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What's in store for today:

• My top 10 Costco finds...
• Creatine...what's the research say?
• I made a healthy Smashburger recipe 🍔

Hey friend,

I shared this on Facebook a few days ago, but want to share it here as well.

The last couple of years have been hard.

Healthy & Whole has continued to grow and change lives, but behind the scenes I found myself a bit burnt out and unsure of what I wanted to build long-term. So instead of pushing forward full speed ahead, I focused on serving the people already here as well as I possibly could.

But as we head into 2026, something has shifted.

After a lot of reflection, the vision for the future of Healthy & Whole is clearer than it’s ever been — and it’s built around making sustainable health support more accessible, more realistic, and something people can stay connected to for the long haul.

I’m working on something big behind the scenes, and I can’t wait to share it with you soon.

Stay close. 🙂

My Top 10 Costco Finds

These are my top 10 Costco buys that I get on repeat because they are AMAZING, and you can get virtually all of these at a MUCH lower price at Costco than you can at your local grocery like Kroger or Walmart. 

I'll share the prices I paid in warehouse below, but they might not match the website and your pricing may be different in your area!

Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Spray

$13.89 / 2 Spray Cans (In Warehouse)

This is the best oil there is for cooking.  It has a very high smoke point, which means you can cook on very high heat without it getting burnt and breaking down, and it doesn't have any additives that gunk up your cookware.  

Best of all it's almost half the price per can at Costco versus what Walmart charges.  

Bulk Kirkland Pink Salt

$8.99 / 5 lb. Container (In Warehouse)

I've shared a recipe MANY times for the homemade "gatorade" aka hydration cocktail that we teach to our clients to optimize their daily hydration and energy.  The foundation of that recipe is...Pink Himalayan Salt (or sea salt).  

At Costco you can get a massive container of this pink salt for a fraction of the cost of buying at your local grocery like Kroger or Walmart.  

Real Good Foods Chicken Tenders

$17.58 / 3 lb. Bag (In Warehouse)

These are the best on the market at the moment when it comes to protein per calorie ratio in a chicken tender or nugget.  There really isn't anything else that comes close with this much protein while staying as low in calorie per serving as the Real Good Chicken Tenders.  

Kevin's Natural Foods Meal Pack

$14.99 / 2 lb. (In Warehouse)

I just recently tried these, and they are surprisingly good.  Many of them come in between 50% and 65% protein, which makes them a nice base to build a healthy meal around.  

I recently bought the Roasted Garlic Chicken, and paired it with Banza pasta for a pasta dish that was over 40% protein, and it fed the entire family 💪🏻

Jones Dairy Chicken Breakfast Sausages

$14.99 / 3 lb. Bag (In Warehouse)

I've been buying these for years now.  They are an amazing chicken breakfast sausage, with excellent flavor, and they come in at right around 44% protein, which is great protein content for a sausage product.  I pair 3 of these sausage links, with a couple of whole eggs, and 2-3 pieces of keto toast all the time for an amazing breafast meal.  

Goodles Mac + Cheese

$18.15 / 6 pack (In Warehouse)

This mac + cheese isn't lifechanging, but it IS higher protein than other mac + cheese products, which means that you can pair it with a lean protein like the Real Good Chicken Tenders for a super satisfying meal.  

Banza Pasta

$11.34 / 3 lb. Box

This is a great chickpea based pasta that is a little higher in protein than standard pasta.  I use it as the base in MOST of the pasta recipes in the Helathy & Whole Cookbook because it's easy to find just about anywhere.  At Costco you can get a massive box for a great price.  

The One Bean Roasted Edamame

$6.18 / 18 oz. Bag (In Warehouse)

I shared this product in a past newletter and it is one of my favorite Salty Crunchy snacks.  If you like snacking on peanuts, these roasted and salted edamame beans have a nutty flavor and great crunch and they come in right around 50% protein, which makes them a great protein snack.  

Kirkland Chicken Bone Broth

$22.69 / 6 x 32 oz. Cartons (In Warehouse)

Bone broth is what I use as the base for all of my soup recipes in The Healthy & Whole Cookbook.  Yes, regular chicken or beef broth is low calorie, but BONE broth is mostly made up of collagen protein.  Using bone broth instead of regular broth adds extra protein to recipes and collagen is a great addition to any recipe.  

Protein Shakes - Premiere Protein + Nurri

$36.31 / 18 Count Premiere Protein Shakes (In Warehouse)

$22.69 / 12 Count Nurri Protein Shakes (In Warehouse)

There are a lot of different brands of protein shakes that you can buy at Costco, but these two are my favorite.  We use both of these as ready to drink snacks, as creamer in our coffee, and we use them to make Protein Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami.  

🧠 Supplement Spotlight: Creatine

(What the Research Actually Shows)

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements on the planet, yet it’s still widely misunderstood — especially outside of bodybuilding circles.

