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Are your hormones hijacking your energy?

Oh, those hormones.  They can be like a dysfunctional family.  If one hormone is dysfunctional, it can affect the function of the rest of the hormones in the family.

And nothing will make your hormones dysfunction faster than unmanaged stress.  And unmanaged stress depletes the very nutrients you need to manage stress.

Look I get it.  We are busy.  We are the caretakers of the world.  We have careers, financial responsibilities, children, aging parents and so much more.

So, what can we do?

Well we can refuse to be a victim of the stress in our lives.  And we do that by choosing to manage it with a few tweaks here and there.

And once those tweaks become habit, our body will reward us by repairing.   We’ll get our energy back; our metabolism will start working and we’ll start losing stubborn fat.

So the very first thing I suggest is to address nutritional imbalances, find trigger foods and heal the gut.  Though this is very different for every woman, I have found this to be the forerunner to resolving weight loss resistance, hormonal imbalance symptoms and managing stress.

Then, I suggest you begin to implement easy to apply stress management tools.

The most effective stress management tool I have found is to set boundaries and ask for help.  It can also the most challenging.

I find once boundaries are established within my clients bandwidth and they get help with things that don’t fit into that, their stress significantly decreases.

Then I suggest they fire their multitasker.  Often we pride ourselves on our ability to multitask.  Multitasking increases the stress load.  When we concentrate on doing one thing at a time, instead of chopping veggies while prioritizing a to-do list in our head, the internal chatter quiets and our nervous system calms.

You don’t have to make big life changes to manage your stress or menopause symptoms.

You are an incredibly powerful woman.  You have the control within you.  And when you start using that control, it feels so liberating and energizing.

So that’s it for today.  Next week I’ll talk about anxiety and panic attacks, so stay tuned.

Ta, ta for now,
Patti

P.S.  If you feel like you need a plan of action to help you resolve weight loss resistance and tame your menopause symptoms, let’s talk.  I vow to help you make that happen without any diets or giving up your lifestyle.  Click here to set up a time to talk. 

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Mid-life weight gain – betrayed by the booty

Mid-life weight gain.  It can be quite complex and often the root cause can be traced back to an underlying imbalance in hormones.

So, what’s a girl to do when her hormonal tribe is out of balance and she’s experiencing mid-life weight gain?

That’s easy…  You support your tribe with food.  Once you learn how to do that, weight can fall off easily.

Here’s what I mean.

Let’s say you’ve gained weight all over your body, your hair is brittle and falling out and you are tired all the time.  This might be a tap on the should from your thyroid hormones.

To balance things off you might want to start with a gentle whole food liver cleanse.

Why a liver cleanse?  Much of the conversion of your key thyroid hormones happens in your liver.  If you are feeling tired, chubby all over and maybe a little depressed, your liver needs a little support.

What if you’ve gained weight around the middle and your noticing your face is somewhat rounder?  This quite possibly is from an over production of the hormone cortisol.

It means you would benefit from dialing down your stress.  Stress is tripping your fight or flight response causing you to release cortisol and cortisol tells your body to hang onto fat, especially in the middle.

To support your adrenals so you can lose weight, I would suggest you stop dieting and over exercising.  Start drinking bone broth to support your adrenal glands and start eating healthy whole food meals that include quality protein, healthy fat, lots of veggies and a SMALL portion of healthy carbohydrate.

I would also suggest you reduce your wine, alcohol and caffeine intake and add in a few small stress busters like simple deep breathing, getting more natural light or focusing on what you are grateful for.

And then there’s the booty betrayal.  This is where mid-life weight gain is all in your hips and thighs and it might be from an over production of estrogen.

To level out your hormones choose high-quality, hormone free meats and eggs, wild-caught fish, healthy fats, and lots of veggies with every meal.  Veggies are key here because they keep your digestion moving so you can get rid of extra estrogen.  That way your endocrine system can even things out.

Keep in mind, when something’s off your body has ways of letting you know.  Tune into your body’s rhythms, make changes from there and you will be managing your hormones naturally.

If you have a specific menopause symptom that you would like me to address, just reply to this email and let me know.

Until next time,

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This is how women have been conditioned to think

My jaw dropped and I was quite taken back.

But then I realized…this is how women have been conditioned to think.

Here’s what happened.

A woman I was talking to referenced one of my Instagram posts and said: “don’t you think it’s a little crude to talk about menopause on social media?”

I answered “no I don’t.  More than 50% of the population will experience menopause.  I think it’s time we admit that it exists and talk about it.  Actually, I’m delighted to see more talk about menopause.”

She said “Oh God women just need to get on the patch and see their dermatologist for some injections.”

Now that conditioned way of thinking is what really concerns me.  Like menopause is a taboo subject and a medical condition that needs medication and injections.

I’ve spent the last several years researching all the ways women can be empowered to control their symptoms naturally.  When we take a proactive approach, our experience can be quite liberating, very positive and medication free.

So, what can you do to achieve hormonal balance naturally so you can be strong, vibrant and healthy?

First and foremost is make your diet healthier.  Include lots of fresh vegetables, high quality protein and eliminate processed food as much as possible.  This will give you strength from the inside out.

Next, take a look at your personal care products like deodorant, moisturizers, and shampoos.  They can have potentially suspect ingredients that can interfere with your hormones.   I try to keep skincare and cosmetics as natural as possible.

How do you cope with stress?  Hormone fluctuations are exacerbated by stress. So, try to find small easy ways to reduce your stress without significantly changing your life.  Little things you can incorporate into your life every day that will help you feel take that stressful edge off.   I have put together a stress busters kit.  I post the link to download it with this video.

Lastly, get a handle on your weight.  Women who carry extra weight tend to have more issues with menopause symptoms.  Toxins that add fuel to the flames of your menopause symptoms are stored in fat.  Take away your body’s fat storage, and it will release those toxins.  If you are overweight and suffering with menopause symptoms, consider trying to do something about it rather than just accepting it as a natural aspect of getting older. It’s not.

But please…don’t make things worse with some type of restrictive diet like Whole what ya call it, 21Day thingy poo or anything like that.  They are designed to keep you coming back for more dieting.

Here’s why…they keep you hungry.  And that plays with your blood sugar and adds to the stress your body feels.  It’s a very primitive metabolic response.  Believe it or not…those restrictive diets just pack fat around your middle because….your body wants to protect you and your organs from what it perceives as a famine.

So just like learning to manage your menopause symptoms naturally, learn how to lose weight naturally and in a way that is sustainable.  It can be done.

This is a quick synopsis of the type of work I do with clients.  They lose weight and are able to manage their menopause symptoms because we dig down to the root cause of what’s going on and heal from the inside out so that feel vibrant, strong and healthy again.

I’ll share more on all of this in another blog.

For now let’s keep talking about menopause and remember that menopause doesn’t make you any less of who you are. You are still the fabulous woman you’ve always been. You know the same stuff and can do the same things. Believe in yourself and your power.

That’s it for now.

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Say Goodbye to Bloating and Hot Flashes

Have the holiday festivities left you feeling bloated and sluggish?

Are your menopause symptoms out of control or have they come back with a vengeance?

Not to worry… you can fix that with a little post-holiday reboot.  All it takes is a few minor adjustments and you’ll be back to feeling like yourself again.

I’ve put together three proven plans of action that I know will help you get back on track and get your menopause symptoms under control.

I’ve kept these action plans small and attainable because I want you to build your confidence.

Too many people fall into the New Year’s resolution trap of setting some big life changing goal.

Instead, when you set small goals, you are more likely to succeed, develop a sense of confidence and feel happy about your accomplishments.  And happiness is key to healthiness.

So, set yourself up for success and feeling happy by choosing one or two of these post-holiday reboot action plans:

  1. Alcohol>> If you feel like you might have been drinking a little too much alcohol, consider a gentle liver cleanse.  This will get things moving and eliminate belly bloat. Simply shred a couple of peeled beets, a fennel bulb, and a green apple.   Put it all in a bowl with the juice and zest of one lemon, some olive oil and some salt.  Eat about 1 ½ – 2 cups a day for 3-5 days for breakfast.  For the rest of the day eat your normal healthy meals.

 

  1. Sugar>> If you’ve had your fill of cookies and cake but they keep beckoning you back to the cookie jar, consider a 5-day sugar detox. Stop eating all foods with sugar or artificial sweeteners for 5 days and add in 8-ounces of water every two hours.  We did this in my Facebook Women’s Wellness Group with great success.

 

  1. Night-time Snacking >> Have all those treats been calling your name well into the night? Relinquish that night-time snacking with a 7-day night-time snacking challenge.  Simply crowd out night-time snacks by adding in herb tea and be sure to eat your last meal at least 3 hours before you go to bed.  This is super simple and so doable.  You’ll be amazed at how great you’ll feel, and you’ll probably sleep like a baby.

What do you think?  Can you see yourself doing one or two of these?

I’d be interested to hear from you.  If you try any and need some additional support, pop me an email.  I’m happy to help.

Cheers,

Patti

Feeling like you need a more concentrated plan of action to turn up your metabolism and turn down your menopause symptoms?  Let’s talk.  I vow to help you make that happen without any diets or giving up your lifestyle.  Click here to set up a time to talk. 

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Need to know how to ???

So there I was sitting at lunch with a friend and she said, how do you do it?

I said:  What?

She said: Eat that big cookie and not gain weight?

I said:  ….ahhhhh it’s my secret.  You want to hear it?

She said:  of course!

I said:  I keep my blood sugar balanced.

Truly….

If you want to avoid weight gain this holiday season and beyond, keep  your blood sugar balanced.

You can do that by eating quality protein, fiber, and healthy fat at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Here’s why it will help:

Protein takes a lot of metabolic energy to digest. So, eating a small portion of high-quality protein at each meal will keep your metabolism revved.

Fiber is not only good for your digestion, but it helps you feel full.

The fat will give you concentrated energy and help you feel satiated, which helps to make it easier to avoid processed carbs, sugar and junk food.

I suggest you:

➡️use high-quality protein like grass fed beef, pasture raised eggs, and wild caught fatty fish;
➡️eat healthy fats like avocados, butter, chia seeds, nuts, coconut oil, and dark chocolate;
➡️fiber is easy, just fill half of your plate up with vegetables like broccoli, squash, salad greens, brussels sprouts (here’s a great recipe), etc. or if you need a snack, keep the doctor away with a nice juicy apple.

Keep your blood sugar balanced by eating 3 square meals a day and those occasional cookies won’t hurt you.

I shared a bunch of great tips that might help you set up your plate at a party or holiday gathering, while eating the foods you love and not gaining weight in a training I recently did.   If you have 10 minutes, click here to watch it.  I’d be interested to hear what your biggest take away was from it.

What tips can you share to help avoid weight gain?  Please reply and let me know.  I would be happy to share them.

That’s it for today.

Until next time,

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Nothing travels faster….

It’s that time of year…..where nothing travels faster than germs on a sneeze.

It was great to see your long lost cousin….until you came down with her cold.  Or your coworker who sits right next to you  who was coughing up a lung until you suggested maybe she stay home from work for awhile.  She had bronchitis.  

Yes, it’s that sniffling and sneezing time of year.

But you can be prepared.

I find the best way to fend off those unwanted germy gifts from family, friends and coworkers is by boosting my immune system.

I always start with healthy whole foods.

However, even if you eat the highest quality foods, it doesn’t hurt if you take a few extra precautions.  Two of my favorites are Juice Plus and vitamin D.  I take these to support my immune system.  Though I try to get some natural light several times a day (for short periods of time), I live in the northeast and it’s difficult to get enough natural vitamin D, so I supplement.  Most of us associate vitamin D with classic effects on calcium and bone homeostasis, but it also helps to boost your immune system.

The thing I do is to keep my gut flora healthy with a good probiotic.  I switch between Probiotic Synergy, Probiophage DF ,  and Pro-flora Concentrate Probiotic Pearls.

In addition to that, I have a few  things in my kitchen that helps keep bugs away.

One is garlic.  Oh how I love garlic.  Not just because it gives great flavor to foods but because is has powerful antimicrobial properties and is very useful if you have a respiratory system irritation like a cold or flu.  All  you need to do is  crush a clove of raw garlic, mix it with honey, and eat it raw.

Then there’s thyme tea.    Most of us use thyme for cooking, but it is a great expectorant.  If you develop a cough, simply brew a cup of thyme tea and sip on it throughout the day.

My good friend Cathy introduced me to Fire Cider and once the days start getting shorter and I spend less time out doors I take a daily dose with my breakfast.  I love the stuff.  Her friends Velya and Ehris who wrote the book, How to Survive a Brazilian Betrayal taught her how to make the stuff.  I admit, I buy mine.  You can click here for what I buy.

There are lots of simple remedies that you can rely on to keep you and your immune system strong so you can make it through the winter months with your health intact.  I have a kit in my cabinet.  This is what’s in it, Fire Cider, Daily Immune, Oil of Oregano, Thyme, Oscillococcinum, Silvercillin Spray and Elderberry Syrup.  I think I’m prepared what do you think?

Do you have anything you would add?

Patti

*This page contains affiliate links for which I receive a commission at no extra charge to you.  I only recommend products that I use and love.

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Oh, the aroma of my aunt’s kitchen!

