Chantel Ray: Hey, guys, welcome to today's episode, and I'm so excited to introduce you to Bett Lucas, she's a mom of six kids all underneath the age of 10. She works in the corporate world as a vice president and she has a podcast called Living Your Bold, Big, Bold Life. So welcome back.
Bett Lucas: Oh, I'm so honored to be here. I really, really enjoy your podcast and your material and what an honor it is to be here with you.
Chantel Ray: Well, today we are going to talk about intermittent fasting and incorporating that with being super, super busy. So talk to us a little bit about your intermittent fasting journey.
Bett Lucas: Sure. So I realized a few years ago, after I had had I had had four children and five years Chantel. So I was it was a crazy time for me. And I had realized that my health had kind of fallen too far down the priority list. But in my mind, I really thought that I didn't have any other option, that as a mom, that was just what was going to be right as being I was trying to be the best at my job, the best at being a wife and a mom. And I, I, I was very active in the community and I thought, OK, yeah, your health is important. Sure. But it's not like I'm being dramatically unhealthy, but really I don't have the time for it. I don't know when am I going to go to the gym, when am I going to count calories and and do all these these things that people are telling me to do. And so eventually I started saying, you know what? Maybe I'm going to start challenging that mindset. Maybe I'm going to flip it and say by prioritizing my health, maybe I'm going to get time back. Maybe all the instead of thinking that this is going to take away time from my day, maybe it's going to actually allow me to give back more. So I started really with first with just doing whole 30 and I did a whole 30 and it worked for me. And I was like, wow, this is great. And then that naturally just led me into intermittent fasting. I kind of started doing it on accident, know I was less hungry. I stopped snacking between meals. I started noticing that I could go longer and elongate that time. And these light bulbs just kept going off on. Wow, everything that I had been told, pack all the snacks, eat as many meals as possible throughout the day. All these things were taking so much time and I am so passionate about sharing it with others because I've seen the difference it's made in my life. It has simplified my really crazy busy life. And I want that for all the overwhelmed moms out there, but all the all the overwhelmed people out there, because our really our health doesn't need to be as complicated as we've made it for the last few decades.
Chantel Ray: So give us some of your because I mean, having six kids under the age of 10, you've got to have some really great systems in place in your home life to make things smoother and simpler. So tell us some of the things that you do that kind of simplify life at home.
Bett Lucas: Definitely. One of the things I really emphasize is know your strengths and your gifts and let go of guilt for the things that you're not good at. So, for example, a way I simplify is I know this sounds really crazy, but I know I'm not good at certain things. And so I've stopped feeling guilty and forcing those things. A great example that I like to laugh about is meal trays. So meal tram's you set them up. They're super thoughtful whether your church sets them up or your school when someone is having a baby or maybe they're going through something hard. I used to force that Chantel used to say, oh I need to do this and I'd feel guilty if I didn't. But you know what, that's not a gift I have. And I had to kind of give up the guilt and that allowed more time for me to give up other things. Other systems I have are my husband and I try not to double handle things. I know I notice a lot of times what spouses will do is they'll say, hey, will you tell so-and-so this? And we started finding we were double handling all the time. And instead it's like, no, if I have something to tell you, I'm going to tell you directly. I'm not going to tell Spencer to tell her. And same goes with my husband. He's not going to tell me to tell so-and-so. Now, it's not that we won't support each other, it's just it saves so much time. The other thing is, is I really try to empower my children. I believe at a very young age, they can help you much more than we give them credit. You know, years and years ago, our ancestors, the kids were working on the farm. They were waking up early. They were doing chores and from a very young age. And so I want my kids to pack their own lunch. I want my kids to be able to when I'm gone someday when they're an adult, to thrive without me. And so a big part of my simplification is also incorporating their help and then knowing that the more I help them, the more I empower my husband, the more help it's going to provide me and simplify my life. And I hear a lot from moms. Oh, I've just so overwhelmed. But yet they're holding control of a lot of the areas of their life and they don't want to let their husband help, let the kids help because they like it a very certain way. And what I've had to figure out, and I'm still imperfect at it, is that the more I let go, the more I empower my husband, the more I empower my kids. Guess what they get better they learn by doing. And you know what? That night out with the girlfriends that I want to do, it's not so hard to do because guess what? I've empowered them for me to be gone at times. And I think that that's the message I really try to share with even stay at home moms, is that we need to empower those around us so that they don't need us in every piece of minutia of our day because you think you want that, but then you never get a break. And I think that's why so many moms feel like they're drowning not just in their health, but in other areas, too.
