They say that life can change in a blink of an eye. I couldn’t agree more. Within two weeks of conceiving you, your presence was made known; loud and clear. Even though you haven’t reached earth-side yet, you my love have already left a print in my heart ❤️ teaching me some of life’s hardest lessons. Lesson #1: The art of letting go. Whether it’s letting go of what once was, or of one’s schedule, or of expectations and standards for oneself, or even of one’s responsibilities around the house and in business. Sometimes you just got to stop resisting and face the fact that you don’t have it all together and trust that the world isn’t going to fall apart, that you will be okay. Before I had you growing inside of me, the thought of napping, or missing a workout, or intentionally avoiding vegetables was all so foreign. But when the extreme nausea and vomiting leaves you so weak and frail, there is no amount of willpower that can enable you to get up off the bed. Your momma tried baby girl, I really did. I use to think deadlifting 225lbs off the ground was a piece of cake. Now my biggest victory is when I can stand upright long enough to bathe myself. Lesson #2: The struggles you will encounter in life will often last longer than you want or expected, but this too shall pass. There will always be a bright light at the end of the tunnel, you may need to search for the silver lining in the midst of pain, suffering, and grieving, but some of life’s most precious lessons can be learned in these dark times. Lesson #3: You can always choose gratitude. No one or circumstance can take this away from you. Baby girl, I want you to know how much you are already loved by individuals that haven’t even laid eyes on you yet. Your daddy especially. He had been working around the clock making sure that you are receiving the nutrients you need, and I’m so sorry that majority of it has ended up in the toilet. I can’t believe you already trained him to style momma’s hair and do her laundry 😉 He’s going to be great at making sure you look as cute as can be 🥰 April cannot come sooner 🌺 keep growing baby girl, we are in this together 💕 #rainbowbaby #pregnancy #hyperemesis

How do you like my new purse studded with sesame seeds ☺️ In fact this bread is called Ka’ak aka “Lebanese Purse Bread” DYK sesame seeds are a good source of calcium, magnesium, zinc and 2 plant compounds known as lignans and phytosterols which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol! My favourite way to enjoy sesame seeds is in the form of Chinese black sesame sweet soup! What about yourself???

Grilled sea bass with Asian flare 😋

Ketchup Stir-Fry Shrimp! A family favourite. Don’t knock it until you try it!

Finally got to cook this meal! Had planned on making this miso glazed black cod for valentines dinner but was too sick and went to sleep at 7pm instead 🙈 Anyone else love the butteriness and sweetness of black cod?

Spinning into a new week ☀️

Just like that, it’s been 6 months since we said our vows to commit to one another for the rest of our lives - for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. It was a difficult winter season but I’m so grateful that the spring season brought us some sunshine and travel adventures.

We meet once again gluten… oh how I’ve missed you so much the last 15 years. Eating my way through Portugal 😊 #lisboa #sintra #cascais #porto

Vegan Pastel de nata?! First in Lisbon! Haven’t had these custard tarts in years because of my adult onset egg allergy 😭 Thank you @vegannata.pt for making my last day in Portugal so memorable. And thank you Miguel, for comparing the pastel from @manteigaria.oficial to the @vegannata.pt 😊

Let’s make a refreshing orange spritzer 🍊 Watch until the end 😅

Porto 🇵🇹 You will forever have a sweet spot in my heart ❤️ #port #portwine #portandtonic #sardines #Gaia #dourovalley #matosinhos #livrarialello

