Does discipline win over motivation?

I recently read an article that struck a nerve with me.

It was written by a fighter pilot and the topic was motivation and discipline.  His viewpoint was that discipline trumps motivation every time.

The fighter pilot said that when it's time to run head first into the enemy you don't feel motivated to do it.  After all you're full of fear and would rather turn and run the other way.  He said rather it's discipline that's so important at this moment. It's the discipline you've developed, your knowledge on the subject, the training and practice. You know what you have to do so you simply do it.



As I read this piece I felt immediately drawn to what he was saying. I realized that although he was referring to war time battle, the same principle applies to just about every area of our lives.

In fact, for many areas of our lives if we only relied on how motivated we felt to do something, nothing would get done.  Am I right?!

I see this often in my private coaching.  Women come to me feeling motivated to make a change. They are tired of the way they look and feel. They know they need a change and at first the prospect of it all is really exciting. 

They feel motivated to do something different.

But then reality begins to set in and the truth is changing the way you eat isn't always a straight, easy road. At this point discipline has to step in and take over. Otherwise you find yourself right back where you started.

When I had  adult acne  so severe that nothing I tried was working,  I began to look at my issue for what it was.
A sign of a deeper rooted problem that needed to be solved.

This is when I decided to change the way I was eating to bring restoration and healing to my body and therefore, ultimately heal my skin.

Motivation didn't play much of a role during this process. Initially, I felt motivated by the prospect of clearer skin but that quickly faded. One thing to understand about using food as medicine, is the results are not always immediate. Obviously, this can feel frustrating. 

More than that is what others around you see.

To my friends and family, the dietary changes I made, seemed extreme (although they really weren't).

People wondered if I was nourishing my body properly. I began to feel a bit of a stigma because I wasn't eating what everyone else was. The biggest struggle was that my skin didn't clear overnight and as it was healing it went through a few purging stages. You know the old adage, "Things get worse before they get better"?  In my case I experienced this. Therefore to those around me it appeared that all my efforts were in vain.


During these times I didn't feel motivated to keep pushing forward and pursue my goal.  In fact, at times I felt downright defeated.  Was I completely crazy?!  This entire process required discipline on my part.  I knew what I needed to do or I would never know the real results.  If I quit half way through I would never realize the truth.

Worse, if I gave in to temptation or peer pressure to be normal and do what everyone else was doing, I'd have to start back at square one.  I had to be disciplined everyday to follow the plan I laid out for myself.



Motivation is overrated.

If you want to accomplish real changes in your life, you have to develop discipline. 

For many of us, this is a struggle to handle on our own.  We need guidance and accountability. 

Ready to take that step towards clearer skin and better health?  Click here and I'll be in touch with you real soon.




Here's the link to the article I referenced http://www.businessinsider.com/top-gun-pilot-dave-berke-discipline-2017-7

 

When I was in high school, my cousin was married to this beautiful Italian woman. I admired her in  many ways, including her cute figure. 

She ate well and exercised regularly.  However, at one point she had put on 10 extra lbs. She was still incredibly beautiful, but to her the extra weight had to go. She lost it by following the cabbage soup diet.

Remember that diet? You eat nothing but this cabbage soup for two weeks and you drop weight quickly. 

Well, the idea of losing 10 lbs quickly REALLY appealed to me so I ventured to try it.

My results? Crash and burn....... I didn't even last a day. By the evening of the first night on the diet I felt incredibly sick and nauseous. I remember going to eat pizza with a friend that night and feeling I had failed miserably. 

It's not uncommon that I get asked my opinion on varying diets for weight loss. As of late, the buzz I've been getting is Keto. Is it worth it? What do I think of it? Choosing to follow a diet plan for weight loss is a personal decision. Therefore, rather than address any specific diet, I'd like to share with you 3 questions to ask yourself before following a diet plan for weight loss. 