Chantel Ray: It's funny you say that about the meal train. One of the things that I literally got to the point, because I had so many friends who are either in the hospital or just got done with surgery or they had a baby or someone passed away. And I was doing meals like three to four times a week. And it was really stressing me out. And I was making meals at home and I was packing up and delivering it. And it was you know, it actually started giving me and my husband some fights because he was like, it's dinner time and you're off running around as Mrs. Meal Train. And this is ridiculous. So what I started doing with that is just doing one of two things. The number one thing I do is just on inbreeds. I get the people's address. I have a certain meal that I pick, like I have like a healthy option, like at Zoe's Kitchen. And it's like meat and vegetables. And I know I'm giving them something healthy and something yummy and I just have that same thing and I just go boop boop boop and then add their address and deliver it. So that's one choice where you can always just venmo them, you know, and say I'm tonight, you know, I'm then mowing you money because I know you guys can order wherever you want and that's the easiest way for it to be done. And so they feel like you're still caring about them. But my favorite thing to do is that. It's because it's it really can take you about five minutes, and I do like blessing people with food, like I just feel like it it really does help them. So instead of just being like, this is too overwhelming, I can't do it. That's another option to do because then you can still be a blessing without it causing so much stress to your own family.
Bett Lucas: Totally. I think I think that's such great advice because I think some people think, oh, well, that's not as thoughtful or not as personal. But I'll tell you when I've done that for people, that exact thing that you just that great example, people are like that. Thank you so much. That was such a treat for us. Or, you know, I'll sometimes send a door dash gift card and they're like that. It was so fun picking our dinner. Thank you. And so I think sometimes it's when we let go of the guilt or or let go of something like that, it actually works out just as good as it did before, but relieves all the stress around it, just like you said.
Chantel Ray: Yeah. And you know what? Those are the companies that are doing well, are those companies that are saying, hey, we can still, you know, just delete some of that stress because we all have so much of so much going on. So give us some other healthy tips. I love that one tip that you gave of the kids packing their lunch because it's teaching them what to do. I have my son pack his lunch as well. What else to make your life a little easier.
Bett Lucas: So another tip that I really like and it in it's if any of your followers listen to Kelly Levak, she has a book called Body Love. And one of the tips that she does is really focus on the Fab Four, which is protein, fat, fiber and greens, that your plate should really look like that. And with a busy family and cooking dinner and trying our best to be as healthy as possible, I find that the more we can focus on what we can eat versus what we can't has really helped us. So we always are trying to build our plate around that protein. Right. So if we're having dinner, sure, we still might have a starch for the children and or May and I may choose to have it or may choose not to have it, but I find that really is an easy way to just instead of being like, what are we having for dinner? How are we doing this, saying, OK, what's our protein? And then let's build our plate around that. And then it kind of simplifies your dinner. And it's also simplified it for me because I find the more I do that, the more I find my fasting is easier. I find I have more energy. I'm not saying I can't have this. I can't have this. I'm saying I can have this. And what I've noticed with moms especially is that light bulb goes off because for so long it's like, don't have this, don't have this. And so that's really been another tool that we use a lot is just say, what is our protein and what are we building around it? And and then my next tip is moving your body in the morning, if possible, because it doesn't need to be going to a gym. It doesn't need to be two hours somewhere. But I find for me, as someone who needs to be highly productive in my day, who really wants to be high energy, but is also juggling a lot throughout my day and there's a lot of times unexpected things that pop up and that can be in my career with the kids. If I move first thing in the morning, I'm so much more likely to actually move. And I also find that I've figured out that it's almost like my caffeine because I used to think that I had to have energy to move. Right. I needed if I if I didn't feel like it in the morning, I must be too tired so I shouldn't go. And now I figured out that actually if I go move, I get energy. So it's the opposite mindset. Again, kind of challenging and being bold of what I always thought. I thought I had to have all this energy to go. And what I've