I’d like to share what I ate yesterday. In the process, I also want to explain a little bit about how I eat a PCOS healthy diet, work out, and manage stress on an average busy day at my house. I have loads of tips on this site for what to eat to when you have PCOS, what supplements help with symptoms, how to manage stress and the best types of workouts for PCOS. But sometimes it’s just nice to see how other women get it done.

It’s pretty common to stop by someone’s site and idealize her life. I do it all the time. I imagine she wakes up refreshed, goes about her day according to schedule, and somehow pulls it all off in a cute outfit and flawless makeup.

It’s easy to make assumptions like like this and perpetuate that myth that “oh, I could never do all that stuff because I’m not like her.” But this can get in the way of taking action. So without further ado, this is how I took care of business and myself yesterday.

7:30 Wake up

My light alarm wakes me up. I have this delightful alarm clock I adore that wakes me up by mimicking the sunrise. I dislike traditional alarms because they shock you awake and that can cause an unnecessary spike in stress hormones. Plus waking up to a blaring alarm is just plain unpleasant.

7:40 Take supplements

In the morning, I take Ovastiol and TheraNatal Lactation Complete Postnatal Vitamins. Check out this post to learn more about why I think Ovastiol is one of the very best supplements for PCOS.

For all of you breastfeeding mamas out there, I highly recommend TheraNatal Lactation Complete Postnatal Vitamins. They are independently tested for quality and they have extra Vitamin D so that you don’t have to give your baby vitamin D drops (which is a pain in the butt).

Do you often forget to take your supplements? I do too, which is why I always leave a set of supplements both in my bathroom and my kitchen – the two rooms I spend the most time in during the morning. This is a surefire way to make sure they catch my eye.

8:00 Breakfast

After changing and breastfeeding our son, Mac, I set him up in the bumbo and made my breakfast. I cooked everything in the microwave and ate it on the living room floor so I could watch Mac while I ate.

I had coffee with a splash of full-fat coconut milk, 4 organic chicken breakfast sausages as my protein, and ½ cup oatmeal with 6 fresh strawberries and cinnamon as my healthy carb. I’m a big fan of Applegate Farms breakfast sausages. They are a breakfasty way to get in protein without the hassle of cooking eggs. Plus, they have just 3 ingredients: chicken, dried apples, and spices.

8:30 Work out

Baby and I head out to my little garage gym. He played in his exersaucer while I lifted weights for 30 minutes. If I have time, I like to take Mac on a walk after my workout. He won’t yet play by himself long enough for me to strength train and do interval training. So, for now, a stroller walk has become my cardio.

9:30 Prep dinner

My mom picked Mac up for the day, so I threw dinner in the crock pot and started working in my home office. I use the genius, life-transforming, meal planning app Once a Month Meals to quickly cook healthy dinners ahead of time.

1:00 Lunch and meditation

Before I eat lunch, I use the meditation app HeadSpace to wind down a bit before I eat. When I work, I push myself very hard to get things done quickly. However, I do not want to eat in a hurry. Eating quickly leads to overeating. In fact, many people who struggle with their weight eat quickly and, the truth is, if they just slowed down they could shed pounds.

I typically eat leftovers from dinner for the next day’s lunch. Yesterday, I had big salad and a serving of Creamy Paleo Pumpkin Pasta with Chicken. The recipe calls for spaghetti squash but I used Banza, a pasta made from chickpeas. I like chickpea pasta because it has more protein and fiber than regular pasta. And it’s gluten-free.

4:00 Snack

I could make it to dinner without a snack, but this would increase the likelihood that I’ll nibble on something while I’m cooking or doing other chores. It’s better to take a break for a smoothie than to graze mindlessly while you cook dinner.

So I made a smoothie with organic frozen strawberries, a tablespoon of natural peanut butter, unsweetened almond milk and a scoop of a vegan protein powder called modus.

5:30 Playtime

Mac and my husband came home for the day and we played with Mac until his bedtime.

7:30 Dinner

Colin and I enjoyed Crockpot Red Pepper Chicken with a ½ cooked cup of quinoa and 2 cups of raw kale marinated in olive oil and lemon.

Here’s a quick rundown for how Once a Month Meals (OAMM) has made it possible for me to feed my family healthy dinners even while we were adjusting to life with a new baby: OAMM help prep and freeze multiple meals ahead of time so all you have left to do before dinner is some thawing and a minimal amount of cooking. OAMM saves time by curating the grocery list and organizing the entire process into steps that will reduce cooking time and mess.

With the help of this handy app, Colin and I can prep two weeks’ worth of dinners and lunches in under two hours. I love OAMM meal – I credit them for helping me stay sane, lose all my baby weight, and maximize quality family time.

9:00 Bedtime ritual

By 9:00, I start purposefully unwinding and getting ready for sleep. Last night I took an Epsom salt bath and read a book. Other ways I get ready for sleep include:

• Restorative yoga
• Reading a book aloud with my husband
• A second round of meditation
• Self-massage with a tennis ball or foam roller

I take bedtime pretty seriously and recommend that you do too. Chronic stress and sleep deprivation can really take a toll on PCOS. They can contribute to hormonal imbalances, cravings, fatigue, and anxiety. A good bedtime ritual will give you an opportunity to manage stress, and prepare your body for high-quality sleep.

11:00 Lights out

I wish I could get to bed earlier. I’m still waking up to feed the baby and I really should go to bed earlier to compensate for the interruptions in my sleep. Going to bed on time is a habit I am still struggling with.

As you can see, my day was far from perfect: I ate breakfast on the floor, skipped cardio, and went to bed too late. But overall, I’m pretty satisfied with this day and grateful for all of the resources and people that helped make it all happen.

If this post helped you, please let me know! This is my first time doing this, but I’d be happy to share more food diaries with you in the future.