But first, keep this in mind; any drastic shift in your normal eating patterns is going to be difficult. It's one reason I believe dieting in the traditional sense fails so many people. Slow and steady usually wins the race, and in my experience this is equally true for weight loss. 

If you've followed me for awhile, then you know I am not a fan of dieting in the traditional sense. Diets are typically not sustainable, they can be difficult to implement and to make matters worse, they leave you feeling as if you've failed. When in all actuality the diet failed you. 

 In my opinion, the keto diet is no less difficult to implement than the cabbage soup diet. 

Before considering following a diet plan for weight loss keto diet  ask these 3 questions.

1. Will you be able to stick with it long term? It's a falsehood to believe that you can follow a diet "temporarily" just to drop the weight and then you'll be able to keep the weight off. Rarely does it work out that way. If it did the diet industry wouldn't be the $78 billion industry it is today. 
2. Does this diet plan require you to eliminate or drastically reduce a macronutrient? Macronutrients are proteins, carbohydrates and fats. In turn, does this diet require you to rely heavily on one macro? 
3. Does this diet fit into your lifestyle or will you need to adjust your lifestyle to fit it? Consider factors such as how often you are at home to cook, do you travel a lot for work and rely heavily on restaurant food, etc. 

All of that being said, here are a few thoughts I have on keto:

1. Any diet that requires you to extremely restrict a macronutrient, in this case carbohydrates, you should proceed with extreme caution. Women need carbohydrates, just as we need fat and protein. 
2. The Keto diet tends to rely heavily on fatty processed meats, such as bacon, and copious amounts of dairy. Keto recipes I have seen typically include large amounts of cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese.... oh and then put some bacon on it! You get my drift.  This much dairy in the body leads to excess inflammation and inflammation is the root of all disease. 
3. Any diet that requires you to measure your vegetable in take is a no go for me. If you are told you can only eat a 1/2 cup of broccoli with dinner, run the other way. The reality is most of us do not get enough fruits and vegetables into our bodies. Another truth is it is really difficult to overconsume cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, and dark leafy greens. They take awhile to chew. This coupled with the fact that they are full of vitamins, minerals, nutrients and fiber means you will get full long before you have overconsumed. 

Do women drop weight following a keto diet? I have seen it happen. I personally know women who have done it. Again, my word of caution about dieting in the traditional sense, is NOT that you won't initially drop weight. You can and probably will. The caution is what happens when the diet is over? 

Here are 3 great questions to ask yourself before beginning any diet plan: 

1. Is this method of eating sustainable long term?
2. Does this method of eating require me to eliminate or drastically reduce one macronutrient or the other? Macronutrients are protein, fat and carbohydrates.
3. What will I do when I can no longer follow this diet plan? How will I ensure that I won't simply gain the weight back that I lost? 

 

Have you ever wondered about the role of fragrance in your skincare products?

For years and years I didn't care if fragrance was in my skincare products.  In fact, quite the opposite was true. If my skincare products smelled good they were all the more enjoyable to use.



Nowadays its a different story.  After researching and learning the truth I've wisened up a bit. I no longer choose a product based on its flowery scent.

Here's why:

Fragrance is a non-essential ingredient that is often added to pull you - the consumer - in. 

It's Marketing 101. Make a product smell nice and people will want to buy it.  

Unfortunately, while fragrance may make a product smell nice it can lead to potential problems. 

Some of you may know that you have a fragrance allergy and you are already avoiding fragrance in your skin care products. If so that's fantastic. 

However, for some having fragrance added to a product seems like a non-issue. If there is no visible physical reaction all must be well, right?

Maybe not. 

Fragrance compounds are sensitizers meaning you can develop a sensitivity or allergy to it over time. Just because you don't find that product irritating to your skin now, doesn't mean you won't later down the road. 

Fragrance compounds are also co-sensitizers. This means that you're more likely to become sensitive to other ingredients in the product simply because fragrance is included. 