Do certain smells bring back memories for you?  They do for me.  Every time I walk into an Italian restaurant; I think of my aunt’s kitchen on Christmas day.

Certain aromas can go straight to your head or your olfactory bulb which is your brain’s smell center.  And boy can they spark a flurry of emotional memories.

Like all the wonderful aromas of the holiday season.  This can be such a fun time of year.   Family and friends gather to spend time sharing food, cocktails and gifts.

Some women enjoy the rush of shopping for holiday bargains.  Others bake cookies or prepare family recipes and treats.

Whatever you do, whether it’s purchasing or preparing, I hope you always remember to find the joy in it.

When I was a kid, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends used to gather at one of my aunt’s houses for a holiday feast.  And a feast it was.  I can remember walking into my aunt’s home smelling the amazing aroma of her pasta sauce.

I used to love how my aunts came together in the kitchen yacking and laughing as they put the final touches on our bountiful feast.  I would peek my head into the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about.  And there they were, my mother and her sisters all talking at the same time having a ball.

All my aunts and uncles have since moved to heaven.  But I certainly remember the joy we experienced during those holiday gatherings.  Those feelings of coming together as a family made it a wonderful holiday treat.

For this holiday season I hope you find joy and experience less stress around food because you have a little more knowledge around what to do to keep your metabolism revved.  Once you stop thinking DIET and start eating foods to enhance your metabolism, the stress around food decreases and the joy of coming together increases.

If you feel you need a little boost, I’m doing a free metabolic reset challenge. I’ll show you how easy it can be to enjoy this time of year without gaining a pound or giving up any fun.  You can register for free here.

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Salad and water or pizza and wine?

It is “get cozy season”.

One of the best ways to heal your stagnant metabolism so you can lose weight is to eat whole foods that are seasonal to the area you live in.

For example.  I live in the northeastern part of the United States.  The produce that is harvested this time of year are foods like Brussels sprouts, winter squash and broccoli rabe.  You can click here to access a free season food guide.

Because these foods have been recently harvested, they will have a denser nutritional value. Your body needs food with dense nutritional values to help heal your metabolism.

So many women come to me frustrated because they no longer feel like they know what to eat.  They vacillate between eating foods like salad and water or pizza and wine.  And neither one is making them feel happy.

It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut of not knowing what to eat.  Especially when you want to lose weight and nothing you’ve done in the past seems to be working.

You can get cozy, eat well, feel amazing and lose weight.

Please don’t buy into the narrative that you are going to gain weight because you have reached midlife.  Because that is BS.

Sometimes all you need is to embrace change and do things a little differently.

I genuinely believe midlife and beyond is our time to shine.

So, why not start with cooking at least one awesomely cozy meal a week.  One meal full of seasonal foods that will boost your metabolism.

Food is not your enemy.  It is your friend and it will be the number one thing that will heal that stagnant metabolism and turn things around for you.

I want to share one of my favorite cozy day meals, Braised Beef Short Ribs.  Oh, how I love to make these.  They are the quintessential autumn dinner.

If you would like to make a meal that says, “let’s get cozy”, this is it.  And did I mention that short ribs are not only incredibly rich in taste, they are relatively inexpensive.  I purchased mine from a local farmer.  Pasture raised, grass fed, local.  Can’t get much better than that when it comes to meat.

I prefer to buy my short ribs with the bone.  I use the leftover bones for bone broth.  And I love oven braising in my cast iron Dutch oven, which is one of my favorite pans.

Braising is super easy.  Simply season and brown the ribs, then add some onion, herbs and liquid to the pot and cook low and slow.

You can click here to go directly to my step by step recipe.

Well that is it for today.  I’d like to encourage you to cook something cozy that will both boost your immune system and help heal your stagnant metabolism.  I’d love to hear from you if you try the recipe.

Until next time,
P.S.  If you feel like every holiday you start the following New Year weighting just a little more, check out my FREE 5-day metabolic reset challenge.  Click here for more information.

*This page contains affiliate links for which I receive a commission at no extra charge to you.  I only recommend products that I use and love.

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It is just a little wine…

I want to tell you a story about a woman named Jane.  Jane was a high-energy entrepreneur in her 50’s.

Jane was very proud of her accomplishments.  She had a successful business, worked long hours and wore her busyness as a badge of honor.

For years Jane would come home from work, open a bottle of wine and drink a glass as she hurriedly made dinner.  She said it helped her transition from her busy workday and take the edge off.  That glass of wine would be followed more wine at dinner.

Then one day as Jane was driving home from work lost in her thoughts, she began to cry.  She was crying so hard she had to pull her car over.

As Jane was blowing her nose and trying to get it together, she realized that she felt emotionally drained and very, very tired.  She admitted to herself that she wasn’t fully feeling the experiences of her life.

So, when Jane got home that night, instead of hurriedly starting dinner and opening a bottle of wine, she boiled some water and made a pot of herb tea.  She gave herself permission to slow down as she poured the boiling water over the tea leaves.  Before she put the top on the pot, she took in the deep aroma of the tea and let her senses open.

I know this sounds kind of woo-woo but guess what happened for Jane.  As Jane opened her senses to the ritual of making tea, she realized she wasn’t winding down with the wine.  She was numbing out.

Jane decided to stop playing victim to her busy life and make a few small changes to help her lower her stress.

She never gave herself any ultimatums.  She just made one small change at a time.  As she did that, she found she wasn’t feeling as anxious, her digestion got better, and overtime she lost some weight.

OK… now I want to tell you something about Jane…Jane was me.

It wasn’t Jane that started crying in her car, it was me.  I’m the one that admitted I wasn’t winding down with wine, I was numbing out with it because my stress response system was on overdrive.

Now look, I’m not saying I’ve turned into a teetotaler.  I still have a cocktail or two once or twice a week, but not every night.

If you are drinking a couple of glasses of wine every night to wind down, you might want to ask yourself how well your ritual of winding is serving you?

How do you transition from your busy day and wind down?
P.S. You don’t have to wait for 2020 to get started on a happier, healthier you.  Say yes to this FREE 5-day challenge and you’ll be on your way before the holidays even begin>>  https://healthymethodswellness.lpages.co/challenge/

(If you are interested in some of my favorite teas, you can find them here. This is an affiliate link which means I earn a commission from sales at no extra cost to you. I only act as an affiliate for brands I know, use and trust. Thanks for your support. )

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Let’s make a deal…

Let’s make a deal. Let’s trade the old for the new. Here’s what I mean…

Do you take a break to eat lunch, or do you eat it while you try to catch up on your work, check your email, text your partner, etc.?

Busyness while you eat wreaks havoc with your metabolism and your body’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients.

Let’s trade a few minutes of that busyness for a healthier metabolism.

How about tomorrow you just take a few minutes to stop, sit down, put your feet on the ground and eat your lunch? And while you are doing that…chew each mouthful of food 20x…then take a deep inhale and exhale between mouthfuls.

Do you know what this will do? It will give your nervous system a message that you are relaxed.

Why is that important? Because you will stop producing stress hormones which cause you to hold onto fat in the middle of your body.

Let’s start with chewing your food. (As you read this you will understand even why I’m not a fan of smoothies.)

Your food needs to be broken down by the process of chewing.  Chewing each mouthful of food 20+ times gives your digestive system the enzymes it needs to metabolize your and absorb it’s nutrients.

Ok…why put your feet on the ground.

This will help you to bring your conscious awareness into your body, so you are more in tune with what you are eating, the decisions you made regarding your food and how it is making you feel.

Why take a few deep breaths between mouthfuls?

Because breathing deeply makes your digestive system work more efficiently and will help you to relax.

Hey, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to be productive, just don’t do it while you eat.

What do you think?

Can you trade just a few minutes when you eat lunch tomorrow to slow down, put your feet on the ground, chew your food and take a deep breath between each mouthful so your body can stop making stress hormones while you eat?

Food for thought,

PS:  Remember, if you want to be proactive about repairing your metabolism so you can lose weight again, you can schedule a complimentary food assessment with me anytime.  Book your free assessment here.

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What happens when you eat salad for lunch

See that salad on the conference room table?  Is that yours?

—->

Here’s something I would like to bring to light for busy women over 50.  When you eat just a salad for lunch you are probably thinking… I’ve got this.  I can do this diet thing, I’m on a new plan, today is the day.

For every woman out there, who is trying to make it through the day on just a salad, please give yourself a break and go get some real food with sustenance.  Food that will fuel you through the day.

Trying to make it through a busy day on just salad or even shakes takes a serious toll on your metabolism.  It often leads to weight gain, inability to lose weight, thyroid problems, insomnia, exhaustion, cravings and STRESS… Do you experience any of these?

Let’s come together and kick the food police out of our heads so we can have energy to power through our day feeling at the top of our game.

Please eat some real food that will give you strength and nourishment.  Food that will support you to heal at a cellular level, so you drop weight naturally and change the way you feel about yourself.

Now, I’m not saying salad is bad.  But for goodness sake add some power nutrients to it.

Let’s start with building your salad with greens like spinach, romaine and the greens in the table on this page.  Then add in your high thermogenic foods like protein, whole food carbohydrates, and healthy fats.  How about some beans, chicken and a healthy fat like olive oil?   Or over your greens add in quinoa salad, leftover protein from dinner, some olive oil and lime juice?  Now either one of those would be a meal that will power you through you day!

Well, that’s it for today.

Until next time,

P.S.  If you would like a free food assessment, let’s talk.  In this 30-minute session we’ll outline a plan to set your plate up for success, so you feel less stress, have way more energy, keep your metabolism happy and drop some weight. Book your free assessment here.

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Most Valuable Tips

Well hello there.  I know we have a few more weeks of summer left, but where I live in New England, the nights are already getting cooler and the days are getting shorter.

I love Autumn and it can be an invigorating and energizing time to let go of the old and learn something new.

That’s why this week I want to share the best things I teach my clients to do to stop the cycle of losing weight and gaining it back.

The first is to become aware of how your thoughts effect your metabolism. After 30 years of helping women lose weight and live more healthfully, I have come to realize that long-term success is a mental endeavor.

I had a client who had tried every diet known.  She was 30 pounds overweight and had totally ruined her metabolism from restrictive dieting.

We started by developing ways for her to create healthier habits so she would never again feel hungry.  We added in just a few simple lifestyle shifts that supported her recovery from eating processed foods which caused her weight gain and also created a workout plan.

But, the most important thing we did was to help her become more mindful of the thoughts that were holding her back from making healthy changes.  Then, we created action plans to help manage those thoughts.  The results were remarkable.

She quickly recognized how much more pleasurable it was to feel in control rather than feeling guilty all the time.  She said this is her “true secret to maintaining her weight loss”.

This next one is to add in some exercise, but make sure its the right exercise for your desired results.  If you are trying to repair and reset your metabolism, the thing you want to shoot for when exercising is something that has just the right impact on your body composition.

You see body composition is the percentage of lean muscle, bone and water to fat in your body.

Exercise, especially some type of strength-training and cardio exercise, will help you build muscle and burn fat.

However, it is important to choose a workout program that will contribute to helping you build lean body mass and burn fat, without causing too much stress on your body.

If you work out too hard, too often, it can easily cross the line and cause the type of stress that will slow down your metabolism.

So, make sure you find the right balance.

And lastly is to start eating.

Yup, if you want give your metabolism some fire power, start eating food that has a high thermogenic effect.  This means eat foods that take a lot of energy to digest, absorb and transport nutrients.  If you are wondering what thermogenic foods are, they are simple unprocessed whole foods.

I held a more detailed webinar on these tips a few months ago.  It was so well received that I have decided to expand upon them in an experiential one-day immersion retreat.

If you are struggling with the symptoms of a stagnant metabolism and want to lose weight, this retreat might be the perfect start.

Click here for a direct link to more information.

Until next time,

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Can we change the conversation around weight loss?

Weight loss.  The word brings up lots of feelings.  When you try to lose weight only to gain it back, you often experience physical, mental and emotional changes.  And it isn’t always pretty.

If you are navigating the frustration of trying to lose weight, you know exactly what I mean when I say “you aren’t always very nice to yourself about it”.

What if you were to change the conversation around this?

What if you considered this whole “weight loss” thing as an opportunity to learn something new and reconnect with yourself?

That’s exactly what my colleagues and I are on a mission to do.  I am bringing 6 women’s wellness practitioners, including myself, together to share our expertise to help you learn how to step into your power and how food, exercise, laughter, mindset and nourishing your heart and soul can change your life in such a positive way that losing weight comes naturally.

I’d like to invite you to join us for a one-day immersion retreat to discover a step-by-step process to repair the symptoms of a stagnant metabolism so you can lose weight naturally and take back your power!

Click here for more details.

This is a great opportunity to turn your old beliefs about weight loss upside down, so you can finally lose weight and enjoy your life.

When you go to the link above and sign up for more information, you’ll discover the powerful day we have planned for you, full of expert advice on how to heal and balance your body naturally.  You’ll find that this retreat will help you get inspired to repair the symptoms of your stagnant metabolism, so that you can lose weight and step into your life empowered.

In short, you’ll walk away from this retreat understanding that when you change your beliefs around weight loss, you can truly lose weight naturally and enjoy the next chapter of your life.

