure what to buy, reach out—I’m happy to help. I ordered my mason jars in various sizes on Amazon and love how functional (and cute!) they are. Next week I’ll be sharing “Mason Jar Living” — my go-to tools for a plastic-free kitchen and a healthier home.

Let’s do this together!

I’m Back – And I Have a Story to Tell You About Growth 💪

Dear Thrive Readers,

First off, I want to say thank you for your patience during my brief absence. I’ve just returned from an intensive period of military training, and while it pulled me away from Thrive for a moment, it gave me a powerful reminder that I’m excited to share with you this week.

Here’s the truth: sometimes our greatest efforts feel invisible. Maybe no one notices how hard you’re working… and maybe no one says “good job.” But that doesn’t mean your effort doesn’t count.

During my course, I kept my head down. I didn’t talk much about how hard I was studying or how much I was pushing myself outside the “classroom.” I knew that five years from now, most of us in that training wouldn't even remember each other—but I would remember how I showed up for myself. So I kept going. Quietly. Consistently. Just to prove that I still had it in me.

I won’t lie—by the end, I was tired. I even caught myself wondering, “Why am I pushing this hard when no one may ever notice?”

And then I heard my name called.

Distinguished Honor Graduate. #1 in the class.

And my class paper? The instructor convinced me to submit for consideration to be published by Army Aviation—potentially shaping future doctrine. As of yesterday morning, the Army Aviation Publishing Director Team approved publishing my paper.

I was stunned. All I had wanted was to make myself proud. And somehow, I exceeded even my own expectations.

So this week, I just want to remind you:

👉 Keep working on yourself.
👉 Put in the effort, even when no one’s watching.
👉 Your growth matters—even if it feels invisible right now.

Because you never know what’s being shaped by your persistence. Keep going. You’re doing more than you think and potentially influencing others around you to grow.

I’m so happy to be back and can’t wait to keep supporting you on your journey—mind, body, and spirit.

With purpose and strength,

Brittany