Products with fragrance can lead to or exasperate rosacea, acne flare-ups, and dryness.  Who wants that? 

Are products with fragrance ever okay to use? 

The only time I am okay with fragrance being in a skin care product is if it's in a cleanser and listed as the very last ingredient.

Because you don't leave cleanser on your face you are less likely to develop a problem. However, be sure you are properly rinsing after cleansing. Rinse, rinse and rinse again. You want to remove all traces of cleanser from your face before moving on to the next step in your skincare routine.  This is true whether or not your cleanser contains fragrance. Rinse and rinse again. 

Oh and that micellar water you love that is marketed as a no rinse formula? Sorry, but you have to rinse that cleanser as well. 



Always keep a close eye on your skin. If you see any signs of irritation or feel a stinging or burning sensation, I recommend you stop using that product and find a replacement that is fragrance-free. 

It's unfortunate that some skin care companies make incredible formulations and then add fragrance. I encourage you to check your products to see if fragrance is listed as one of the ingredients. 

Is your current skincare routine comprised of products that contain fragrance? Leave a comment and let me know!                                                                            




 

Lately I've been seeing an increasing number of women post about their acne on various social media channels. The most frequent posts have been in a number of private Facebook groups I belong to.

Responses include

• skin care recommendations
• cutting back on exercise
• getting enough sleep
• cutting out gluten/dairy
• reducing stress
• using progesterone creams
• collagen supplements
• essential oils

And the list goes on.......  

Some of them, like getting enough sleep, are quite valuable.

The trouble is the causes of acne vary, and the solutions must address the cause. There are different types of acne, and they require targeted treatment methods.

Even advice given with the best of intentions could be counter-productive if it doesn't fit the situation. In other words, it's easy to be given the right answer to the wrong problem.

A supplement or herbal treatment may greatly help your friend's acne. She then encourages you to take the same supplement and your acne becomes worse.

Honestly, acne is just too complex to be taking advice at random. And because acne takes some time to heal, it can even be a struggle to define what is working and what isn't working.

What's the solution, then?


The Last Course on Acne by Fran Kerr of High on Clear Skin 

I met Fran Kerr when I was working to heal my own adult acne. I had made some nutritional changes that were helping the appearance of my acne but I couldn't completely shake it. Fran offered me further guidance and I experienced greater improvement.

Fran has been helping women heal their acne for 10 years. She has put together the benefits of her research and education into a one stop shop, online course.  

Are you tired of struggling with acne?
Do you want to break free from feeling as if you have to hide your face from the world?
Are you ready to be in the picture and no longer behind the camera?
Are you confused about what supplements you should be using OR not be using to heal your acne?
Are you ready to discover how to find the right skin care to help the appearance of your acne?



If you answered yes to any of these questions then this course may be right for you.

Click here to check out ALL the benefits The Last Course on Acne offers. 

Note: There are affiliate links in this post. If you choose to make  a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I value myself and feel would be of benefit to you. Thank you for your support. 

 

Here come the doughnuts! There goes my diet plan!

How many times have you begun a nutrition plan or diet only to have someone bring doughnuts to your office or home?

You have the best intentions and you're certain your willpower will hold out this time. After all your beach trip is only a few, short weeks away, and you want to look good in your swimsuit!

Usually this is where the bargaining begins. You have a debate with yourself. You reason that you've been so good on your diet so you choose to indulge a little. Everyone else is, why should you be the only one left out? So you take a delicious doughnut, or two, and decide that tomorrow is a new day and you'll eat perfectly tomorrow.

Does this situation sound familiar? Maybe it's not doughnuts for you but chips and salsa, or ice cream? Whatever "it" is doesn't really matter. What does matter how you feel afterward -- as a wimp with no willpower.

I'm going to share with you a secret: willpower has nothing to do with it.