It’s very exciting.  If you would like more information regarding the retreat, click here.

Until next time,

P.S. If you feel like you have tried everything to lose weight and get back to feeling good about yourself but nothing has worked, I hope you’ll consider joining us for this retreat

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Sharon’s big win…or was it?

I want to tell you a story about Sharon and what she thought was a big win.

Sharon is a 52-year-old client of mine who had been carrying around the same 25 pounds since her last child was born 20 years ago.

She had decided she was totally fed up with her weight.  She had a beach vacation coming up and she was dreading getting into a bathing suit.

Her friend had been telling her about a diet program she was following so, Sharon said, OK… I’ll give a try.

Sharon was determined.  She followed it to a “T” and rapidly lost 25 pounds.  Sharon was elated.  She went shopping, bought a bathing suit and a bunch of new clothes for her vacation.

The vacation came and Sharon thought she was bringing her “new healthy lifestyle” with her.  The first few mornings she made her shake in the hotel room with her Nutribullet and let her husband take the family to breakfast.

All was good for the first two days and then the family wanted her to come with them to breakfast.  She thought she would get a smoothie, but the blueberry pancakes the woman was eating at the table next to her looked so good.  She ordered them and that started the slipper slide.

With a deep feeling of guilt, Sharon said “scr** it, I’m on vacation.”  From that point on Sharon “ate” her way thru her vacation.  She was devastated to find that she gained 6 pounds while on vacation.

If that wasn’t bad enough, when Sharon got back to work the poop hit the fan.

Her key employee told her that her she had to leave and move back to Minnesota to take care of her sick mother.

Not only was Sharon overwhelmed because she was coming back from vacation, but she was now going to have to do the job of her key employee and find time to interview and train a replacement.

She was stressed to the max and felt like she was going to have a melt-down.

By the time Sharon hired and trained a replacement it was months and Sharon had gained back the 25 pounds.  Her periods were coming and going whenever they wanted and she was experiencing just about every menopause symptom known.

You see Sharon’s big win wasn’t a win at all.

And here’s why.

A diet where you have to follow strict rules that allows for rapid weight loss isn’t anything you can live with long-term.  The the deprivation of restrictive diets leads to over-eating or bingeing.  And since your body doesn’t want you to starve, it responds to overly restrictive diets by slowing your metabolism which of course makes it easier to gain weight once you go off that restrictive diet.

Also, all the stress from rapid weight loss, restrictive eating and Sharon’s problems at work brought on her menopause symptoms with avengence.

This story unfortunately repeats itself too many times.

So, what is Sharon doing now?

She is learning how to eat to accelerate her metabolism so she can lose weight naturally and lower her menopause symptoms.

She is beginning to have a more peaceful relationship with food.  And guess what?  She is finding that weight loss and fewer menopause symptoms are a natural byproduct.

She even has another vacation planned and feel’s pretty confident that she will be able to enjoy every moment without disciplining herself, feeling guilty or gaining weight.

Can we please be done with the days of “no pain, no gain.” In fact, the stress of a restrictive diet sets you up for a lifelong struggle with your weight.

That might be good for an industry that thrives on a woman’s lack of satisfaction with herself. But it’s not good for you.

If you would like to have begin to create a smarter strategy around weight loss, click here and download my guide to help you bring your body, mind and eating habits into harmony.

That’s it for today.

Thanks for following along,

P.S.  If you would like to immerse yourself in a program that will help you learn the process that I’m teaching Sharon, click here and set up a time to chat about my 1-1 coaching program.

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What about alcohol?

What about alcohol?

What about alcohol?

Yup…it’s one of the first questions I am asked when I start working with a new client who wants to lose weight.

It’s a great question.  And I usually ask how much alcohol are your drinking?

According to the CDC, if alcohol is consumed it should be in moderation.  Moderate alcohol use for healthy women of all ages means up to one drink a day.  Here are some examples of one drink:

  • Beer: 12 fluid ounces
  • Wine: 5 fluid ounces
  • Distilled spirits (80 proof): 1.5 fluid ounces

So if you are having one drink a day, you don’t have much to worry about.

But what if you are having more than one a day, that might effect your desired results.

You see when you drink alcohol over the recommended daily allowance, as it metabolizes it creates fatty acids, which get stored as triglycerides.

The more you drink; the more triglycerides are produced, and those triglycerides enjoy storing themselves in your liver and fat cells.

Over-time, this causes inflammation, which your body sees as stress, which causes the release of hormones that triggers your metabolism to slow down.

So, what are you to do?

Well, your liver is amazing, and it will regenerate if you stop beating it up.  It will naturally restore itself back to working order if you give it a break.  Giving your liver a little respite from alcohol can reduce fat storage and tame inflammation.  Add to that eating healthfully to support the process and you will be on your way to hitting the reset button on both your liver and metabolism.

In the end, how much alcohol you drink is up to you.  But truth be told, if you really want to repair the symptoms of a sluggish metabolism and lose weight, maybe you should cap your alcohol intake to one a day.

If you would like to learn more about how you can repair the symptoms of a sluggish metabolism so you can lose weight naturally, let’s talk about my Feast Academy 1-1 Coaching Program.  It includes things like what foods you can eat to heal your metabolism without giving up all the fun.  Also how finding and doing just the exercise for you can be a game changer.  How laughter, mindset, sleep and nourishing your heart and soul can change your life in such a positive way that repairing the symptoms of your sluggish metabolism comes naturally and weight loss is a byproduct.  You can set up a no obligation appointment to chat by clicking here.

Cheers,

 

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Have you been duped by quick weight loss diets?

quick weight loss

Have you been duped by quick weight loss diets?

We’re always hearing extreme results related to diets.  Like follow this plan for 30-days and lose a pound a day.  Or the keto diet is the only way to burn fat.  Or follow a pescatarian diet and lose 90 pounds.

We’re bombarded with confusing information and it all sounds fishy to me.  No wonder people feel duped by weight loss diets.

One of my clients had been dieting for so long it was the only way she knew how to eat but she was gaining weight.

My goodness one of my clients had been dieting for so long it was the only way she knew how to eat but she was still gaining weight.

When I looked at what she was eating, she was starving herself most of the time by drinking shakes and then she would binge on the weekends.

It doesn’t have to be that way.  With the right knowledge and resources, we can fuel our metabolism with regular old food and repair the damage done to our metabolism by constant dieting.

I held a webinar outlining this a few months ago.  It was so well received that I have decided to bring the information to women via an experiential one-day retreat.

If you are struggling with the symptoms of a stagnant metabolism and want to lose weight, this retreat might be the perfect start.

Click here for details.

Until next time,

 

 

P.S.  In this retreat learn how food, exercise, laughter, mindset, sleep and nourishing your heart and soul can change your life in such a positive way that repairing the symptoms of your sluggish metabolism comes naturally and weight loss is a byproduct.

 

 

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Driving is not recommended when you are hangry.

Hangry

Hangry….It’s an adjective that describes being irritable due to hunger.  And it is something that can make nice people nasty and trigger cruel words from kind people.

Like when your life has been so hectic, and you’ve not been able to eat much all day.  You feel tense and irritable, but you are still trying to get everything done.  However, you notice that you aren’t thinking very nice things about the people around you and they just happen to be your husband and kids.

Or, when you are working on a big project and you lose track of time.  All of a sudden, you’re feeling overwhelmed with your project deadline.  Your mood is sour, you feel snappy and angry.  That’s when you realize you haven’t eaten anything since your coffee earlier in the morning.

I know you are busy but there are alternatives to “hangry”.  Sometimes all you have to do is step back from the situation, recognize you are hungry, not angry, sour or overwhelmed and implement a plan.  And a simple plan would be to have an emergency stash of real food in your car or at your desk.

I call this your emergency food safety pack.

It is a small bag of healthy, whole food items that will keep your metabolism working at optimal levels.  Foods that you can keep in your car or at your desk for those days when you are running late, and you’re famished.  Or when you don’t have time for a meal, you know you won’t be home for dinner for a few more hours and the only thing nearby is quick service coffee shops or fast food restaurants.

So, what should you have in your food safety pack that isn’t junk food and won’t contribute to your symptoms of a sluggish metabolism?

Click here for my suggestions of a few grab and go healthy, whole foods that you can go anywhere with.

Your awareness can make all the difference in how you respond.  Learning to listen to the signals your body gives you can change your life in such a positive way, that repairing the symptoms of your sluggish metabolism comes naturally and weight loss is a byproduct.

Instead of allowing yourself to get so hardwired you’ll eat anything and everything in sight or start binge eating whatever happens to be in front of you, take control with a simple plan.

Life was never meant to be a struggle.

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Are you taking care of what’s underneath?

What's Underneath

Are you taking care of what’s underneath?  When was the last time you took a good look at your underwear drawer?  Is it a reflection of how you are feeling about yourself?

If your underwear drawers are full of undies with holes in them and old sports bras that are stretched out and stained, then maybe it’s time you renew and refresh what you are wearing underneath.

If you are thinking…OK Patti, I thought you were a weight loss coach.  What does this have to do with losing weight?

To that I answer…. a lot!

Just because you’re trying to lose weight, doesn’t mean you have to walk around in holey underwear.

Wearing pretty underwear is about claiming who you are at your most powerful.

If you don’t think wearing nice underwear is powerful think again.

Imagine how you feel in a pair of worn out panties and bra.  Not so great right?

Now, imagine how you feel in something pretty.  Probably much better.

Look I’m not saying you have to wear lacy underwear.  But you deserve to feel fantastic in your “underneath” clothes every day.

Here are a few reasons why it will help your weight loss journey when you wear underwear that makes you feel pretty:

  1.  What you wear affects your confidence and self-esteem.

Experts found that wearing a Superman t-shirt under clothes made wearers feel more confident; that translates to the bras and panties you choose. When a woman wears lovely undies on a daily basis, she feels beautiful and confident from the inside out.  Boosting your confidence and self-esteem is a key factor in making long-term lifestyle changes.

A great place to start is by upping your pantie game.  Most brands give you multiple choices when it comes to pantie styles. You can find everything from high-waisted undies to low-rise bikinis and full bottom briefs. Just be sure to stock up on what feels good and makes you feel pretty.

2. Giving the girls support will help you look better in your clothes.

Whether we like it or not, a lot of our self-esteem is tied to our breasts.  When you don’t feel good in your clothes because of the girls, it’s hard to be your most confident self.

A properly fitted bra can make all the difference in how your clothes fit and how you feel about yourself.

So, save your sports bras for the gym and stop walking around with a uniboob.  Go get yourself fitted for a real bra so you can buy one that makes you feel pretty while supporting those beautiful boobs of yours.

Surprisingly, the right bra can even make the rest of you look slimmer and more put-together.  And when you wear a nice bra that supports the girls, you won’t want to rip it off the minute you walk in the house.

3.  Pretty underwear makes you feel feminine.

Wearing pretty underneath clothes lets you embrace your power of femininity. The beauty of wearing pretty underwear is how it makes you feel from the inside out. You can pick bright colors and patterns that appeal just to your personal tastes.  Wearing something outrageous underneath it all is empowering, especially when no one has a clue what you’ve got going on underneath. It’s your little secret.

4.  Embrace your personal power.

Underwear is what we wear closest to our skin, so choosing what feels beautiful sends a signal to your brain that you deserve beauty in your life.

By wearing carefully selected underwear and sleepwear, you develop a more conscious life.  You don’t have to wear lacy undies with a matching bra.  Just choose pretty undies that provide comfort and confidence.

Thanks to a variety of luxurious brands with items that hone-in on our curves, we have lots of choices that are pretty, breathable and practical.

There you go.

Why not tap into your natural feminine side, the side of you that makes you softer, gentler, nurturing and naturally loving and apply it to yourself.  Take that natural energy and honor your inner Goddess with an underwear refresh.  You might be surprised at how powerful a pretty pair of panties might make you feel.

Right now, peek at what your underneath clothes look like.  Are they honoring your inner Goddess with love?

There are a few products that I love on my Amazon page. You can find them by clicking here.  If you buy through my link, I will earn a small percentage at no extra cost to you.

Ta, ta for now,

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Don’t Live on Water Alone – Repairing the Symptoms of a Sluggish Metabolism

Hi there,

If you are trying to repair the symptoms of a sluggish metabolism, sticking to proven lifestyle choices is key.  One of those lifestyle choices is to stay hydrated.  But what if you don’t like water?  And why is hydration so important?

There are many benefits to staying hydrated.  But in relation to metabolism and weight loss, cellular hydration is necessary for our body to function optimally.

Our body’s ability to create and burn energy is weakened when hydration is diminished.  When a cell shrinks due to dehydration, the body is signaled to slow down the metabolic process.  Keeping our cells hydrated is a good way to keep our metabolism working at optimal levels.

A high functioning metabolism means our body can process calories more efficiently. When we process calories efficiently, less are stored in our body as fat and more is used to fuel our body.

But what do you do if you think drinking water is….well, boring?

Staying hydrated isn’t always about drinking lots of water. Yes, drinking water is important, but variety is the spice of life too. So, click here to download a few ways you can contribute to your hydration besides just drinking plan water.