Who needs skittles or m&ms when you have fruit 😋 all for only 6 euros

4 months since I touched the pole…

The last 3 months have been filled with anticipation, excitement, crippling fear, heartache & gratitude. Never would I have imagined myself to be that 2% who experience a “missed miscarriage” at 12 weeks. I’m reminded though that pain & suffering in life is never meaningless - this is my story and learnings. First, our lives are like rollercoasters. There are ups and downs and it’s easier to just let go, than to clench and resist. The earlier we realize this fact, the easier it is to accept the storms in our life and know that it’s not something we did, or deserve but rather it is just simply part of life. Second, I’m glad we shared with close friends and family that we were expecting. Even telling Belle & Timmy that they would finally have a cousin. Having loved ones check in on us daily reassured me that even though some days I was incapacitated, everything was going to be okay. We had people we could count on to prepare us food, pray for us, and just listen to me complain of how miserable I felt 🙈 these were the same ones who showed up to our doorsteps when we found out our loss. No one should ever, ever have to do this on their own. Third, I have come to accept that it is okay to ask for help. That I don’t have to have it all together. Miguel, thank you for becoming my full time caregiver and I’m sorry that our happy newly wed phase was cut short. With love you answered ALL my requests like - please grab me the water bottle that is 1 ft away from me and 10 ft away from you, to showering me, to diffusing my hair, to cooking, to cleaning up after my episodes of🤮, to carrying me from our bed to the couch so I could work, to just holding me as I cried. Fourth, never schedule ultrasounds on a weekend. Fifth, make sure you are as healthy as can be cause you never know how shitty your diet may become or what food actually makes it past your stomach when pregnant. Hormones trump all head knowledge. For 2 months I lived off diluted apple juice, toast, broth, and ripe papaya. Lastly, At the end of every storm is a rainbow, but it is up to you to choose to look for it 🌈 can’t wait to rejoice and dance with you in heaven one day my precious angel.

Scallops cooked 2-ways with trout roe, sun choke and the most delicious foam 35 day aged sirloin steak cooked to perfection paired with maiitake 🍄 and chimichurri Trio Cheese platter with honey comb. The Petit Basque which is a pasteurized sheep cheese imported from France was magnifique and gorgeous! #anniversarydinner #finedining #oakville #glutenfree

Ferrero Ice Cream Cake covered in Ruby Cocoa Chocolate Gifted to my friends. Sorry Miguel 😅#valentines #dessert #glutenfree

❤️

Let’s make Asian beef stew flavoured with onions, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, fish sauce, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, star anise, and cloves.

Prosperity Toss Salad 🥢 The Natividad-Li way ✌️ Cold smoked salmon Cucumber Pickled daikon radish Rainbow carrots Bean sprouts Red pomelo Loose leaf lettuce Vegetable Chips Drizzled with Sweet Ginger Calamansi Vinaigrette

GF Pasta with garlic infused walnut oil and lots of basil!

Let’s make a traditional Vegetarian Chinese New Year dinner entree aka “Jai” #chinesenewyear #yearofthetiger

Today is a good day, and I’m going to cherish every second of it 😊 ☀️

Can never go wrong with home cooked Chinese food 🥢 Steamed Sea Bream with ginger and scallion Braised soy pork ribs with Chinese shiitake

Just wanna dance 💜

This Hami Melon tastes just like Melona!!!

A symphony of mushrooms 🍄 #risotto

Got to challenge myself once a season with #pdjallegra

Just wanna dance 💃

Thank you God for this beautiful snow day 🏂

Let’s make some kimchi fried rice!!!

Let’s blend!!! I like to keep my smoothies simple. No added veggies cause tbh I prefer eating them and not blending them and interfering with the flavours of my passion fruit and dragonfruit 💁🏻‍♀️

An assortment of inari aka sushi rice stuffed into tofu pouches marinated in sweet soy. So yummy 🤤 I garnished the inari with buttered corn, sashimi salmon, shrimp & avocado, grilled halloumi, julienned cucumber and kimchi & kewpie mayo!

Time to fly into the work week ✨

A few of my favourite meal creations recently! What have you been cooking up in your kitchen?

Dancing the work week blues away

Finally got a mirror 🪞

A quick snapshot of my most memorable meals of 2021 💜

💜

Cheers to a Mushroom Feast 🍄

Merry Christmas y’all ❤️

Wishing everyone a very merry & safe Christmas 🎄

A few of my favourite festive salads from the last week - Broccoli Salad, Kale Salad 2 ways, Arugula Salad Which recipe do you want me to share?

Feels like summer again!

