04/08/2026
🥹 reading this made me so emotional. I’m so proud of you, Alicia!
Not my normal farm post, but a fun share for you. Just so you can get to know me a little better if you’re new here.
Sitting eating breakfast this morning had me reflecting on some things.
A several years ago, I was at a standstill.
I wasn’t happy—with myself, with my weight, with habits I had….so I devoted myself to being better.
I hired an online fitness coach, (spoiler—she became more than just that. I’ll get to Nina in a minute); I spent HOURS in the gym; counting macros; measuring every tiny thing I consumed; studying labels; educating myself, just trying to get to a place where I was happy in my own skin.
Nina Baez Coaching was recommended to me by a friend, Misty that had stumbled across her. So, of course, I do some digging, though what the hell do I have to lose and then signed up for her 6 week Goal Getter challenge.
Nina taught me about counting macros and not being so hard on myself about food. She gave her favorite brands of some stuff and recommended recipes. Not dieting to lose weight, but conscious eating. I could still eat things I wanted, some were adjusted for healthier options, some just smaller portions of what I really wanted. I cannot say enough wonderful about things about her.
Nina wasn’t just a nutritionist and fitness coach though, she helped my mindset on things more than anything. I haven’t had a plan with her in sometime, but I still replay our conversations when I am suddenly a bit up on the scale or really want that treat. She became a friend that I didn’t know I needed at the time.
One of my favorite things at the time she had shared was the Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin bread. I would toast a piece for breakfast and head out. It felt like cheating, but I had read the label and knew it wasn’t.
Now fast forward, I’ve had my little farm since 2022…..full time since September 2025……I raise a garden and can veggies; I raise our own meat; I milk a cow and goats in the morning; I collect my own eggs; I bake my own cinnamon raisin bread now from my sourdough starter.
Do I spend hours in the gym? Absolutely not. 😂 Is my weight that of a model? Definitely not. Am I counting macros? Frick no. 🫣 Do I think I think I could do better? Ehhh, maybe. 🤷🏼♀️
But now, I see what the difference is, what I was missing before. I needed the knowledge that I gained from Nina. I needed to be able to have a different mindset about food. I NEEDED a space to be happy and grow in that felt different.
I eat real food, fresh food. I work like a crazy person to get everything done in a day. I am fulfilled and happy. Tired at the end of the day, but doing what sets my soul on fire in ways I only dreamed of.
So bread this morning, is so much more to me than just pretty toast, it’s the realization that what was a cheat years ago……was a teaser of life to come. It’s real food made with real ingredients and intention.