What are your tips for staying hydrated?   I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time

Want to learn how to heal your metabolism so you can lose weight naturally?  Click here and let’s talk about my 1-1 coaching program.

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Putting your hormones to bed! So you can heal your stagnant metabolism and begin to lose weight.

Wow!  I had so much feedback from last week’s blog.  The common theme was around sleeping 8+ hours with the use of prescription sleep medication, still feeling tired and dieting but not losing weight.

You would think if someone is getting enough sleep and restricting their caloric intake, they should lose weight, right?

Well, not necessarily.

If you are taking a prescription sleep medication and trying to lose weight by dieting, two things are going on that are unnatural.

First is restrictive dieting.  It is unnatural simply because it is unsustainable, can cause weight gain, is nutritionally unbalanced and programmed for failure.

Sure, in the first days of a low-calorie diet you may quickly lose 5+ pounds.  At first glance you are encouraged, thinking hey this diet really works.  Unfortunately, most of the weight lost in the first few days and weeks of a diet is water and muscle, not fat.  It takes several weeks of restrictive dieting to really start losing fat.

And if that isn’t bad enough, when you diet your body plays a nasty trick on you by slowing down your metabolism by as much as 20 percent.  You see your body can’t really tell the difference between a diet and a famine.  Your brain thinks there is a famine because it’s not getting the nourishment it needs to be healthy and, it thinks there’s a crisis because it is stressed.  So, if that goes on long enough, your brain gives your metabolism a signal to slow down and hold on to fat (especially in the midsection).  This is one reason why so many dieters hit a plateau several weeks into a diet, finding that their weight won’t budge on their low-calorie diet that melted away that weight in the beginning.

Then, when you go off your restrictive diet and start eating again, your metabolism doesn’t rev back up very quickly if at all.  So, you gain weight more easily now, even if you are eating fewer calories than before you started your diet.

Restrictive dieting or fasting just makes your body more efficient at storing fat, which makes it easier to gain weight.  So, ditch that diet mentality and start eating nutrient dense foods that will help you heal the symptoms of your stagnant metabolism.  You can watch my training on that here.

Sleep medications are unnatural because of their sedative effect which prevents deep sleep. Deep sleep is when your brain begins producing slower delta waves so your body can heal and build up energy for the next day. If you aren’t getting enough deep sleep, you may not feel rested and your body won’t heal from the lack of nourishment as a result of restrictive dieting.

When you combine a restrictive diet and lack of deep sleep, you have the perfect recipe for an unhealthy metabolism.

If you want to heal your metabolism so you can begin to lose weight you need to get natural sleep and ditch the restrictive diets.

Last week I shared my sleep tips. If you didn’t download them, you can do so here.  You can also find the tools that I use to induce natural sleep, on my Amazon Influencer page under sleep tools.

Want to learn how to heal your metabolism so you can lose weight naturally?  Click here and let’s talk about my 1-1 coaching program.

Well that’s it for today….

Talk to you soon,

 

BTW:  If you are not familiar with an Amazon Influencer page, is part of the Amazon Associates Program which is a means for people like me to earn commission for recommending and linking products.  If you order anything through Healthy Method’s Influencer page, there isn’t any difference in price and you get to feel good knowing that you are buying something that I recommend.

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EMERGENCY RESPONSE LATE IN THE NIGHT…

It was late in the night on a beautiful summer evening. Sam got up to go to the bathroom when he heard something moving around downstairs.

He quietly inched his way down the stairs and there she was.  His wife Amy was walking around in the dark.  He asked “Amy, what are you doing?”

She replied…  “I can’t sleep. I’m going to go sit in the living room and read a book until I get sleepy.  I’m sorry I woke you, but you know I’m desperate to get this weight off and it won’t happen until I heal my body.  Getting a good night’s sleep is key.”

Sam walked up to his wife who was standing there in her pajamas looking like a sad puppy dog and gave her a big hug.  He said: “honey, anything to help you sleep better.  It is as important to me as it is to you.”

Amy was a client of mine in her 50’s who had gained 25 pounds over the last 6 years.  During our intake she told me she barely slept, maybe 4 hours a night.

Amy’s weight gain was the symptom.  Her problem was her sleep deprivation.

Sleep is essential for keeping just about every organ and biological process healthy and functioning.  Until Amy healed her body by getting consistently good sleep, she would never lose weight.

You see sleep functions like the body’s own healing superpower! On the other hand, sleep deprivation weakens our ability to heal.

Here are just a few ways sleep deprivation effects our health and ability to lose weight:

  1. When we don’t sleep well, stress triggers a spike in the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol signals our body to slow down and conserve energy. That means is it triggers our body to store to fat.

Sleep deprivation also hinders our body’s ability to process insulin, the hormone needed to change sugar, starches and other food into energy.  When our body doesn’t respond in a healthy way to insulin, it has trouble processing fats.  So we end up storing fat instead of burning fat for energy.

When fat is not being used for energy and instead is being stored, it causes weight-gain.

  1. On days when we are sleep-deprived, we crave more food – especially carbs. You see, sleep deprivation increases hunger by disrupting the balance between the appetite regulating hormones, ghrelin, and leptin. Hormonal balance is sooo important to weight loss!

Ghrelin stimulate appetite, while leptin tells our body it’s full.

Not getting enough sleep reduces our body’s level of leptin and increases ghrelin levels, which makes us super hungry and can lead to weight gain.

  1. And then there’s our brain. A good night’s sleep allows our brain to rest, repair, and grow new cells.

If you are trying to train your subconscious mind to overcome your mindset blocks that have been sabotaging your well-being, sleep is essential.  When we sleep, our brain consolidates new information we gave it that day and forms new neural.  Those new pathways become the information we can easily recall later.  A good night’s sleep is vital to training your mind to obey the new commands you gave it during the day.

Once Amy healed her chronic insomnia and started feeding her body lots of nutrient dense foods, it didn’t take her very long to start losing weight naturally.  No more diets, measuring food, counting calories or points.

And Amy and Sam were pleased to be sleeping together for the entire night.

A lot goes on in our body during sleep. That’s why getting a good night’s rest is essential to both maintaining health and your ability to lose weight.

If you are trying to lose weight without results, maybe it’s time you put your hormones to bed.  If sleep is something that might be holding you back, you can download my tips to get good quality sleep here.

Until next time,

Patti

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What did she do? The inside scoop…

Anne

Hi there…let me introduce you to Anne.

Anne is a busy mom who works full-time, has 2 college aged children and is going through menopause.

A year ago she was 22 pounds overweight.

Like most busy women, she was struggling with hormonal changes, relying on take-out or eating out and was habitually tired.

While she felt she knew how to diet, she told me “I really don’t want to focus on dieting ever again.  But I do want to lose weight and have more energy because I hate to look in the mirror or have my photo taken.  Time is ticking and I don’t want to hate myself anymore.”

Tackling this type of internal conflict can feel overwhelming.

But fast forward and Ann lost her weight naturally, without going on a diet.

She said:

“Ohhhh…it feels so good to have some clarity on how to do this and the simple shifts in how I have been talking to myself has made all the difference in the world.”

Today she is at her goal weight and feels she has her energy back.

She said to me:  “The best part has been streamlining my focus.  I now know how to eat foods that will help me burn fat and heal my metabolism.  I’m blown away to be feeling so good and achieving such success.”

So what did she do to instigate this change?

She used the formula from FEAST Academy.  Want to hear something else really awesome?  She made back her investment in the program from the tools she learned thru FEAST Academy.  Now that’s smart investing.  Click here for some of those tools.

If you love the idea of losing weight without dieting, boosting your metabolism and having more energy, I’m happy to chat and help you figure out if this program is right for you.

Who knows there just might be tools in the program that will help you make back your investment?

Just give me a call at 203 885-2020 M-F between 10-5pm ET.  If I don’t answer, just leave a message!

Look forward to taking to you,

Patti

 

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Tips to enjoy every minute of your vacation and not gain weight

Ok …so let’s face it, we all know we need to eat healthy right?  But what about when we are on vacation?

Well, can you imagine enjoying every minute of your vacation and coming home without gaining weight?

If you are like many of my clients, you start with the best of intentions but then…there’s those walks on the boardwalk and all those ice cream shops.  Or that family style restaurant with homemade bread and pasta.  Or the trip to the vineyard restaurant with all those wonderful wines to taste paired all those amazing farm fresh cheeses.

I totally understand because I just returned from vacation.  Vacations are so special, and we want to enjoy every moment.

So, here’s what I recommend.

Maintain your healthy relationship with food, just eat real metabolism optimizing food and indulge yourself in every moment of being on vacation.

Instead of throwing caution to the wind and eating all kinds of junk, indulge in the really good stuff.  Things that you can’t get at home.

Let me explain.  I’ll use my vacation as an example.  We just spent the last week on an island in Maine.

Now if you have ever been to Maine, you know it is the lobster capital of the world.  So, I indulged in lobster, often.  And yes, of course I used butter.  However, I ate my lobster slowly, chewed it with intention and enjoyed the explosive pleasure of taste from every mouthful of lobster.

I also indulged in cocktails.  I had one every night with my husband.  I sat and looked out at the ocean, drinking my cocktail slowly chatting with my guy about life.  I indulged in every moment and every sip.  It was oh so precious.

I also indulged in sleep.  We were on an island, so it was quiet beyond quiet.  The melodic sound of the bell buoys and breezes through the pine trees was pure bliss.

Oh, and then there was that rainy day where we ate an amazing clam stew, made with freshly shucked clams, sitting by the fire watching the rain and fog in the distance.

So, there you go.  When you are on vacation, I suggest you indulge in the things you can’t get at home and do it slowly, with intention.  That way you won’t mindlessly eat junk just because it’s there.  Enjoy and savor every moment and every bite of those things you just can’t get at home.

Wishing you a marvelous vacation,

P.S.  If you would like to learn how to lose weight naturally without dieting or feeling deprived while reducing the symptoms of a stagnant metabolism, let’s chat about FEAST Academy.  It’s my 1-1 coaching program.  You can submit a no-obligation application here. 

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The Rhythm Method-Part 3

Ok, so I was talking about being sync with your metabolic circadian flow.  Well actually I was taking about being out of sync with your circadian flow.

The next important thing about keeping in turn with your circadian flow and the rhythm method is the importance of what it does when we sleep.  When we sleep the body shifts the bulk of its metabolic focus to maintenance, detoxification and restoration.

The liver, our primary detoxification organ does the bulk of its work in the late evening and early morning hours.

By consuming a big meal right before bed or snacking after dinner, you reroute much of your metabolic energy that should be spent on maintenance, detoxification and restoration to digestion.

So, when your metabolism must focus on digesting and processing your meal as you sleep, you’ll most likely wake up feeling not hungry because you didn’t detoxify and digest your food fully during the night.

The period between dinner and breakfast is evolution’s built-in intermittent fast.  That’s why breakfast is called “break-fast”.

If you eat a large dinner and then snack all night because you didn’t have any real relaxed meals during the day, you won’t be hungry in the morning.  And do you want to know why?  Because your body will still be in a detoxification mode when instead it should be in a metabolic stimulating mode.

If you want to reap the metabolic rewards of the rhythm method, begin with the commitment to eating regular, relaxed, consistent meals.  Make eating a predicable part of your daily flow.  Choose a rhythm that synchronizes with the needs of your metabolism.

Have a hardy breakfast, a good lunch and a slightly smaller dinner.  If you normally have your largest meal at dinner, start by decreasing it by 10-20% and add that to breakfast and lunch.

Consider making your mealtimes important.  Get up a little earlier if you have to so you can sit down and have breakfast. It will only take an additional 15 minutes if you use a few of the recipes in this free downloadable e-book.

If you would like to increase your fat burning capacity and start losing weight, start paying attention to the natural rhythm method of your metabolism.

So, there you go.  A new take on the rhythm method and this one is sure to work!

BTW, when I gave my free training on the 3 Steps to Jump Start Your Metabolism, I received such amazing feedback with comments like, “that was a great presentation” and “that was really interesting information.”  So, I’m going to give it again.  You can register here if you are interested.

Ta, ta for now,

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The Rhythm Method-Part 2

I’m back and today we are going to talk more about how the rhythm method is important to losing weight and your metabolism.

Look, I’ve been using the rhythm method for years and it works.  My weight has been pretty much the same, even thru perimenopause and switching jobs from one of being super active to one of sitting most of the day.

So I left off with the first meal of the day sets the rhythm.  What does that mean?

Let’s say that you wake up in the morning and decide not to eat breakfast.  You say to yourself:  “I’m not hungry…I’ll just have some coffee…maybe a little bit of cereal or a muffin or a bagel.”

Most of the women I talk to think if they aren’t hungry in the morning they shouldn’t eat.

That couldn’t be more incorrect and here’s why.  Your body temperature is naturally rising in the morning to prepare you for your metabolic resurgence from resting.

In the absence of enough food the body gets concerned.  It thinks: “hey I thought I was preparing to raise metabolism…..I thought my food source was abundant and dependable….but there’s not much food here…..I must be shipwrecked on a deserted island or there must be a famine….I better slow down my engine (your metabolism) and store fat because famine is ahead.”