Move your body daily 💃 🕺

Movement is medicine 💪

Napa Cabbage and Konjac Noodles Stir-Fry All you need is: 1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded 4 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 tbsp grated ginger 200g Konjac noodles 1 tbsp soy sauce Pinch white pepper

11.27.2021 A❤️M Thank you @pepstudios.co for capturing our special day.

It’s been too long… my body feels so outta shape 😭

308 days since I met you, and now we are husband and wife ☺️

Love me some Christmas music ☺️ 🎄

Persimmons anyone?!

Still adjusting to the shorter ceiling heights 😬 #polelife

A selection of pasture raised, grass-fed, sustainable seafood straight to your front door? Yes please 🙌🏻 TY @northernraisedmeats Use code AMANDA15 for $15 off your first order!!!

The body soreness when you’ve taken a hiatus from pole 😭

It’s been awhile 💜

Having allergies to wheat and eggs suck 😭 but I’m grateful for companies like @justegg and @scharglutenfree These two products have literally blown me away 🤯

It’s Friday 💁🏻‍♀️ time to dance away!

Quick dance flow to end the work day 💜

Letting Adele’s voice take me away 💫

Easy on me 🎶

It’s been a while 💜

Thanksgiving weekend with my family in beautiful British Columbia 🍁

Monday blues

Salmon migration 🐟 🎣

Just dance 💃

Grilled cheese 🧀

Roasted cauliflower and quinoa salad to keep your bones strong and healthy! Did you know your peak bone mass is reached at around 30 years of age? After that you can only slow the progression of bone loss through diet and resistance training!

🌟

Ice cream truck creation you gotta try especially if you like orange creamsicle!

Dragontail 🐉

Blueberry 🫐 colour was this weekend’s theme! DYK, Blueberries have high amounts of anthocyanins, a group of powerful and extremely beneficial antioxidants for human health. Anthocyanins’ role is to absorb the ultraviolet (UV) light and create this dark blue/purple unique color, which will attract bees for pollination. The longer the berries are under the sun, the higher the concentration of anthocyanins they will have, and therefore the darker the color of the berry’s flesh will be.

Quick Friday pole spin 💁🏻‍♀️

#backtoschool lunchbox edition featuring Japanese tuna rice balls 🍙

September…

Early Birthday feast with the book club girls. Needless to say we all had a food coma afterwards. But our mouths were exploding with flavours 🥳

It’s a peachy day 🍑

Spam Musubi. Perfect for lunchboxes and as a beach snack

One last dance before heading to the cottage ☀️

Trust that the future can be beautiful even if it’s different than what you were expecting 🌸 - @morganharpernichols

What’s your go-to beverage in the morning, after a big glass of water of course 💁🏻‍♀️ My favourite is a chai tea or matcha latte followed by coffee with lots of frothed milk and a drizzle of condensed milk ☺️

The internal dialogue I have while dancing 🙈 #poledance #poledancers #dancing #splits #flexibility #movementismedicine #exercisemotivation

Fresh rolls in the making. One of my favourite meals to make on a hot summer day ☀️

Wednesday mood #dancing #splits #summervibes

Baked edamame and broccoli with sesame ginger vinaigrette Toss together: 2 cups frozen broccoli 🥦 1 cup frozen organic edamame 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari 1 tsp grated ginger root Bake or air fry for 400F for 10 minutes. #wellnesssimplified #quickmeals #plantbased #sheetpan #glutenfree

Monday vibes #dance #justdance #splits #flexibilitygoals #movement

🌻 @campbellscrossfarms #summervibes #beauty #ontario #caledon #farm #loveisallyouneed

Iced Coffee with Almond Milk and 1/2 shot agave

💜 #dancing #fitness #movementismedicine #strengthtraining

Amped Up Tuna Salad My favourite lunch time Recipe. For a plant based version, swap the Tuna with extra firm minced Tofu! @riomare @bubbiespickles #wellnesssimplified #lunchtime #paleo #glutenfree #vegetarian #highfibre

Lemon Blueberry Fruit Bottom Yogurt Cups 2 cups wild blueberries Zest of one lemon 🍋 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp chia seeds 2 cups plain yogurt #wellnesssimplified #cookingathome #kidapproved #breakfast #makeahead #glutenfree

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” #dancing #poledance #polefitness #polepassion #pdbrassmonkey