Nutrition: It’s time for a Change

I remember when I used to think that a sandwich and chips were a good choice for lunch. I just finished my lunch with a friend at a local deli. And I feel full. Stuffed. And just Blah!  From about the age of 16-21 a turkey sandwich was my favorite food in the world. I felt very “healthy.” It wasn’t fried, right? So it had to be healthy. As my nutrition knowledge has progressed, so have my food choices.

Of course, a turkey sandwich can be healthy-ish, but when you compare your bread and deli meat choices, there is a lot more processed than whole nutrition. Then you add the fillers. Mayo, Cheese, Tomato, Lettuce, Mustard, Bacon, Salad Dressing, Avocado… you may end up with a high-fat, high-calorie, high-processed meal.

If you are at a point where nutrition feels daunting, this is my number one advice: Slow down. Take it one step at a time. Make this a long-term goal.

Follow these steps to Success in Nutrition:

1. Change one thing at a time, gradually. For instance, if you love whole milk, try 2%, then 1%, then skim. Go as slow as you need. Mix them for even a more gradual change.
2. Learn about whole, nutrient-dense foods like fiber and protein.
3. Understand your Resting Metabolic Rate in order to determine your daily caloric intake.
4. Listen to your body. Find a program that fits your body’s needs.

Slowly, you will learn more about nutrition and your body. You will begin to make healthier and healthier food choices. You will find success. Most of us are relearning many years of poor eating habits and nutrition. We cannot expect the changes to occur over night. However, if you stay committed, they will happen.

Listen, Learn, and Trust

Trusting your intuition is one of life’s greatest skills. You are the expert of you. I, for instance, may have expertise in diet, exercise, behavior modification, mindfulness-based stress reduction, but I am not the expert of you.

Trust is the ability to give complete faith in yourself that you are knowledgable, capable, and good. It is the ability to operate by your value system, to do your best, and to forgive fallacy. It is yet another principle of mindfulness. To be fully connected to yourself, present with yourself, aware, so that you can do your best and thus, trust that you did.

Trust & Mindfulness

• Trust your intuition
• Trust the process
• Trust your loved ones
• Trust your body
• Trust your mind
• Trust your emotions

Celebration = Gratitude

101 Healthy Tools for Coping with Stress

Stress, disappointment, and negative emotions are inevitable. Sometimes coping is easy; other times it is more difficult. However, it is our job to cope. Our energy effects others, and it is our responsibility to monitor that energy.

Here are 101 ways to Cope:

1. Bake cookies
2. Eat two and give the rest away
3. Go to a bookstore, read travel books, and fantasize of a faraway vacation
4. Take a walk
5. Call a friend that you enjoy talking to but haven’t heard from in awhile
6. Breathe deeply
7. Flirt with someone that deserves your attention
8. Plan something, real or imaginary: a new career, a room in your dream home, your future children’s names
9. Clean a room or closet in your house
10. Volunteer your time
11. Watch the sun rise
12. Take a moment to smell your coffee before brewing and sipping
13. Read something entertaining in a comfortable space: outside, a comfy chair, in bed
14. Watch your favorite comedy
15. Listen to upbeat music, preferably disco
16. Write a stream of consciousness
17. Find something that you are good at and that you enjoy doing. Become better at it.
18. Play with pets: yours, a friend’s, or a shelter
19. Look at old pictures, letters, or memorabilia
20. Exercise mindfully
21. Go on a date
22. Shop. Buy something that you feel great in, whether it’s earrings, a stunning dress, or a great pair of yoga pants
23. Enjoy a good glass of wine
24. Get a makeover
25. Play a game with friends
26. Kiss
27. Open the windows during a rainstorm
28. Go to your favorite concert
29. Surround yourself in snuggly material: your favorite sweats, a down blanket, fuzzy socks
30. Start a blog
31. Get a massage. Do it yourself or splurge. Massage your scalp with eucalyptus shampoo, or your feet with lavender creme
32. Create something artistic
33. Hit balls at a batting cage
34. Get dressed up
35. Drink herbal tea
36. Try progressive muscle relaxation
37. Run as hard as you can, even if for only for 30 seconds
38. Take a scorchingly hot shower
39. Meditate or pray
40. Work in a garden
41. Attend a community event
42. Drink hot chocolate
43. Watch videos of laughing babies on Youtube
44. Take an ice bath
45. Run as long as you can, even if at a slow jog
46. Learn something new: a recipe, foreign language, how to knit
47. Ask yourself how you feel; respond with advice that you would give your best friend
48. Eat ice cream
49. Go to a driving range
50. Make love
51. Go to a play or performance show
52. Eat something decadent, slowly. Enjoy each bite.
53. Do something unexpectedly nice for someone else
54. Change a room in your home: Paint the walls, rearrange the furniture, refurbish a piece of furniture
55. Scream loudly in a secluded space
56. Take a dance class
57. Go swimming
58. Find something that makes you feel sexy: music, high heels, lipstick, lingerie
59. Tell yourself that in this very moment you have everything that you need
60. Give yourself permission to do something indulgent
61. Forgive someone
62. Appreciate something with age and history
63. Explore new territory
64. Go to an amusement park
65. Stretch your body
66. Sit at an outdoor cafe
67. Do something that you never thought that you would
68. Attend a marathon race as a spectator
69. Hold a baby
70. Initiate a girls’ night
71. Sit in the warmth of the sun
72. Join a group: AA, a book club, a rec league
73. Consult with a health professional
74. Read something inspirational
75. Work on a puzzle
76. Play like a child
77. Go for a drive
78. Attend a cultural event
79. Gaze at the stars
80. Remind yourself that you have gotten through worse before
81. Sit next to a natural body of water: a stream, the ocean, a waterfall; listen mindfully
82. Work towards a health goal like weight loss, a faster run time, or doing the splits
83. Sit quietly with your eyes closed. Create a space in your mind that is peaceful and safe. Go there.
84. Make a list of long and short term goals
85. Take the first step towards your goals
86. Pay off debt
87. Find a non-profit or charity organization with a cause that you are passionate about; get involved
88. Give your full attention to someone else
89. Take a quiet bubble bath
90. Make peace with your stress by finding gratitude for it
91. Go fishing
92. Go to a museum
93. Visit new sites on the internet
94. Put clean sheets on your bed
95. Enjoy the smell of fresh cut grass
96. Yoga
97. Go on vacation or plan a staycation
98. Sing your heart out
99. Buy fresh flowers or a new plant for your home
100. Go out to dinner
101. Allow yourself to let go