That’s the last thing you want when you are trying to lose weight.  But, let’s be honest…lots of people have a breakfast that consists of one ingredient…coffee.  Coffee by itself raises cortisol levels.  Coffee can chemically mimic the stress response and cause abdominal weight gain.

This doesn’t mean coffee is bad…it just means that when you combine a lack of food with caffeine…you have two factors that powerfully synergize to send cortisol production through the roof.  This then suppresses digestive metabolism and deposits weight – mostly in the belly.

Cortisol is an integral component of the body.  It is aids in the functioning of every major system in the body.  The problem occurs when we overproduce cortisol.  That’s when we age prematurely, wear down our bodily systems and gain weight.

Ok….let’s move on to lunchtime.  You’ve had your small breakfast and possibly a second cup of coffee or tea.  You have some energy and you don’t feel the need for lunch.  Maybe you don’t have much time anyway, so you grab a yogurt, run around during your lunch hour getting errands done and then you are back at work.

This will work against you!  By not putting fuel in your body when it is designed to optimally digest and burn calories, you miss out on your peak metabolic window of opportunity.  Missing this opportunity is like being all dressed for the party with no place to go.

More than likely you’ll be hangry by three or four o’clock and maybe even head-achy.  At that point you’ll grab anything just to get rid of the headache and jitters.

All because you are out of sync with your metabolic circadian flow.

Whew. That was a lot of information so that’s enough for today’s lesson.  I promise more the next time.

Smooches,

P.S.  If you missed my free training on 3 easy steps to jump-start your metabolism, I’ll be giving it again.  Click here to register!

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Fast, cheap and easy tricks to avoid drive thru or take out.

Are you a busy businesswoman who wants to lose weight but doesn’t have the time or energy to cook at the end of the day?

I can totally relate.  Which is why I have created a multitude of fast, cheap and easy tricks that are better than drive-thru or take out.  Even better, they support weight loss efforts while optimizing metabolic performance.

My clients love these tips and do you want to know why?  Because instead of eating a meal that contributes to bloat, weight-gain and metabolism slow down, these tips help them lose weight and shake-up their metabolism.

Since we all struggle with busyness at one point or another, I want to share my top fast, cheap and easy suggestions to keep it clean and healthy with metabolism optimizing foods when you don’t have the time or energy to cook.

Here you go…..

1. Keep it simple.

How about trying cowboy caviar (click here for the recipe) and burgers for dinner?  You can make this in less time than it would take to order and pick up a pizza.

2. Throw it on the BBQ.

For a full meal that’s quick and easy, in the morning toss your choice of meat in a baggy with some olive oil, salt and vinegar.  Then when you get home, make a large foil packet, take that meat out of it’s marinade,  place it in the middle of the packet, add in some veggies, olive oil and sea salt then fold it up and throw it on the BBQ. Lunch or dinner is served in minutes plus you can sneak in a good dose of sunshine.

3. Buy pre-made salads.

Want the crunchiness, variety and freshness of a salad but don’t have time to chop and peel? Consider buying pre-made salad from the grocery store and replace the dressing with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Before I give you more I want to tell you a story.  The other day my husband and I had to get on the road early for a morning appointment.  He said let’s just pick up breakfast on the way.

My first reaction was like someone punched me in the stomach.  It wasn’t because I am a snob about eating take-out.  It was a visceral reaction.  Which rather surprised me, but I was happy about it.  You see I have trained my body and my brain to respond so well to foods that make it function at high performance that it now knows low-test foods are going to gunk up the engine.

Why would that be?  Because drive-thru food has low density nutrition and it won’t balance my blood sugar.  I needed to be sharp and focused for our appointment.

So, what did I do?  While my husband was feeding the dog, I made us my instant whole food cereal listed in #7 below.  Making it took the same amount of time as it took to feed our dog.

We sat down, ate breakfast, put the dishes in the dishwasher and were on our way faster than if we waited in line at the drive thru and ate in the car.  And, even more important…we both felt full of energy and focused during our appointment.

So, here are a few more fast, cheap and easy ideas to help keep your metabolism rockin’ so you can avoid fattening, bloating, or brain-numbing take-out or drive-thru.

4. Dump it in the slow cooker.

I love, love, LOVE crock-pot dinners.  They save time, money and a whole lot of hassle.  Crock-pot dinners take literally 5 minutes in the morning and you pretty much have dinner ready and waiting for you by evening.  Here’s an easy recipe.  It took me 5 minutes to prepare the other morning:

Peel and slice one large onion and 6 garlic cloves.  Place them in the bottom of your crock-pot.  Place a rinsed and patted try beef brisket on top of the onions.  Sprinkle both sides with cumin, salt and pepper.  Scrub and half 4 sweet potatoes and place on top of the brisket.  Add 1 cup chicken or beef broth cover and set on low for 8+ hours.  Your house will smell amazing when you come home.

I served this over a bowl of greens with EEOV and vinegar and some sauerkraut.

5. Make a huge batch and freeze.

When you do actually feel like cooking, get into the habit of making double or even triple the recipe serving size and freezing the leftovers. Future you will be oh, so thankful.

6. Load up leftovers onto a taco bowl

This strategy is a favorite of mine. Re-purpose various leftovers like chicken and beans from the week by adding them to bowls over a bed of greens. Add salsa and some avocado.  Toast up some taco shells until crispy and voila! A brand-new meal 🙂

7. Instant  Whole Food Cereal

Mornings are often crazy which is why I love throwing together this instant cereal.  It is soooo good and full of protein, fat and fiber. These are the nutrients you need to start your day with happy, stabilized blood sugar levels.  They are also the constituents necessary to keep your body’s plumbing happy, but that’s for another conversation.

Here’s how you make this easy cereal.

In a bowl place 1/4 cup rolled oats or buckwheat, 2 tbs. ground flax seed, 3 tbs. chia seeds, 2 tbs. raisins, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, pour boiling water over, stir and drizzle with a little honey and a few nuts.  Wait 2-5 minutes until everything softens and plumps up, then dig in and enjoy.

So, there you go.  How about that for a bunch of go-to strategies for keeping mealtimes fast, cheap and easy while being healthy and keeping your metabolism rockin’?

If you want to learn more about how I work with my clients to help them learn how to fuel their body with foods that will recalibrate their metabolism so they can lose weight naturally, and change the way they think about themselves, we should chat.  My clients are busy business women just like you.    Just click here and you can set up a time to talk.

Until next time,

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The Rhythm Method

Some of us might be a bit familiar with the Rhythm Method concept.  Today I’m going to apply it to nutrition, losing weight and shaking up your metabolism.

One of the simplest and most reliable ways to measure your metabolic rate is to take your temperature.  Body temperature has a rhythm that is consistent and predicable for most everyone.

During the evening and early morning hours when we sleep, body temperature drops.  It makes sense that our bodies are cooler at this time because our muscles have very little work to do and our body is in a state of rest, healing and repair.  We do burn calories as we sleep but not even close to the number of calories we burn during our waking hours.  As we sleep the body is in a fasting state—assuming we didn’t eat a big meal just before bed.

The moment our eyes open in the morning, our body temperature automatically begins to rise.  This is the same thing as saying your metabolism wakes up when you wake up.

It makes biological sense that now is the time to find food….as in eat.  Because you are naturally heating up in the morning and your metabolism is naturally revved….it makes sense that eating at this time is a smart bet.

For example, if you want to optimize the benefits of exercise you wouldn’t do your workout at a time of day when you were most tired.

Likewise, if you want to get the ultimate metabolic benefit of eating, don’t eat your most substantial and nutrient-dense meal when your digestion is on a downturn–which is during the evening hours.  You want to eat when your metabolism is at peak performance.

Eating smaller meals during the day and a larger meal in the evening will never take you where you want to go when it comes to optimizing your metabolism and burning calories.

Here’s the deal……The first meal of the day sets the rhythm….

I promise more.  Click here to read part 2 and here for part 3.

Until next time,

Patti

Love learning new ways to shake-up your metabolism as much as I do?  Get this free assessment tool you can use to immediately identify areas where you can take action to optimize your metabolism. 

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The secret is being single…

Hey, I’m talking about food and your metabolism here.

When it comes to keeping your metabolism optimized so you can lose weight naturally, the absolute best thing you can do is eat simple food.

I have found that the rewards are tremendous.

Last week I talked about junk food and the effects on belly bloat.  Today I want to talk about optimizing your metabolism for weight loss with single ingredient foods.

Have you ever made a breakfast of two perfectly cooked eggs over roasted potatoes and wilted greens?  Or a lunch of a half dozen boiled shrimp, some chickpeas, a little avocado, a few kalamata olives, a little oil and vinegar, a sprinkle of dried oregano over arugula?

Oh, the secret of simple single ingredient foods.

We are always looking for things that are quick and easy and it takes discipline not to fall into the trap of the drive thru.  However, once you start eating single ingredient meals, it becomes so ingrained that you won’t be able to imagine NOT living this way.

And, once you really get it, the weight starts coming off without dieting or feeling hungry.

Look, I know that the thought of preparing food can seem overwhelming.

I get it but it’s not that hard.  The key is to eat foods that start out as one single ingredient.  The grocery store produce, meat and fish departments make that super easy.

It’s crazy to think that processed and chemical-laden foods have come to replace the whole, natural ingredients that our bodies need to stay healthy and keep our engines running at optimal performance. Over the years, real food has fallen into decline, and so have our metabolisms and ability to lose weight.

Bottom line: eating natural, whole foods will restore, balance and keep your metabolism running high every darn delicious day.

If you need a little help, click here and download my Healthy Methods best practices.

The biggest take away for today is…. keep at it and don’t give up! You are worth it.

P.S.  If you are ready to learn how to optimize your metabolism so you begin losing weight naturally, simply click here and let’s schedule a time to talk.

P.S.S.  If you would like more inspiring and interesting stuff, you can find it on my Facebook business page, Instagram page or request to join my private Women’s Wellness Facebook group.

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Belly Bloat

Have you ever experienced belly bloat?  You know that uncomfortable feeling where you feel like there’s a balloon in your belly and it wants to pop?  So, you rub your belly wishing it were a genie and that the bloat would go away?

For most of us that bloated feeling comes from food and often it’s from junk food.

Since most people think of junk food as chips and Cheetos, I want to shed some light on what junk food really is?

Junk food refers to highly processed refined foods.  Some examples are protein drinks, protein bars, bagels, pizza, macaroni and cheese, etc.

If you noticed, I mentioned foods that are often promoted as health foods, like protein shakes and protein bars.  Though they are marketed as healthy, I say read the ingredients.  You’ll see what I mean.  They are highly processed refined foods made from many ingredients, most unpronounceable.

I tried really hard to like protein shakes.  But I always felt bloated and gassy when I drank them.  Who needs that!  Life is too short to be worried about flatulence.

Look, if you want to boot-up your metabolism, and keep belly bloat under control, stick to simple single-ingredient foods that are faster to pack for lunch than a protein shake.  For example, an apple, a piece of cold chicken and a big container of spicy chickpeas that you can snack on all day.  Yummy and you just ate a meal with 100% metabolism boosting foods.

I talked about single ingredient foods more in a recent video I did, and you can watch it here if you would like.

Anyway, when I go thru this with my clients they often say: “but processed food is tasty, fast and easy.

My reply to that is: “it doesn’t fire up your metabolism, is not very nutritious, it’s not filling, it is easy to overeat and doesn’t take much energy to digest.”

Consuming processed food has metabolic consequences, often being belly bloat and weight gain.  An easy solution is to chose single-ingredient whole foods whenever possible.

If you would like to learn more about firing up your metabolism no matter how crunched for time you are, click here and let’s talk about my 1-1 coaching program.

Well that’s it for today. Until next time…

Patti

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Treat your blood sugar like a lady…

It’s happened again. Another client has turned down the volume on her taste buds while turning up the power of her metabolism and is beginning to appreciate the subtle sweet flavors of food. She is saying “ick” to soda and beginning to crave real food!

I’m so proud of this woman, she is seeing awesome results.

You see this client was used to eating high-intensity sweets like white sugar and high fructose corn syrup.  When you are eating that way, you can’t quite appreciate the lovely sweetness of say…a sweet potato.

So now that my client has turned down the volume on her taste buds by eating more whole foods, she is finding healthy whole foods to be more satisfying and guess what….no more cravings, she is losing weight and her belly bloat has gone bye-bye.

It doesn’t mean that she won’t ever want to eat yummy baked goods.  It just means that a muffin from Dunkin Donuts will taste fake compared to what she is now used to.

I really like the challenge of helping my super busy clients eat delicious treats without sugar – something that she can eat for breakfast without a blood sugar spike.  She can eat these on the run, make it thru rush hour and to the office without feeling frazzled and turn on her heel when she sees the donuts in the break room.

You see, because she is eating real food, she is starving her fat cells and not herself.

Here’s a power breakfast she is now enjoying.  These are great warmed up in the toaster oven as a quick grab-n-go breakfast.

Best Bite Sweet Veggie Pancakes

6 eggs
3 tsp. coconut or almond flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
3 cups shredded well washed sweet potatoes (skin on – using a food processor with a shredding disc is ideal, or shred them by hand)
Coconut oil for pan frying (amount will vary)

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with the flour, spices and salt. Mix in the shredded sweet potatoes until well combined.