started to find is I get all these endorphins and energy for my day by going. And so I'd really encourage someone. If you're feeling foggy or sluggish in your day, just add some movement in the morning if at all possible. And again, it does not need to be two hours in a gym. But if you're like me, it just really starts your day on the right foot and then all throughout the day, you're not like, well, crap, when am I going to go for a run? Oh, when am I going to go to yoga? When I know it's already done. You've done it. And then you can just incorporate movement throughout your day, like go for a walk with a friend or go for it, go to the park with the kids. But that isn't doesn't have to be your, you know, your high intensity exercise. And that's really, really helped me. And that helps me get out of bed too, because sometimes I'm like, oh, I just want to keep sleeping. But if I tell myself by going, I'm going to have. More energy than it helps me get up.
Chantel Ray: Mmm, that's so good. This morning I went to I go to the gym every morning very early, sometimes five a.m., sometimes six a.m. but this morning I hurt my knee a little bit and my knee has been filling up with fluid. And so I was like, I don't think I'm going to work out this morning. And I was like laying there. I was like, my knee is really swollen. I think I should just give it a rest. And then I just started doing some self talk with myself and I was like, you know what? I'm still going to get up. I'm still going to go to the gym. I'm just going to do all upper body. So I don't need to work my knee at all. My knee can still rest. I can still do biceps, triceps and just work my entire upper body. So it's just so important. And I it literally took me about 15 minutes laying in bed, kind of going back and forth. And I it's almost like you felt like, you know, how you have like that angel and the devil on edge totally like going back and forth. And I finally was like, that's it. I'm doing upper body and I'm just so glad I did. Like, I feel so much better. I woke up. It's really important. So tell us, like, what is your routine look like? Like what is the day in the life look like for you?
Bett Lucas: Sure. I love doing Day in the Life. I actually always love hearing other people's too. I think it's fascinating. So a typical day for me is I really like my five a.m. workout class. So it's kind of a strength, high intensity class that I go to. I'm obviously pretty extroverted, so I have figured out that for me, being around other people, even if I'm not talking to them, really is a part of my success and I really enjoy it. We're some people like being alone when they work out. I enjoy that camaraderie, but I also enjoy, I think, the competition too. So I wake up, I do that, I get back and when I get back to the house is usually when the kids are waking up. And because we have six children, a lot of what we do in the morning has already been done the night before. So maybe it's their clothes are already laid out. Maybe it's their lunches already made. If possible. We really try to do as much as possible the night before so that the morning doesn't feel like nine one one crazy. Then we get the kids off to school and then I work. I'm currently working remotely, but I normally do go into an office and travel for my job. And so this year has been a little bit more unique in that. And then during the day, most of my clients are all over the world, but mostly within North America and then my kids get out of school. My intermittent fasting window has buried. So I used to do a midday window. I really found that that worked really well for me and I really want to encourage others. I think so many times people think it has to be an evening window. And I really find for a lot of us that a midday window can be really powerful. And that being my main meal. And I especially like that with being a working mom, I found that that was a good time where I could have a nice solid meal. And I want to kind of challenge people who think it's it's hard to do that with kids at night because they think, oh, my kids are going to see me not eating well. I have my two oldest well, I have five girls, five girls, one son. And I actually like it because I would explain to them, no, my body is done growing. I'm listening to my body. I actually had a really big lunch. So I actually think it encourages positive dialog, not negative dialog, as long as you frame it correctly. But lately, to be honest, I've actually been doing an evening window and I don't know if it's because I'm working from home, but I'm finding my day is so full and so busy lately that I'm really finding that an evening window is just working because I'm just not having as much time. But I would tell you that I probably do prefer a midday window. It just seems to be something where my body responds really well to it. When I was needing to kind of continue, I wasn't in maintenance. I really found good results there as well. And I would encourage someone if they're not seeing good results with an evening window, I think a midday window can be really powerful and isn't talked about as much as it should be.