In my days of constantly chasing weight loss and experimenting with different diets this scenario was common place for me. I see the scenario daily on social media. It's usually portrayed with clever memes or a gif but, nevertheless, the guilt-trip is the same - success comes from willpower, and if you only had more of it you'd be successful.

Why does this cycle happen and how can it be stopped?


Willpower is highly overrated. It's a word we frequently use and see yet, if asked, I'm guessing most of us would have trouble defining it. It almost feels like a mystical factor that needs to be harnessed in order to have power over food.

I'll say it again. A lack of willpower is not most people's problem.

Take the focus off of willpower and instead put it on decisions, habits and discipline.

Dieting doesn't work in the long run and I'm not a fan.

• It doesn't last
• it isn't a sustainable way of eating and
• it often leaves your body lacking nutritionally

Instead, of dieting for weight loss, nourish your body through whole food nutrition.

Add to that balance. Balance in life liberates us from cycles of defeat.

Take that box of doughnuts that just walked into your office. Everybody is partaking. When you do not you create at least two unproductive, self-defeating circumstances. First, you put the entire office on notice that you are "trying to lose weight." Every day after that someone (at least one) will ask how is the diet going? How much weight have you lost? Odds are the person you find most annoying will be the one who asks most often. You have put your waistline in the spotlight, center stage. That's pressure you neither want nor need.
The second self-defeating and unproductive circumstance you create when turning down a doughnut while everyone else is indulging is the "apple in the Garden of Eden" effect. The more you tell yourself "No," the stronger the attraction and urge to partake. Who wants that battle?

There's a better way, and you can embark on that way now; before the doughnuts-in-the-office challenges. Decide to change the way you eat. It is your decision. You are in control. You are the master of your destiny.

The first step is to write down why you're changing the way you eat. This can't be a simple blanket statement, such as, "I'd like to lose 10 lbs." Why do you want to lose 10 lbs? What will losing 10 lbs do for you? How will your life be different once those 10 lbs are gone? You need to answer these questions and you need to write it down.

The women I work with complete that exercise with precision and clarity. They know specifically what they want, and they know the reason behind it.


Furthermore, what you want to change has to be of greater importance than the food you want to indulge in.

When I decided to heal my acne through nutrition I learned that I needed to eliminate certain foods that were not serving my body. Unfortunately, these were foods I really didn't want to let go of. A part of me felt I needed these foods to be content. I teeter-tottered and struggled with committing to a decision for a long time, and my results showed it. My face would clear, and then I would revert to eating as I always had, and my acne would come back.

It wasn't until I became utterly dissatisfied with my appearance that I successfully eliminated certain destructive foods, and replaced those with foods that were helping my body. Now I no longer miss those old foods. But initially what kept me on track was realizing why I made the decision.

You may want to lose 5 lbs, but what that requires may not be something you want to do. The 5 lbs, you rationalize, isn't that uncomfortable to live with. Do you understand where I'm going with this? Your "why" has to be bigger than anything else. When that happen it is no longer a "should do" decision, but rather a "want to" choice. It is always easier to do what you want to do that what you should do. Granted, discipline will be necessary because motivation and drive don't always hang around long.

The final component to this is to recognize that they are physiological things, completely outside your control, that take place in the body when you change the way you eat. If you're craving something, or feel you lack self-control with certain foods (especially with highly refined carbohydrates), there is a reason. This is where one-on-one coaching will carry you to success.

Reach out to me right now. Let's have a complimentary conversation. Take the first step to becoming who you want to be.

Did you know stress is one of the top 5 factors contributing to your acne?

Think about it. How many times have you had a huge breakout appear right before a special event?

How about break outs that show up before a job interview?

When healing acne you must look at the whole picture and stress is definitely apart of it.

Obviously, it's important to reduce our stress levels. I don't think anyone would argue that going through life while constantly worrying is a productive, healthy way to live. The problem is it would be impossible to completely eliminate all stress from our lives. I don't care who you are you deal with stress to some extent on a regular basis.