Add oil to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Spoon the mixture into the skillet in “cakes” that are 4-6″ in diameter and cook approximately 2-3 minutes per side until they hold together, flipping once as you would a regular pancake.

Serving Size=2

If you want to get the 3 little know tools that all women want to turn up the power of your metabolism… Register NOW for this free online training.

Talk to you later,

Patti

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I love being a private investigator for healthy drive-thru breakfasts..

I recently did a little investigating for a client.  We were looking for healthy drive-thru breakfasts that she could pick up on the way to work.  She asked me about a chain bakery-café with a drive-thru.

I told her I would look into their menu, it’s on their website.

After digging into the ingredients, I quickly got back to her and reported that more than 90% of the ingredients in each breakfast item was a processed food.  WOW!

If you want to slim down naturally and optimize your metabolism to work in your favor, ditch the processed foods.  I’m not a food snob, but I know that a muffin from Dunkin Donuts would send my blood sugar on a roller-coaster and I would be miserable and hungry two hours later. And that’s when cravings set in.

So, I came up with better whole food, on-the-go, options for my client, that include protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates and vegetables.

Besides cooking the chocolate muffins in the recipe below, I suggested she simply stop at a deli where they scramble two eggs, put them on a wrap with lettuce, tomato and avocado.

I want to encourage you to find 30 minutes over the weekend to pull something together like these beautiful chocolate black bean muffins.  They are packed with protein and are  nutrient-dense. Think it’s worth a shot?  I do.  Here’s the recipe:

Chocolate Black Bean Muffins

Prep Time 15 minutes | Cooking Time:  18 minutes | Yields:  12 muffins | Serving 2
Ingredients:

1 19 oz can organic black beans (about 2 cups), rinsed well
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup honey
7 tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
  3. Melt coconut oil or butter in a pan.
  4. In a blender or food processor add beans and melted oil or butter and mash for 1-2 minutes.  Combine remaining ingredients and blend until there are absolutely no lumps.
  5. At this point, the batter should look glossy and smooth and very much like any traditional chocolate cake batter.
  6. Pour batter into cupcake tin to 2/3 full. Thump tin on the counter to smooth batter and dissipate air bubbles.
  7. Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. Cool on wire rack.

If you are a busy woman who wants to get menopausal weight gain under control, register for my FREE live webinar.  I’ll not only help you learn how to beat menopausal belly bloat even when you are crunched for time, but you’ll receive a free E-book full of quick and easy recipes that will also help you beat metabolic slowdown.  Click here to register.

ENJOY!

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Suffering is optional!

True or false:  You don’t have to suffer or starve to lose weight and be healthy.

Hmmmm…so, there I was lying in a hammock looking out over a peaceful lagoon in the Caribbean.  It was so beautiful, I was probably as relaxed as I ever could be, and I was thinking… “I need to get up and get some exercise or else I’m going to come back from this vacation 8 pounds heavier.”

That is a true story.  During that vacation I was entrenched in the fitness industry and with that came the philosophy of constant dieting and exercising.  So, there I was, in paradise, feeling GUILTY!

Oy vey!  Oh well…I’m happy to say I survived those crazy times and I am ever so grateful to be on the other side of them.  Boy I learned so much.

I admit, I was hesitant to change, but now I never have cravings, I don’t binge eat, never feel like I’m starving (I used to always feel that way) and I have more energy than I had in my 30’s.

If you share the “I have to suffer to lose weight” thought process, maybe it’s time to recalibrate the beliefs that aren’t serving you anymore.  Maybe it’s time to change them.

The first step is to ditch the “I have to suffer to lose weight” thought process and step into your power.  You see, losing stubborn weight forever isn’t about food at all.  It is about becoming the most powerful version of you that is possible.

Once you believe in your power, you will be victorious over your excuses.

So, jump off the treadmill of old beliefs and stop encumbering yourself with them.  They haven’t worked.

Try believing in your power.  Once you believe in yourself and your power to change, you will start down a new path to becoming lighter and healthier than ever.

Remember, you’ve got the power.

BTW, if you are wondering…what does she eat?  Click here for a three-day meal plan that is an example of what I eat…

If you would like to learn how to stop starving yourself to lose that stubborn weight, click here and set up a time to talk about eating to energizing your metabolism so it works for you and the weight comes off naturally.

Ta, ta for now,

Patti (who never wants to diet again)

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I want to sit on the couch and eat Yodels!

I want to talk to you about setbacks. We all have them.

There are those days when it is cold and rainy.

Then there are those setbacks the from aches and pains you encounter because you kicked your workout up a notch.

And then there’s the mother of all setbacks which is the most common setback of all….lack of motivation!

It happens to all of us at one time or another.  Here’s what I want you to know….YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Setbacks are bound to happen for any number of reasons, but it’s how you respond to them that defines your long-term success.

So, if you feel like you have experienced a setback in your commitment to yourself, here’s what I suggest:

1. This is the most important step!  Make a list of why working out is important to you and be really honest.  I can’t begin to tell you how important it is for you to know what you want and how badly you want it.  The more reasons you find to pursue your goal, the higher your motivation will be to follow through with actions.

2. Become aware of your excuses.  When you find yourself making excuses, remember you have two choices. You can either strengthen your excuse by not working out or you can strengthen your resolve by saying to your excuse “go away and annoy someone else”.

3.  Act NOW!  Just telling your excuses to go annoy someone else won’t work. You must follow that up with immediate action.

Imagine this.

Your best friend calls you because she is feeling down and out.  She tells you she is on the couch wrapped in a comforter watching Lucy reruns.

She also tells you that she has been really depressed and is eating a box of Yodles.

She says she knows she should stop eating Yodles and work out, but she just doesn’t have the gumption.

You need to help your friend!

Your friend says: I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I just can stop eating these Yodles and I do not want to exercise. I’d rather sit on the couch, watch the Lucy reruns and eat.

You say:  oh honey, does that make you feel any better?

She says …. NO (she starts to cry) but I’m so depressed and I deserve the down time.

You say:  How would you feel if you went and exercised?

She replies:  resentful that I have to get off the couch.

You say:  What could you say to yourself that might get you going?

She is blowing her nose and says: I really think the medication I’m taking for anxiety has caused me to gain weight. I went to the doctor today and gained 6 more pounds since my last visit.  Oh how I want to stop taking that medication.

She blows out a sigh and says:  maybe if I exercise, I’ll feel better when I’m done.  I’ll call you when I’m finished working out.”

If you would be willing to help a friend like that, why wouldn’t you do the same for yourself?

I know you are a great friend.  Maybe it’s time you became your own best friend.

You’re worth it,

P.S. If you are curious to learn more, register for my FREE webinar.  If your desire for change is deep and you need someone to be that person who will challenge and teach you, contact me using the form below and let’s chat.

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You are stronger than you know….

A client came to me and here’s what she said:

I got a glimpse of myself in the mirror – I couldn’t stop crying

I can’t stand looking at myself – I have to do something

I can’t imagine putting on shorts or a sleeveless top

I’ve tried everything – diets, gyms, massage, my family is sick of how much money I’ve spent.

Since I hit 45, I swear my metabolism has stopped working.

So, I asked her: what would happen if we changed the way you think about yourself?  If you could lose weight without being on a diet?

Here’s what she is saying now:

I have my life back.

My everyday aches and pains are gone!

I actually looked at myself in the mirror and smiled.

My headaches are totally gone!

My clothes are already fitting better…

I forgot what it was like to have energy.  I feel great!

Oh, how this inspires me.  This client was tenacious and determined and she turned her life around.

And that’s why I want to share with you a way to get started.

If you have a similar struggle, register for my FREE webinar.  It’s great place to start.  Click here to register.

Talk to you later,

Patti

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I was addicted to struggle…

One of the most profound “aha” moments in my own recovery was when I realized how I fed into my addiction to struggle and self-sabotage.

You see I had totally bought into the philosophy of no pain no gain.

I felt like I a fraud.  I wasn’t good enough, I wasn’t fit enough, didn’t exercise often enough.  And  because I was always living on some version of a restrictive diet, when I over-ate (which happens often when you are constantly on some version of a diet), I would feel like I had failed and I was constantly facing barriers.  And that’s how I crossed the line and started down the rabbit hole of addiction to struggle.  You see I had come to believe that I always had to struggle and try harder.

Every emotion, whether positive or negative, is a blend of chemicals that our brain instantly produces in response to thoughts.  And it’s is very addictive.  It is most noticeable in the case of negative emotions.

If we often experience the emotions of struggle (worry, fear, I’m not good enough, I’ve been bad so I have to starve) our body will instruct our unconscious mind to seek out or create circumstances that will produce its desired fix.  The more we program our unconscious mind for struggle or suffering, the more it will ensure that we run that program continuously.

This is called self-sabotage.

Is there a rehab process?  Can this self-sabotage be stopped?  YES!  And the process is pretty darn simple.  Here’s how it works:

  1. Acknowledge and accept that you do have an emotional addiction struggle.
  2. Make a firm and final decision to free yourself from this habit.
  3. Watch yourself like a hawk. The moment you catch yourself thinking negative STOP.  Consciously replace it immediately with an opposite positive thought and action. Don’t analyze, don’t doubt whether it will work — just do it.

Negative emotions are a part of life.  There is nothing wrong with feeling negative emotions such as frustration, anger, impatience, judgment, anxiety or even getting depressed occasionally. We are humans after all.  The key is to intentionally process them quickly and remove their chemistry from our body, before they become a craving-driven habit.

None of this is that hard to do.  As a matter of fact it’s mind-blowing how easy it is once we make the deliberate decision to rehabilitate our self-sabotaging addiction.

If you self-sabotage, I get into the rehab process in my FREE webinar.  You can register here.

You were made to thrive on positive emotions.  Isn’t it time for you to emerge from your cocoon of struggle?

Think about it!

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You were made to THRIVE..but for many, there’s that nagging thought… “if only I could lose weight, I would have more energy, more fun.”

You were made to THRIVE!You were made to THRIVE..but for many, there’s that nagging thought… “if only I could lose weight, I would have more energy, more fun.”

You’ve got things to do, love to share.

But…. Do you have enough energy to have fun with your friends and family?  Do you have the mojo to make your work, home, fun-time happen?  Do you have the tools you need to feel the best about yourself?

For many, there’s that nagging thought… “if only I could lose weight, I would have more energy, more fun” that holds them back from living life to the fullest.

That’s why I’m writing this today.

You can make friends with your body and recharge your metabolism to lose weight.  And the best way to do that is to start eating.

So many times, women say to me, I don’t know what to eat.  It seems like all I do is gain weight.  Why can’t I lose weight?  What’s wrong with me?  Is it menopause?  Is it my hormones?

Well…. I will admit things are different after 40.  Very different but we can lose weight.  We can maintain our weight loss without living on a restrictive diet.  And we can recharge our metabolism.

That’s why I’m offering a free webinar to help you make friends with your metabolism and unlock its power.  This way you can lose weight without going on a diet or feeling hungry.

It is geared toward women over 40. And it is packed with information to help you upset the apple cart from the fitness industry culture of under-eating and over-exercising.

By following the principles you learn moving forward, you can turn around the behaviors that have slowed down your metabolism and begin to lose weight while supporting your metabolism to operate at peak performance.

Click here to register.

Thanks for your time today.

Cheers to your making healthy habits!

 

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Carbohydrates….should you eat them?

Yes – no – maybe????

We get so caught up in the most recent diet trends that we forget what food really does for us.  It nourishes our body.  It is one of the many pleasures in life.  That’s why, unless instructed by a doctor, we should eat food from all food groups.

And my answer to the question above is unequivocally YES we should eat carbohydrates!

Many of my clients come to me very confused and almost afraid to eat carbohydrates.  If this is you, keep in mind you need whole food carbohydrates like whole grains, potatoes, beans, etc. to help you maintain nutritional balance.  Without them you will experience cravings, brain fog and many other icky side effects.

You will lose weight, say bye-bye to cravings and have lots more energy when you eat the right portions of healthy whole food carbohydrates.

Why eat whole food carbohydrates?

Whole foods high in carbohydrate provide the body with glucose, which is converted to energy used to support bodily functions and physical activity.  One important benefit is that they provide high quality fuel for your brain.

Among scientists, there is strong consensus that a diet rich in whole food carbohydrates and fiber is crucial for brain health.  At each meal, when your plate includes one small portion of quality whole food carbohydrate, your brain happily utilizes the glucose from the carbohydrates as its main energy source.

When you limit or eliminate carbohydrate foods, your glucose levels fall, and your brain sends out strong signals that it needs more glucose.  Those signals are things like hunger, irritability, dizziness, lightheartedness, confusion and cravings.

The Healthy Methods Plate recommends filling most of your plate with healthy veggies, a small serving of whole food carbohydrate, a small portion of quality protein, and a small serving of healthy fat.  Once a day we recommend switching out a vegetable serving for a small serving of fresh fruit.

The bottom line is it is a myth that carbs are unhealthy or will cause weight gain. The truth is whole food carbohydrates are among some of the most nutrient dense foods you can choose.