Chantel Ray: I love that and I love that you are starting your day so early. I, I know there's this book out there. I've never read it because I it's called the five a.m. Club. Have you ever heard of that book.
Bett Lucas: No, but I've read another one. It's a very similar and it's just all about the benefits of waking up.
Chantel Ray: And I never I've never read any of those books because I you know, there's just certain things that you just. Do naturally that you don't have any books on, so for me, building a morning routine and making time for self-improvement is just I've always done it because I've always been a morning person. So for me, you know, it's just who I am. And it's just so it's like any of those, like Myracle Morning or five a.m. club, and that's the way I backslid. Never read any of them, because if I need to read books on what I don't already have a really good strength in, but I'm a friend of mine just read it and they were telling me about it and they're like, it reminded me of you, you know, all the things that you do. But basically the book is that if you want to be successful, you need to give your brain an advantage by waking up at five a.m. because you start your morning and you can kind of do all of your routines first thing. So is there any other routines that you have first thing in the morning that you can tell us about?
Bett Lucas: Yeah. So I also find that my life is pretty loud and I mean like lots of noises coming at me at all times. So by going to my hit class, that doesn't always provide me, I think, the mental space of of quiet. So I do also recommend if people don't have quiet in their day, maybe the morning is a good time to find that quiet. I also enjoy a walk by myself or a run by myself, even though I'm not this huge runner. But I find that it's really important if you have a lot of noise coming at you, if you if you are juggling all the things to find time in the quiet. And maybe that's meditation for you. Prayer for you. I also find it's my idea time. So I've noticed that a lot of highly productive people, CEOs, people that are high performers, they schedule out quiet. And I think that's why so many more people are talking about waking up early, setting time for journaling or however you want to do that. So I think that's another thing that I try to make sure I do, because if I don't, my my life is noise all the time. Right. And then and not just kid noise, but but to do lists and all the things, I think that's that's a really important thing for me. And then I really find it because I am a connector having time, whether it's a date night or something with my husband is really important for me. And I noticed that my cup fills with that. And maybe if it's this week, maybe it's not with my husband, maybe it's a girlfriend. But I find that that can be a really integral part of my week. And when I do that, that also kind of fills my cup. And I believe that if we fill our cups, then we can fill others better. And that's a big part of my message, is that your health journey is not selfish. Your health journey allows you to give back more. And and I know you're like me. I want to give back a lot to this world on my deathbed. I want to be known as someone who gave back to others to my fullest potential. And that's why I think people are being I don't want to say lied to, but we have it wrong that we that your health is selfish, know your health can be one of the most unselfish things we can do. And so you finding those moments that fill your cup, whether it's your workout, whether it's your meditation and prayer time, whether it's a walk with a friend, those things will allow you to give back more to your career, to the community, to your family, whatever is important to you. I believe that with all of my heart.
Chantel Ray: Yeah, and the thing is, you know, I think any one of those books would almost always say, like the first part of your day, you know, should consist of some sort of form of exercise, whether it's walking or, you know, getting your body to sweat, because that's going to allow you to kind of think quicker and help you get going. And then also having some sort of block that has reflection and meditation and writing in your journal, helping you to focus on kind of what you want to get done. I would say the the the two areas I need to spend longer on is writing in my journal, because I think that is just so, so important. But the other piece is just, you know, I do a good job of praying, but I also think it's important to spend time being quiet and listening to what God has for you and him speaking to you in a still small voice as well.