Stress doesn't only revolve around big, life issues. Although that can definitely be apart of it. It's also the smaller things that lead to stress and sometimes I think these may be worse. These little issues are easier to ignore and therefore they can build upon each other until you have a mound of stress.

What exactly happens when we are stressed that would cause a breakout? There are a few factors.

• Stress affects your gut
  • 70 % or more of your immune system lies in your gut
  • 90% of your happy hormone, serotonin, is made in the gut
• Stress leads to impaired digestion and optimal digestion is necessary for clearer skin

Bottom line: You need a healthy gut to have clear, healthy looking skin. An imbalance in the gut leads to too much inflammation in the body and acne is a form of inflammation.

There's not much refuting this these days. I've even been noticing skin care companies that make acne specific products, discussing the relationship between the health of our gut and the health of our skin.

The irony here is the more acne you get the more stressed you may become.

I remember thinking when my acne was at its height, that if my face would clear, I could finally get a handle on my stress levels. Waking up everyday to a red, inflamed and pimple-covered face automatically put me in high stress mode.

Since it's impossible to eliminate all stress from your life, what can be done?

I believe there are three actions.

The first is, increase your resilience -- and it isn't complicated. Three resolutions will immediately help:

1. get adequate sleep each night -- 8-9 hours are recommended
2. eat a whole foods based nutritious diet
3. exercise regularly 

The second action to eliminate stress is let go of things you have no control over. Stressing over issues we cannot control makes us feel trapped; a victim mentality.

1. In situations you can influence for improvement, do so
2. In situations you cannot influence, either disengage, or release it from your emotional domain of responsibility.     

Research has shown that changes take place in your brain that reduce stress and increase feelings of pleasure when you WRITE down what you are grateful for. Each day take a few minutes to write down 3 things you are grateful for. Research suggests doing this for 21 days straight in order for the changes in the brain to take place.

Here's the way I look at it. This gratitude exercise is simple. It probably won't take more than 5 to 10 minutes of my day. If it really can help why not give it a try? The worst thing that could happen is you notice zero changes in your outlook on life and you go back to your old routine.

I challenge you to 21 days of gratitude! Do you keep a gratitude journal? Leave a comment and let me know. 


 

What if you never again had to use the word "cheat" when it comes to food? FREEDOM!

It's sad that over the years we've forgotten how to eat. We seem to know nothing about listening to our own bodies. We use words like "cheating" when it comes to what we eat. It's nonsense and, when I hear it, I hurt for the person who believes it. 

The most recent statistic I heard is that the diet industry is a $72 billion industry. We live in a culture where people are obsessed with weight loss and quick fixes.   The problem is it's easy to sacrifice your health in the name of weight loss. The good news is you don't have to do it this way! 



You don't need to: 

• Punish yourself for the foods you've eaten
• View foods as "good" or "bad"
• Use the word "cheat" when it comes to the foods you've put in your body
• Ever again say, "I'll start Monday."

There are so many methods of eating available: paleo, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian, keto and the list goes on. 

Apart from food camps there are numerous diets available that promise quick, yet lasting results. Cabbage soup diet (been there, done that), apple cider vinegar and maple syrup fast, carb cycling (who can keep track?), counting calories, tracking macros, etc.

I've tried a few of these myself. In fact when I first began healing my body through nutrition I classified myself as a vegan. I'm the first to admit I've fallen into the trap of forcing myself into a food camp, and I've had my fair share of dieting.

Learning to listen to your body is one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself.  Tuning into your body will bring you peace with food. Weight loss, if it needs to happen, will occur in a much more sustainable, life giving way with lasting results. 

It's hard for women to believe that I don't follow a specific plan. What rules do I follow? How do I know when to eat or what to eat? I understand their questions because I had these same questions a few years ago. It's what led me to where I am today. Chasing weight loss, looking for quick fixes and miracle cures led me to a place of gut imbalance and chronic inflammation in the form of cystic acne. I had to find different answers.