He’s Not Perfect. You Aren’t Either

More real wellness, like this, to be shared in this month’s Wellness Challenge.

 

To Sleep Well in the New Year

I just read a study which stated that sleeping more was the third biggest New Year’s resolution. It is no doubt that millions of Americans are having issues with sleep and energy. We are working and worrying more and more. And there is a growing trend in unhealthy energy products that will shoot you up, but will also have a dramatic impact on your sleep, only further enhancing the cycle. Both of these have a resounding impact on good sleep health.

Studies demonstrate that the benefits of 8-10 hours of sleep per night could benefit cardiovascular health, weight management, healthy skin, prevent cancers, decrease mental illness, and lead to a healthier well-being.

So what is getting in the way of our sleep? No doubt that there are some extraneous variable out there, like having babies or rowdy neighbors. However, the most common forms of insomnia and sleep deprivation are obesity and anxiety. The good news is that both of these are very treatable! However, we have to make it a priority. We have to commit to follow the sleep rules and to putting ourselves FIRST. We have to commit to health and a long and fulfilling life. 

Here are five essential steps to good sleep hygiene:

1. Stop caffeine consumption five hours prior to bed.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. Eat a well-balanced diet. Do not starve yourself.
4. Create a soothing bed-time routine.
5. Incorporate sleep supplements, such as calcium, magnesium, and L-Arginine for optimal restoration.

What Percentage of Fitness is Mental?

You hear it all of the time… Such and such (Insert high number here) percentage of working out is mental. I would say it all the time: If I can just get myself there, then I will be fine. I did some browsing to see what percentage people really attributed our fitness goals to our mentality. The results were high. Shockingly, high. Most were stated at 80-100%!! Wow! So let me review that- 80-100% of our success in reaching our fitness goals is our mentality? So less than 20% of our hindrance is due to ability? I suppose I would agree with that. We could rationalize probably any excuse in the world.

So why the heck are fitness professionals screaming at you, when that is NOT the way to change our behavior? Why are we constantly teaching methods of mindlessness if we need you to tap into your own head to be successful? Don’t get me wrong; these methods might work temporarily. But the changes will not be lasting.

I have been doing a bit of “market research”. In my research, I have encountered a ton of interesting concepts encouraging me to “check-out” of my workout in order to endure the pain. Hmmm. That doesn’t seem beneficial. It is in this mental check-out that we are more susceptible to injury. It is also here, where we will ignore just how amazing we are! I realize for many people they haven’t learned the difference between these two voices. They haven’t learned to trust their inner voice because someone else is always telling them that they are wrong. You are the professional of You. So, who should you be listening to? Who is going to hold the right answers?

The benefits of a regular mindful practice will teach you how to listen to and validate those voices in your head. It is here, that we are able to have the most satisfying workout. We know that we pushed ourselves; we are satisfied with our progress; and we feel uplifted by our own accomplishment. We trusted our most important trainer.