Here’s what the science consistently shows 👇

💪 Strength, Muscle & Metabolism Support

Creatine increases phosphocreatine stores in muscle, which helps regenerate ATP (your cells’ main energy source).

What this means in real life:

• Increased strength and power output

• Better performance in resistance training

• Improved ability to maintain muscle during fat loss

👉 Research consistently shows creatine supports lean mass retention during calorie deficits — a huge win for sustainable weight loss.

🧠 Brain Health & Cognitive Benefits

Creatine isn’t just stored in muscle — it’s also used by the brain.

Studies show creatine may:

• Improve short-term memory and cognitive processing

• Reduce mental fatigue (especially during stress or sleep deprivation)

• Support neurological health as we age

This is one reason creatine is now being studied for older adults, vegetarians, and high-stress populations, not just athletes.

🔥 Does Creatine Cause Fat Gain or Water Weight?

This is one of the biggest myths.

• Creatine does not increase body fat

• Initial weight gain (if any) is from intramuscular water, not bloating or fat

• That water is stored inside the muscle cell, which can actually improve strength and training quality

For most people, scale weight stabilizes quickly — and body composition improves.

❤️ Safety & Long-Term Use

Creatine is one of the safest supplements ever studied.

Research shows:

• No negative effects on kidney function in healthy individuals

• Safe for long-term daily use

• Well-tolerated across ages and genders

The International Society of Sports Nutrition considers creatine safe and effective when used appropriately.

✅ Practical Takeaway

If you:

• Lift weights

• Want to preserve muscle while losing fat

• Want better training performance

• Care about long-term brain and metabolic health

👉 Creatine is one of the highest ROI supplements you can take.

Simple dosing:

• 3–5g per day

• No loading phase required

• Take it whenever you’ll remember (timing matters far less than consistency)

I Made A Healthy Smashburger 🍔

While hunkered down for a snowstorm, I decided to buy an electric griddle to try my hand at making a healthy, high protein, lower calorie smash burger. 

And well...let's just say...it was a huge success.  Best $50 I ever spent 🙌🏻 

Single Serving Recipe Makes 1 Smashburger:

• 383 Calories Per 1 smashburger
• 52% Protein
• 20% Carbohydrate
• 50 Grams Protein
• 20 Grams Net Carbohydrate

- Keto Hamburger Bun (We used Better Goods from Walmart)
- 6 Oz. 96% Extra Lean Ground Beef (We used Great Value)
- 1 Slice Fat Free Singles American Cheese (We used Great Value)
- 1 Onion Ring (We used Great Value)
- 2 Tablespoons No Sugar Added Barbecue Sauce (We used Sweet Baby Rays)

1. Put one onion ring into the air fryer or the oven to cook.  We used Great Value Onion Rings so they cook for 8-9 minutes at 360 degrees in the air fryer.  

2. Split your 6 ounces of 96% lean ground beef into two 3 oz. servings and roll each one up into a ball so that you have two 3 ounce balls of lean ground beef.

3. Preheat your griddle to 350 degrees and spray lightly with a high temperature oil such as avocado oil.  You'll now the griddle is ready when it sizzles if you touch the meat to the griddle.  

4. Before adding the meat to the griddle I recommend dry toasting your buns, so place your buns onto the hot griddle to toast one side of the top and bottom to your liking, then flip and toast the other side of them, then take of the griddle and set them aside.  This happens pretty quickly so pay attention and don't walk away or they may burn.  

5. Next,  place one of your 3 oz. lean ground beef balls onto the hot griddle and use a burger press with either parchment paper or a silicone pressing pad to smash the burger down into a thin burger patty about 25% larger in diameter than your burger buns.  Then repeat for the remaining 3 oz. beef patty.  The parchment paper or silicone pad between the burger press and the meat helps to keep the patty from sticking to the burger press and coming apart when you lift the press.  The burgers will shrink a little as they cook.  

6. Cook for 2-3 minutes then flip each of the patties and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until done to your liking.  When they are almost done put one slice of fat free American cheese singles on top of one of your patties, then place the remaining patty on top of the cheese making a double smashburger stack. 

7.  Now it's time to plate the burgers.  I put one tablespoon of barbecue sauce on the bottom part of the bun, then I add my double smashburger and cheese stack on top of the bottom sauced bun, then I add another tablespoon of barbecue sauce on top of the burgers, then I add my air fried onion ring, and lastly I add the top bun.  

8. That's it!  Enjoy!

A Quote To Finish Your Week Strong

“If people don't believe in you, there are two choices: shrink and go away or become undeniable.” 

— Cameron Hanes, Author of Undeniable

When you're ready, here's how I can help:

If you're looking to lose weight sustainably while building a flexible lifestyle that you enjoy, I can help.   Apply for coaching here in the Healthy & Whole Mentorship Program.  

Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.