Before jumping into a new diet plan or finding yourself feeling trapped by a food camp I encourage you to consider these few things.

• Learn to listen to what your body is telling you
• Identify your food intolerances and avoid them even if it's the healthiest food on the planet, if you don't digest it well, don't eat it!
• Keep your body hydrated with purified water
• Don't become legalistic when it comes to food
• Focus on real, whole foods that nourish your body well.

When you follow my principles (the basic are cited above), and you put them into practice so they become second nature, something beautiful happens: you never have to diet again. I know because I'm finally at that point myself, after years of battling with my own body.

I will teach you how to get to this point yourself.

It is possible to not fret or worry every time you're around food. It is possible to feel good in your own skin without being tied down to a diet.

Tired of the nonsense? Click here to apply to work with me. 

Everyone is choosing a "Word for the Year" -- everyone except me.

Here's why:

So much can change in your life in one month, one week or even one day, much more over the course of one whole year.

Some words I've seen chosen are: joy, trust, slow, rest, yes, brave, etc.  You get the idea.  The trend is to choose a word that represents the type of year you want, and then make decisions based off the word.

One major change in your life will sabotage everything, if it all rests on one word.


I plan my year for vacations, school schedules and big projects for my business, but for all the other things? Monthly.  My approach is more realistic, and healthier. Therefore, instead of adding stress when life goes crazy, I am able to adjust. Flexibility facilitates your wellness journey.

So often we view the month of January as setting the tone for the year. If we are successful with our health in January then we can assume we'll be successful for the rest of the year. I'm sorry but this is faulty thinking. First of all what if January is an incredibly challenging month for you financially, emotionally, or physically? What if you feel "unsuccessful" this month? Does that mean the rest of your year is shot? I sure hope not!


On the flip side of this, what if January is a highly successful month for you? You hit your fitness and nutrition goals you're on your way to your summer body and then reality hits and you find yourself back where you started. Does this mean you need to wait until next year to start over? Of course not! It would be silly to even think that. This is exactly why I enjoy the new year but I don't place too much pressure on myself to make the month of January "perfect."

A key element that is overlooked when it comes to New Year's goals is how to implement new habits to accomplish those goals. Goals are set with good intentions but, without a clear plan, it is likely you will fall short. This can leave you feeling like you failed. The remedy is to develop some new habits.

The greatest success I've seen with creating new habits is planning out and implementing one or two at a time. Focus on those few items and really perform them well for six weeks, at least. Then it will become an organic part of your day.  After that, add another new, healthy habit.

For example, let's say this year you want to implement a new exercise routine, cut out all processed foods, get 8 hours of sleep each night and implement a quiet time into your day for reflection. Wow I'm tired just writing all that! That's A LOT of pressure, and too much to handle all at any once.

The key is to choose one or two of these new habits, decide how you're going to implement it and then get to a point where it's second nature. Let's say you choose to focus on getting adequate sleep each night, but you're also eager to start working out. Determine what time you need to go to bed by to get the sleep you need. Then decide what you'll do to ensure that your head hits the pillow at the time and do those things.

To begin your new exercise routine start slowly. Plan to commit to 20 minutes a day to start. Work your way up from there. If you currently don't exercise at all, but set a goal to workout for one hour, 6 days a week, you'll probably revert back to your old ways.  It's just too much pressure on the body.  Will this take longer than implementing all the goals at once? No it will not, because it will work.

Whatever you do to inspire yourself for the new year I encourage you to remember this, one critical truth:

Taking care of your body is lifelong commitment.

Don't rely on a  quick fix, trendy diet or fad exercise program as your be all to end all. These things are never a miracle cure.

I encourage you to view good health as a way of life. Adopt that way now and stick with it forever. P.S.-- I am excited about improvements coming to my site. More than ever I'm passionate about helping women take charge of their health. I will help you quit dieting for good, and I've got just what you need for that.