Bett Lucas: I think it's so it's it's so hard in today's day and age because we live in a in a time where it's harder and harder to find that quiet. And especially if you are someone who naturally wants to do all the things, it's really hard. So you do have to kind of really strategically schedule it and make time for it. And I'm like you. It's really easy for that time to kind of slip out of my schedule or to not because it doesn't feel like a to do item is much right. It it's it's harder. But you're so right. It's so important because that's to me is living living the life were called to live, is taking time to listen to our heart because we all have our own unique calling. And if we don't take time to listen to it, we kind of don't know what it is.
Chantel Ray: What is would be your favorite kind of go to meal where you say, when I eat this, I feel like a million bucks and I love it or I go to snack that you would say, you know, this is I almost feel like I'm eating something really bad for me, but it's actually really good for me and I feel great after I eat it.
Bett Lucas: Sure. So I notice when I intermittent fast, I do crave protein more and I don't know if it is due to I'm growing muscle. I don't know what it is, but it's been a really interesting case study of one. So one of my favorite treats that really to me isn't a treat is a boneless hamburger with all the sides, though. I want the onion. I want the tomato. I want the lettuce. I want the cheese. I want the mustard. Like, give me all the things. And to me that feels like such an indulgence but so filling. And I really recommend it. And what I like about it is no matter what restaurant I go to, the healthiest restaurant or what feels like it's a bar, bar, food, I can make that work. I can get a boundless hamburger. It's really easy to find. The other one that I love to break my fast with is good nature. Cottage cheese with some truffle salt. I am such a fan of truffle salt and if you don't have some people, go get it. Because if you're an egg eater, oh my goodness, it's so delicious. It just elevates everything. So those are two of my like really indulgences. I try not to every once in a while by certain I don't have a huge sweet tooth, but I do like to like end my meal sometimes with like a block of dark chocolate. I find that I love like a dark chocolate with like some nut component in it. My only my only downside is that I have three things that can kind of get in the way of my health journey. One is dairy. If I overdo dairy, because I think I was joking with my sister in law last night, I think I could live off cheese. Like, I really don't. I think I could live off cheese. And so I have to really be cautious of how much I have that. But that can be a really nice treat. I have to be cautious of alcohol. I used to really you know, I we were having wine with our dinner a lot. And I've really talked about it a lot on my podcast that I really had to kind of hone that back. And I feel better. I do better. I have better. I work out better. I'm I feel so much better. And I just don't have wine at dinner. So I've really had to bring that back. And then the other one is just cream in my coffee. You know, I used to even when I was fasting within my fasting window, a treat would be some coffee with cream and I'll still do that here and there. But I've really found that if I get rid of the cream, even if it's in my eating window, I do better. And so anyone who may be struggling through some plateaus, I find that that those things are really things that help me.
Chantel Ray: That's awesome. We'll tell listeners where they can find you and where they can follow you.
Bett Lucas: Sure. So I am that Lucas on every platform. I also host a podcast called Living Your Big, Bold Life. And I interview guests on topics of health, career and family. And we emphasize the word bold and not bold in the way of you have to be loud and have big hair and all the things. No, I like that. To me, Bold is listening to that voice that we talked about and really hearing your life's calling and being bold enough to follow it. And maybe that's to take back your health. Maybe that's to run the race. Maybe that's to go for the job, start the company, whatever that may be to you. So please come find me living your big, Bold Life podcast or bet Lucas on Instagram. Facebook, I lead some Facebook groups. Love to have you there. One of them is called Motivate. We just encourage people in their unique health journeys and I enjoy it so much because I am far from perfect. But I love encouraging the best in everyone around me. And and by doing that, I noticed that people encourage the best in me too. So I'd love to connect with all of you. And it's been such an honor to be here.
Chantel Ray: Awesome. And you guys stay tuned, we have another episode coming up in just a few, but bye for now.