I know you can make your dream of the healthiest, most powerful version of you a reality.  If you need a little help, right now I’m offering a 28-day online group basic training course.  The 28-Day course is packed with easy to follow information.  Watch the video below for what’s included:

<<< Click here to watch a quick video of what’s offered.

 

 

 

If you would like to chat 1-1 about it, give me a call at 203 885-2020.
Talk soon,

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A few years ago I wouldn’t have considered it to be an option…

Greetings from beautiful Litchfield County Connecticut!

We are a few weeks into Springtime here in New England, and I can already see things are starting to pop!  What a delight it is to just take a walk with my dog Cooper, play with him and enjoy the scenery.

A few years ago, I wouldn’t have considered that to be an option.

I would have had to turn it into some type of workout like dropping down and doing push ups or adding sprints.  And better yet that would have been on top of working in my fitness center all day teaching classes.  Oh, and then of course in addition to teaching classes I had to get my own workout in and then go into my home gym to prepare and design workouts for more classes.  I know the way I was exercising may sound excessive but in the fitness culture that type of behavior is pretty normal.

Any way you know what was happening to me back then?  The more I exercised the more my body adapted by slowing my metabolism to conserve energy so it could keep up with the constant stress I was imposing on it.  If I let up just a little, I would gain weight.  So, to compensate I would restrict my food intake and it turned into a vicious hamster wheel.  I was on a path of destroying myself both physically and mentally.

Why am I telling you this?

Because the last five+ years have been a full out commitment for me to find true health from the inside out.  I have been on a quest to balance my life in a way that doesn’t mess up my health or my metabolism.  I have chosen to find the joy in having more peace around working out less and EATING (my favorite thing to do).

That’s why I’m bringing you my FREE webinar, UNLOCK THE POWER OF YOUR METABOLISM…. How to lose weight without ever going on a diet or feeling hungry…

Though the information I share is science based, it is also what I have learned for myself.  I’ll share what I have learned, the science behind it and stories that show how turning old beliefs upside down and inside out helped to fire up their metabolism, so over exercising and under-eating was never again an option!

This is only available for a limited time.  I hope you’ll watch it.  

<<<Click here to listen.

 

 

Cheers,

P.S.  Have you ever considered becoming a Health Coach?  Click here to find out how you too can learn from leading wellness experts.

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Meet Emma

On February 17th Emma was working out at her local gym and it turned out to be the last time she would do that.  That was the day she decided to quit and never go back.

Emma had joined her gym right after the start of the New Year.  She worked with a personal trainer for 6 sessions and joined the Weight Watchers group that was held at the gym.  Though she suffered from gym-intimidation, this time she was bound and determined to lose weight and get in shape before her daughter’s wedding.  So, she diligently went to the gym 5-6 times a week.

Emma had followed WW in past and she was determined to lose the 25 pounds she had gained back after her last go around with counting points.

So, what happened?  Why did she stop going to the gym after only 6-weeks?

Emma quit because she was gaining weight, most of it was in her mid-section and because her right hip started aching all the time.

How does this happen?  Why did she gain weight and why did her hip ache?

Because she was under-eating and over exercising.

Let’s talk about eating.

Emma had lost weight with WW before.  But she also gained all the weight back!  Why?  Because restrictive dieting doesn’t work.  It only slows down the metabolism.  And eating a low-calorie diet can cause all kinds of issues centered on hormonal imbalances that cause the body to hold onto fat.

Emma thought she needed to go on a restrictive diet to lose weight.  When in fact she needed to learn how to eat to boost her metabolism.

On the exercise side, Emma wasn’t giving her metabolism or her body the opportunity to recover.

Look I love exercise and it is a good thing.  But it also puts your body under stress.

Since Emma wasn’t giving her body enough rest, recovery and nutritional support, the stress caused by over exercising increased her release of the hormone cortisol that, in turn, promoted fat accumulation around her belly.

She also was exercising with the mentality of a twenty-year-old and set her up for injury.

I met Emma at a friend’s house.  It was absolute serendipity that she happened to sit next to me on the couch.  I saw that she was limping and just about fell onto the couch, so I asked her if she was OK?  She told me about her hip, and we started talking.  From there she asked what I did for work?  When I told her that I was a woman’s health coach, she unloaded the FULL story.

Once she took a breath, she asked: “what do you think happened?  What did I do wrong?  Why isn’t my body responding positively?  Is this what I have to look forward to as I get older?”

WOW!  I wanted so badly to help her right there, but I knew I needed time to explain to Emma how under-eating and over-exercising impaired her metabolism instead of unlocking its power.  So, we set up a time to talk the next day.

When we talked, Emma asked me if I thought I could help her.  Of course, I knew I could, BUT I needed to know something from her first.  I needed to know, on a scale of 1-10, how badly she wanted to change and how open was she to doing something vastly different?  She answered 15!

Why did I ask Emma that question?  Because my teachings are the exact opposite of what most women believe to be the only way to lose weight and get in shape.

I know that as we get older the rules change.  What used to work doesn’t work anymore.  Women over 50 need to take an approach to food and exercise with a different mindset.  One that gives us permission to get rid of the restrictive diet and over exercise approach to one of making healthy choices and taking care of ourselves for the rest of our lives.

Metabolic magic happens when we slow down, accept that things are different and focus on healthy changes that bring results slowly and over time.  When we take a healthier and more mindful approach, we can end the vicious restrictive dieting cycle and begin to lose weight the healthy way.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can lose weight and reboot your metabolism without over exercising and under eating, click here and let’s set up a time to talk.

Talk soon,

Patti

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Dine Your Way To A Faster Metabolism-Part 2

So here we go with the final tips to help you set your metabolism on fire by dining out.

Tip #2 – Get your muscles tired.

Go get some strength-training exercise the day you are going out to dinner.  This way you will build muscle from strength-training which fires up your metabolic burn.  And if you want fast track your metabolic burn even more, concentrate on the larger muscle groups on the days you will be dining out.

Here’s why.  Strength-training breaks down muscle cells in a good way.  Muscle tissue responds to the workout by building more muscle cells so it can compensate for the loads being place upon them.  These new cells require energy in the form of calories.  And the beautiful thing about strength-training is the caloric burn continues for several hours as your body recovers from your workout.

Tip #3 – Dine out on whole foods

When we are talking metabolism, the key is to eat whole foods.  Whole foods take more energy to metabolize and that extra effort translates to boosting your metabolism.

A whole food is a food that has been processed or refined as little as possible.  Additionally, it is free from additives or other artificial substances.

With that in mind what should you eat when dining out?

Most restaurants focus on protein.  They usually provide a large portion of protein, a large portion of carbohydrate, and a very small portion of vegetables.

If you want to boost your metabolism while dining out, turn that around.

Imagine you’re a looking at a plate.  You want your largest portion of food to be from non-starchy vegetables.  That portion should take up about half to two-third’s of your plate.  The rest of the plate should be evenly divided between quality protein and whole food carbohydrate.

Here’s a great way to accomplish the above.  Order a plate of veggies as a first.  For example, order a salad, broccoli rabe, roasted brussels sprouts, whatever they have on the menu that is a non-starchy vegetable.  Then choose a meal that has a quality protein and some type of healthy whole food carbohydrate.  When the meal is delivered, if it is a large portion, which most restaurant portions are, take half of it home for lunch the next day.

These are some sure-fire tips to help you dine your way to a faster metabolism, without ever skipping a meal or feeling hungry.

Why slow down your metabolism by skipping meals the day you will be dining out?  Instead try these few small changes.  That way you can enjoy your dining out experience with the peace of mind that you are increasing your metabolism at the same time.

Bon Appetit,

Patti

P.S.  Looking for more ways to boost your metabolism?  Stay tuned.  I’ll be offering a FREE webinar just on that subject soon.

Patti Smiling at You

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Dine Your Way to a Faster Metabolism

Dine your way to a faster metabolism

Do you enjoy dining out?  Would you like to learn how to dine your way to a faster metabolism?

Here are a few tips.

Tip #1 – Don’t skip meals.

So often women think they should skip a meal or two because they will be dining out later.  They think it will help to compensate for the extra calories they will be consuming later.

It never works and here’s why.

When we skip meals, our metabolism slows down.  Doing anything that will slow our metabolism down before we are going to dine out is a pathway to weight gain. Think of your metabolism like it is a car. A car needs a constant flow of gasoline to run.  It’s the same with your metabolism. Our bodies need constant supply of energy from food to function at optimal performance.

If you skip a meal your metabolism switches to survival mode.  It slows down to conserve energy.  Now you are going to keep going throughout the day, right?  But you haven’t given your body any fuel so what will it do?  How will it keep going? Well, you body will hunt down whatever fuel it can find to keep going.  And that fuel is found and stolen from your muscles and organs.

The last thing you want is for your metabolism to start steeling fuel from your muscles.  That will only slow down your metabolism.

That brings me to the next tip which will help you turn things around.

Click here for tips #2 and #3.

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Debunking Good Carbs From Bad Carbs – Part 2

Welcome back.  In part 1 we talked about the benefits of eating healthy whole food carbohydrates and the types of icky things you can experience when you eliminate them from your diet.

I ended with “whole food carbohydrates are not the enemy”.

The enemy is processed food carbohydrates like pizza, bread, pasta, cake, waffles, pretzels, etc.

Learn the difference between a healthy carbohydrate and an unhealthy carbohydrate, then crowd out the bad by adding in the good.  You will be doing your body and mind a big favor.

I know there are all kinds of information out there about low-carb styles of eating.  Don’t let the information overwhelm you.

When it comes food, it is really quite simple.  We should eat 3-meals a day.  If you eat 3 complete meals a day, comprised of quality foods that provide ample nutrients from protein, carbohydrates, vegetables or fruit, and healthy fat, your body will not crave nutrients.  If you nourish your body efficiently, it will in turn give you back peak performance.

By now you might be thinking… OK how much should I eat in a day?  What if I still have cravings?

If you are looking slim down, would like your body to heal and provide peak performance, it is important that you eat food from every food group at each meal. Here are the portions sizes.

At least ¼ of a meal should be from a whole food carbohydrate.  The rest of your meal should consist of at least half coming from vegetables, another ¼ coming from high quality protein and a very small portion of healthy fat.  At one meal a day you can substitute your vegetable for a fruit serving.

If you would like to slim down, balance your blood sugar and curb your cravings, don’t give up the foods that will help you in the long-term.

The bottom line is, carbs in their natural, fiber-rich form are healthy.  Processed refined carbs are unhealthy.

Making changes to live a healthier lifestyle do not happen overnight.  Set yourself up with a healthy plan that supports long-term results.  Take action to make that plan part of your everyday way of being and be patient.

If reading this has made you realize that you could use some help reigning in your overwhelm, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how I help my clients lose weight and come out more in control than ever before.   Why not click here and set up an appointment to talk about setting up some strategies and goals to get you headed in a new direction.

Book a free call!

Until next time,

Patti

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Debunking Good Carbs From Bad Carbs

It’s the time of year where women begin to think about losing weight.  Have you?

If so, have you been thinking you’ll just stop eating carbs to help you lose weight?

That is a great question to ask and I hope to help you with an answer.

There’s so much advice out there. Should you avoid carbs at all costs? Should you only get your carbs from vegetables and fruit?  How much should you eat?

Clients often say to me: “I’m just going to stop eating carbs”, “I’m going give up carbs and just get them from vegetables and fruit” or “I’m going to follow the ketogenic diet”.

With all the confusion about this I understand how people can feel overwhelmed.

The answer is NO.  Please don’t stop eating carbohydrate-rich foods and here’s why.

Carbohydrate-rich foods are the foundation of a healthy diet.  High-quality carbs have essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients in a natural package.

The healthy whole food carbohydrates I’m referring to are:

  • whole grains like oats, barley, couscous, brown rice, quinoa, millet;
  • sprouted whole-grain bread;
  • starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn and yams;
  • legumes like black beans, peas and pinto beans.

By eliminating a food group, like healthy carbs which includes potatoes, starchy vegetables, legumes, etc., you will deprive your body of some very important nutrients.  It will in turn reward you with CRAVINGS, fatigue, brain fog and more.

Whole food carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy: They help fuel your brain, kidneys, heart, muscles and central nervous system.

Clients come to me and say they want to follow a low-carb diet to help with their pre-diabetes, high-blood pressure or metabolic syndrome.  Here’s the reality…. any type of eating plan that helps you shed excess weight can reduce or even reverse risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. So why choose one that eliminates a food group that will HELP you manage your blood-sugar, have more energy and get rid of brain fog?

When you cut out carbs you can experience some pretty icky side-effects like:

  • headache
  • bad breath
  • weakness
  • loss of concentration
  • muscle cramps
  • fatigue
  • skin rash
  • constipation or diarrhea

Whole food carbohydrates are not the enemy.

Click here for part 2 where I’ll talk more about the types of carbs that are the enemy, how much you should eat and how to avoid healthy food overwhelm.

 

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Are you ready for a break from stress – Part 3

Today I’m are going to talk about the SIMPLE ways to support your brains and body so stress doesn’t drive you bananas.

I’ll use myself as an example.  When I’m anxious or stressed, I want food to make me feel different in a positive way. For that reason, I’ll eat eat root veggies.  For example I’ll eat sweet potatoes, beets, and onions or use sauces made with ginger or turmeric.   