Reader Feedback:  How do you view the new year? Do you feel a lot of pressure in the month of January to perfectly implement all your goals for the year? What would you like to see happen?
 

Have you ever considered the connection between stress and acne?

If you're using quality skin care and your nutrition is on point but your acne still lingers, stress could be the culprit. In my own personal situation, my adult acne flared up because of a stressful event in my life.

Chronic, unresolved stress leaves us with excess inflammation in the body which then leads to a weakened immune system along with an increased likelihood that the body will attack itself, as in autoimmune diseases. All of this will do nothing to help improve your acne and could be a contributing factor as to why your acne lingers.

As for myself, I notice a direct correlation between stress in my life and the appearance of my skin.


How should you deal with this? Obviously, it's not possible to be 100% free of stress 100% of the time. Life presents challenges and unexpected circumstances do arise.

Let me share with you a few key things I recommend you consider.


What gets your thoughts gets you.  What do you spend most of your time thinking about? Answer honestly. It may help to sit in a quiet area and journal for 15 minutes to really figure this out. Let your thoughts come out on paper and see what's in front of you.

Do you find yourself constantly being negative in every situation? Then it may be time for an adjustment.  We have different personalities and some people are naturally more upbeat and positive, while others tend to see the glass as half empty. It may not be in your nature to put a positive spin on things in life. That's okay. I do believe you can train yourself to change your thoughts and the way you speak and think.

 I read somewhere that it's easy for people to be negative. It's easy to see the bad things in life and dwell on those. It's easy to complain and sometimes it even makes us feel good to stew over a situation that upsets us. Here is where you have to consciously decide to stop negative thoughts in their tracks. Like any new habit it will take time to develop but it's one that is worth the effort.

Look at who you surround yourself with. Speaking of your thoughts, what are the thoughts of your friends and co-workers? Are you surrounded by positive people, or habitual grumblers and complainers?

First recognize you can't change the way those around you speak and react to situations. The only person you can control is yourself. However, when you speak positively and keep your cool in stressful situations, it has the potential to spill over onto those around you. Negativity breeds negativity just as happiness breeds happiness.

If you have a friend who is particularly negative all the time consider approaching the person about it. They may not realize what they are doing. If you're not comfortable having the conversation you may want to consider limiting the time you spend with that person.

Remember, you are in control of yourself and your time. It's your choice who you surround yourself with. Choose wisely.

Grieve it, be angry and move on. Things happen in life that upset us. Things don't always go our way.

Someone at the bank may cut in front of you in line. Another driver may cut you off. Someone may make a comment about your clothes that hurts your feelings.

There is no way to stop these inconveniences and hurts from happening. Again, the only part you can control is yourself and your response. How much energy do you put towards the guy who cut you off in traffic? If you need a few minutes to stew, take it. Set a timer for 10 minutes be angry, call a friend and complain and then when the timer ends let it go.

I'll admit this is a tough one for me. When something upsets me I want to be mad for awhile. I realize this does nothing to help me or better my health, and it only gives more power to the person who wronged me. Learn to let the little things go!

Don't worry about that over which you have no control. I confess, this isn't my strong suit. I tend to dwell on things even when all my worrying won't change the outcome.

The truth is many situations in life are this way. No amount of worrying will change anything. What will be, will be.

When a situation arises that has got you stressed, ask yourself, "How much control do I have over this circumstance?". If there is something you can do to better the situation then create a plan and put it into action. If the answer is that you have no control over it, then it's best to put it out of your mind. I find the only way I am ever successful at this is to leave it in God's hands through prayer.

What are your thoughts? How do you manage stress? Please comment and share your ideas you may be an inspiration to someone else!

It's said that the average person gains 7 to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

That's a significant amount of weight!