What percentage of your fitness is mental? Is it time to take the Wellness Challenge?

How to Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness. Being present in the moment. Living with Intention. It all means the same thing. It is simply the answer to all of your questions, worries, and stressors. So simple, yet so complicated. As minute as your breath and as complex and loving the unlovable.  So how do we practice this? Follow these simple steps to get you started.

1. Listen. Listen to your thoughts. Hear what you are saying.

2. Observe. Observe your emotions. Notice physiological responses. Gather observations through your five senses. Observe your judgments. Have the ability to observe without reacting.

3. Focus. Notice when your mind is pulling, pushing, or wandering and gently bring it back.

4. Participate. Respond fluidly. “Observe what is going well and kindly respond, how can I make it better?”

5. Practice doing one thing in the moment.

6. Apply the Seven Pillars.

Applying principles of diet and exercise are simply not enough to a healthy well-being. Mindfulness must be applied to practice patience, non-judgement and full awareness. How do you plan to be more mindful?

You Can’t Achieve Your Goals if You Haven’t Made Any

The first step to every counseling or coaching relationship is to figure out your goals. I ask a series of questions that helps me identify what you want to accomplish. The question of your goals is always asked when I am done. I don’t want to miss anything. Sometimes you know what your goals are and sometimes you don’t. However, we will never get to your destination if we don’t clearly identify your goals.

Clearly defining your goals is the #1 way to achieving them. Many clients will tell me that they want to be happy or healthy. What the heck does that mean? I can assure you that happy to you might be different to someone else. So you and I need to carefully iron out what happy is. Does it mean satisfaction in your relationship? Being less tired? Having a fulfilling career? What will it take you to achieve happiness? If we can’t identify it, we won’t know when we get there.

Setting clear, measurable goals both short-term and long-term helps to bring awareness to what we want and need. It enables you to create a path to get there. We might need to redefine them along the way. We might need to break them down into microscopic steps, but it is crucial for a successful outcome.

I mentioned earlier, that I have often heard clients tell me that 2012 will be their year. What does that mean? How will we make this new year yours? What will you have to achieve to feel that this endeavor was successful? And how will you get there?

Week 1 of the Wellness Challenge is all about setting clearly defined, measurable goals. Then we follow steps that keep them at the forefront of your mind, make them attainable, and combat the obstacles that will surely show up. Is this your year? Let’s take on the Wellness Challenge together!

A Look at What’s to Come

The end of a year is always a bit nostalgic for people. We usually reflect on the past and see what we didn’t like and look toward the future vowing to make it better. I have had a number of clients tell me recently that 2012 is my year. I would like to encourage a great mindful reflection that I heard in a recent yoga class. The instructor said, “Ask yourself what is good about this moment, and then ask yourself, ‘How can I make it better.'”

Using that principle, I think that one of the best things about 2011, (this year, this moment) was the Wellness Challenge. It was my favorite opportunity to host a complete holistic program on well-being and watch the participants flourish. When I ask how I can make 2012 better, I am thrilled to bring more workshops and programs to you!

2012 starts with not one, but two different Wellness Challenges. There will be a Monday Evening Program, as well as a Wednesday morning option. The Wellness Challenge is filled with goals on achieving and maintaining a total well being, including sleep, diet, exercise, meal planning, mindfulness, healthy communication, and much more. Each week we discuss a new topic, send you away with new goals, and help you with balanced living.  There is great camaraderie, inspiration, and motivation. We face the struggles that will come and move forward! And what would a challenge be without a prize!

The second workshop is Mindfulness in Daily Living. Words cannot express how excited I am for this program. People are always asking me more about mindfulness and I am thrilled to demonstrate how to be more present in your everyday life. This is a six week program on Thursday evenings discussing Mindfulness in diet and exercise, with your work, in your relationships and much more.

Third, we have the Weight loss Challenge (I love a good challenge). For those that need more information on diet and nutrition, or struggle on how to filter all of the info out there, this one is for you! We are going to go into great detail about protein, fiber, carbs, fats, eating out, staying hydrated, planning balanced meals and much, much more. The Weight Loss Challenge is strategically offered on your Friday lunch break, right when we are about to give into to weekend indulgences. We’ll do weight and measurement check-ins each week and the biggest percentage of weight loss, wins a cash pot!

And, last, I am very excited to be partnering with someone who is not only extremely educated on this topic, but who has become a great friend, Brian Foreman. Brian and I will be hosting a one-day professional leadership workshop, aLeader in early February. aLeader is all about becoming an authentic, affirming, accountable, accepting leader in your personal and professional life. Brian and I are very excited to share a number of blog posts with you over the next eight weeks about leadership. We can’t wait to have you check it out.

You can find more information on all of the programs here.