How accurate these numbers are, and whether this actually starts around Thanksgiving (I personally believe it to start in October with Halloween), the fact is the holidays can present a struggle.

As soon as the weather begins to turn cold our bodies begin to crave more nourishment. Unfortunately, our first thought is not of dark, leafy greens tossed in a vinaigrette. Warm, cozy, comfort foods are a more tempting choice and, during the holidays, they abound. That is not necessarily, however, a bad thing. There are plenty of delicious foods that are great options to eat over the winter.

The problem I've seen in my private coaching sessions are the number of events that surround the holidays: office parties, family gatherings, cookie exchanges . . . you get the idea.

The trouble all begins with the onslaught of your kid's Halloween candy that bag can be SO tempting!



As the holiday season comes to a close with Christmas and New Year's I'd like to share a few thoughts with you on how to manage the holidays.

• When an event, party or social gathering is on your calendar, NEVER show up hungry. This one drives me nuts because I hear women say it all the time, "I have a party tonight so I'm not going to eat all day so I can eat at the party." No, no, no! I'm not sure where this idea originated, but its faulty logic. The biggest problem I have with this approach is it doesn't facilitate steady blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels control the hormone insulin. It's best to avoid large spikes and falls with our blood sugar levels. We want our blood sugar, and therefore our insulin levels, to have minimal rises and falls like small, steady waves. Not eating all day, only to go pig out at night, is setting you up for failure. You can't save your entire caloric intake for one meal.  You just can't and be healthy with a steady weight.

 

• If food is being served buffet-style, first peruse the selections and select what you really want to eat. A small sample of the menu items is okay, too. Eat a little of everything, and eat a whole lot of no one thing. I learned this trick from Bethenny Frankel who advocates, "No more dieting! I've had it!" She writes, Taste everything, eat nothing. Why shove a bunch of food into your face when you can taste small perfect bites of delicious food and stop before it ever gets ugly?  Naturally Thin, 2009.  While I don't agree with every point she makes in her book, I do agree with this school of thought. 

 

• If you have dietary restrictions don't veer off course just because you're at a party. If you're highly intolerant to gluten, then don't eat it just because you're in a social environment. Trust me, it's not worth it! Of foods you tolerate in moderation, make your decision before arriving how much you will eat. Use your head, and not your emotions. Do not get ambushed by temptation. That is another reason to not show up hungry.

 

• If you're hosting the event, anticipate the wishes of your guests. Have a gluten free/vegan option available. Serve healthy hors d'oeurves and a large green salad with a simple vinaigrette dressing, along with the classic favorites we all enjoy.

 

• ​​​​​​​Make time for exercise. Life is busy and it seems to get even busier around the holidays. Making time for exercise is so important there's no excuse not to. Schedule it on your calendar, and hold to it as an appointment with your healthy self.

 

• The key to making exercise stick is to find a program you love that gives you the results you're after. If you're new to exercise I highly recommend Leslie Sansone's walking program. Years ago I tried her out and dropped 18 pounds in about 2 months. I like her method because it's simple to use, there's no expensive equipment to buy and it's so easy on the joints. I currently do Tracy Anderson Method, and have for about the past 5 years. I love programs I can use at home. It makes it that much easier to get done. You don't have to join a gym, unless you want to of course! The point is:
  • Stick to it.
  • Make a commitment.
  • Find something you like.

 

• ​​​​​​​Allow adequate downtime -- don't over schedule. Lack of sleep and high stress levels have a profound effect on our health, and our weight.

If you've already gained some weight, please, don't beat yourself up over it; and don't go on some crazy juice cleanse to eliminate it. Be gentle with your body, and nourish it with delicious, whole food nutrition.


Struggling to get the weight off? Let me help you. I have 5 spaces available beginning in 2018 for my private coaching program. Those tend to fill up fast, so don't wait! I offer a complimentary 60 minute session to discover if we're a good fit to work together, one-on-one. Click here and let's get started.