Click here to get a super easy recipe 😊

If you are wondering why I choose these types of foods, it is because the roots of any plant are its anchor and foundation, its where the plant gets its stability.  They are the parts that support and nourish the plant. Root veggies share their grounding effect when we eat them, making us feel physically and mentally rooted, increasing our stability, stamina and endurance. 

That sure works for me.  I would much rather feel stable then jittery any day.

Root veggies are a rich source of nutrients and provide a steady source of natural sugars to our body.  Instead of upsetting our blood sugar levels like cookies will do, they regulate our blood sugar. And since root veggies absorb, assimilate and supply plants with vital nutrients, they increase absorption and assimilation of nutrients in our digestive tracts.  They are amazingly good for us and will help regulate blood sugar, our mood and even help alleviate cravings.

So many of my clients are managing their stress in a positive way. They’ve learned which foods will help ground them during stressful times and which foods will make things worse. Applauses to the one who is now managing her stress without turning to caffeine; the one who knows sweet potatoes will help her so much more than cookies and the one with that high-pressure job who knows what to eat for lunch to get her through her day with power instead of reaching for donuts or coffee.

No one is immune to stress.  It’s real and it is a major contributor to our bodies feeling achy, uncomfortable and tense.

If you are reading this and you are thinking…. “I could use some help managing my anxiety and stress in a positive way.”  Food is exactly how I help my clients get through stressful times without gaining weight.  I help them learn the types of foods they can eat so they come out of their stressful times feeling more powerful than ever. 

If you are curious about how I do this, click here and let’s set up a time to talk.

Thanks for following along.

That’s it for now, I’ll be back in a few days.

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Are you ready for a break from stress – Part 2

Ok so yesterday we were talking about stress, anxiety and our brain.  I ended with asking you what you could do to give your brain support to help handle stress or anxiety.

Here it is…you can feed it.

Truly…. if you are feeling stressed or anxious, you can help your brain and body out by eating.

Here’s an example of how food can change the way you feel.

Have you ever been so busy that you were having a hard time focusing?

So, you stopped and got a cup of coffee and added in a cookie for comfort.  What happens?  You feel all jittery and wired.  That’s an example of how food can change how you feel.

Now look, I’m not saying coffee is bad.  However, when you are feeling stressed or anxious…?

Consider this, one of the things rarely mentioned about caffeine is that it is, in fact, a drug. It’s the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world, which is probably why we don’t think about it as a drug.

Caffeine also excites our brain cells, which tells our hormone control center the pituitary gland that there’s an emergency. The pituitary tells the adrenal glands to flood the body with adrenaline.  If we are already stressed or anxious, we are already pumping adrenaline.  Adding caffeine and sugar causes us to make excess adrenaline which in turn can make us feel jittery, irritable, more anxious and more emotionally-charged.

If you want to be able to deal with your stress or busyness better, more from a place of power and control, change the way you feed yourself.

I am by no means a stress-free human.  I recently I have been feeling stressed about a presentation I’m going to make (click here if you live locally and would like to attend).  We also had a bunch of stuff in our house go kaput all at once. Four big things needed repairs or replacement (it came in fours instead of threes).  Is this the time for me to drink extra coffee and comfort myself with sugar?  Heck no! The last thing I want is to feel more anxious and bloated!

Tomorrow I’ll go over some very simple ways you can support your brain and body in a positive way.  Stay tuned.

Hugs,

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Are you ready for a break from stress?

Are you ready for a break from stress?

You might be thinking…that’s not possible.  Life is crazy.  I am so busy working, running around with the kids, grand-kids, running a business or taking care of my elderly parents.  I’m on overload and constantly feeling anxious.

If you feel like this is you, keep reading because I have something that might help.

First let’s quickly talk about stress and anxiety because it is difficult to spot the differences between the two.  Both can lead to sleepless nights, lack of focus, excessive worry and irritability.  Even physical symptoms – like rapid heart rate, muscle tension and headaches.

In short, stress is your body’s reaction to a trigger and is generally a short-term experience. Stress can be positive or negative.  For example, when stress kicks in and helps you pull off that deadline you thought was a lost cause, it’s positive. When stress results in insomnia, poor concentration, or impaired ability to do the things you normally do, it’s negative.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is more sustained and can be triggered by stress. Anxiety doesn’t fade into the distance once the threat is mediated. Anxiety hangs around and can cause significant impairment in social, occupational, and other important areas of functioning.

When our lives get crazy, we often begin to mull over or dwell on all the things going on.  Our brains begin to work really hard to help us solve the problems we are giving it.

If you think about it, your brain is working overtime.  So, what can you do to give it support to help handle the stress or anxiety?

Are you ready?  Turn in tomorrow and I’ll tell you more.

Ta, ta, for now,

P.S.  BTW…..If you live locally, I would love to see you at Rebecca Christine’s Boutique Thursday night when I’ll be sharing some proven strategies to make your metabolism fight for you.  If you are interested in attending, click here for more information.  

 

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Winning the Metabolism Game – Part 3

While your metabolism won’t change overnight, implementing small, long-lasting changes have the potential to help you beat metabolism at its own game.  So here we go with part 3 and my last recommendation.

After 25+ years of helping women lose weight and live more healthfully, I have come to realize that long-term success is more of a mental endeavor than a physical one.  That’s why my last recommendation in this series is that you learn how being mindful affects your metabolism.

I’m working with a client who had tried every diet known.  She was 30 pounds overweight and had totally ruined her metabolism from restrictive dieting.

We started by developing ways for her to create healthier habits so she would never have to count another calorie or feel hungry.  We added in just a few simple lifestyle shifts that support her recovery from eating processed foods which were causing weight gain and inflammation.

She also traveled a lot so I created a workout that she could do anywhere – anytime in just a 3’ x 6’ space.

But the most important thing we are doing is helping her become more mindful of her thoughts and fears.  Every session we create action plans to challenge and manage her thoughts and fears that have been holding her back from making healthy changes.

She is doing great and is amazed that it’s not that hard.  But more importantly she is delighted that she doesn’t have to rely on disciplining herself all the time.  Being in control of her thoughts is so much more productive and positive.

Keep this in mind as I continue here.  We get good at what we practice.

If we are continuously practicing disparaging thinking about ourselves or believing in the obstacles we have created that hold us back from exercising or eating more healthfully, we will get good at thinking that way and give it power.

For example, if you are always thinking that you have a terrible sweet tooth and you can’t lose weight because of it.  You’ll believe that.

But, if you were to learn how to challenge those thoughts, you would get good at challenging them and eventually they will be replaced.

If you are continuously telling yourself that you don’t have time to exercise, you’ll believe it.

But if you were to mentally challenge what you have been telling yourself with a plan that you put into action, you would get good at that plan.

I wrote an E-book outlining just how to do this.  I’m happy to give it to you for free, just click here and I’ll send you the e-book.

Get Your E-Book Here

If you truly desire change, you must train your brain to disrupt old patterns of thinking or nothing will change permanently.

Once you begin to do that, you will pave new neural pathways to guide your thought patterns to support your deepest desires to live more healthfully, lose that 15 pounds and keep it off this time.

You have a choice.

Which would you rather have?  Would you rather support the thoughts that are hurting you or the thoughts that will help you?

It isn’t as hard as you think and my E-book details how to take back your power by becoming mindful of your thoughts and challenging them.

The message is quite powerful.

There is so much more to winning the metabolism game by becoming mindful.  I go in-depth on this in my virtual weight loss solutions for life coaching program.  If you would like more information on that program, just go here and set up a time to chat.

Let's Chat

Whether it’s winning a game of Monopoly or winning the metabolism game, it all starts with the power of your mind.

Our minds are an untapped resource.  They can make us successful or confine us to a life of misery.  What we believe we manifest.

The mind is where champions are forged.

So that’s it for today.  If you have any questions, let me know.

Thanks so much for following along with me.

 

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Winning the Metabolism Game – Part 2

managing weight and metabolismA 50-year-old client came to me frustrated and stressed because she couldn’t lose weight.  She was a busy business woman often eating on the run or skipping meals.  However, she was religious about counting her calories at 1200 a day.  She felt like she was doing everything right, but still couldn’t seem to make anything work!

Like many of my clients, she was ignoring a key factor in managing weight and that is metabolism.

Metabolism is the amount of energy your body uses each day and it can be a key factor in losing weight and keeping it off.

So, here’s part 2 of my three-part series for winning the metabolism game.

The first thing I did with my client was to help her stop dieting, counting calories, and fasting.  Here’s why.

Research has shown when you go on any type of restrictive diet, you often lose weight quickly but 25-30% of that is lean muscle.  Which means you just lowered your metabolism.  That’s why so many people regain weight after going on a diet.

To speed up my client’s metabolism and start losing weight I told her she need to eat foods that have a high thermogenic effect.  Meaning they take a lot of energy to digest, absorb and transport nutrients.

What would those foods be?  They would be simple, unprocessed whole foods.

Let’s look at what is a whole food?

  • A whole food is a food that has had nothing added to it or taken from it.
  • Whole foods include fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, meat, fish and eggs.
  • Whole foods are taken directly from their source, be it plant or animal, and contain all their original nutrients.
  • Whole foods do not contain any added ingredients.
  • Whole foods are foods that are in the form in which nature intended them to be. For example, an apple or an egg.

Why eat more whole foods?  Because they take more energy to metabolize than processed foods.

And she made sure her whole food eating plan included protein at every meal.  Why is that important?

Because protein takes a lot of metabolic energy to digest.  I suggested she eat her largest portion of protein at breakfast, next largest portion at lunch and smallest portion at dinner.

This helped my client to efficiently utilize the energy from the protein and give her body the energy and fuel it needed to run efficiently when she was most active.

Click here to download a few breakfast recipes she used that are power packed with protein.

Next, I had her add in more water.

There are so many benefits to drinking water.  But in relation to metabolism, cellular hydration is necessary for the body to function optimally.  The body’s ability to create and burn energy is weakened when hydration is diminished.  When a cell shrinks due to dehydration, the body is signaled to slow down the metabolic process.  Keeping your cells hydrated is a good way to keep your metabolism working at optimal levels.

I hope this information helps to shed light on a few things you can start to do for a metabolic energy boost.

It worked for my client.  She found a regular routine of having easy whole food meals on hand, like those in this downloadable meal plan,  eating three meals a day and drinking more water gave her lasting energy and she started to lose weight.

The key is to be persistent, confident and patient.

Stay tuned…more to come next week.

Cheers,

Patti

P.S.  I’ll be giving a live training on the use of the Fascia Blaster as a self-care tool for pain management in my Facebook Women’s Wellness group, Wednesday, 2/27 at 7:00 PM EST.  It is a closed group so if you aren’t already a member, click here and ask to join.  Or share this link with a friend who might find the information helpful:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/HMWfitnessnutrition/

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Winning The Metabolism Game

I know so many women who are thriving after 50 while also winning the metabolism game.

Do you want to know their secret?

It’s not that complicated.  It’s basically an easy, results-oriented three step formula and today I’m going to share the first step in the mixture.

Each step can be quickly implemented.  They aren’t hard to apply and they might possibly be just the thing you need to give your body a metabolic energy boost.

Let’s start with…what is metabolism?

Simply put, metabolism is your body’s engine.  Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy.  The more energy you burn (calories) the faster your metabolism.

When your metabolism is revved and working at optimum levels of performance, your mind and body feel great!  You feel sharp, focused and might even shed some unwanted pounds.

If you want to give yourself a metabolic energy boost, the first recommendation in the formula is……

…..get some exercise.

Who knows why exercise is important to winning the metabolism game?

To start with, it has a big impact on your body composition.  That is the percentages of fat, bone, water and muscle in your body.  Also, you burn less energy at rest and more when you are active.  So, the more active you are during the day the higher your metabolism.

However, you must find the right exercise for YOU.

If you work out too hard too often, it can have a counter effect by causing too much cortisol, which is a stress hormone that will slow down your metabolism.

If you don’t workout hard enough, you won’t build muscle that helps to rev your metabolism.

Whatever type of exercise you choose, you want one that will contribute to your having healthy, strong muscles while burning off underutilized calories.  More on underutilized calories in a minute.

If you want to influence your body composition while burning calories, your workout ought to include these components:

Flexibility – Strength-training – Endurance – Cardiovascular – Mobility

A very efficient type of workout is circuit training. It is one of my favorites.  Circuit training is a tried and true way to get all 5 components in one workout.

Getting exercise is important to boosting your metabolism because only about 60% of the energy produced from the food we consume is used to keep our body alive and its organs functioning normally.

But what about the other 40%?   These are those underutilized calories.  Meaning these are calories that aren’t burnt off and can lead to weight gain.

So why not use some of that underutilized energy for exercise?

I know some people struggle to find just the right workout.  Like I said before, it is important to find what’s right for you and what you will do consistently.

If you are struggling to find just the right workout, I have a few relatively easy to do circuit workouts on my Facebook business page or in my Facebook Women’s Wellness Group.

If you would like to chat about how Healthy Methods Wellness fitness program might help to give you the tools you need to add the exercise component to your metabolism boosting tool kit, let’s talk.  You can click here to set up a time to chat.

That’s it for today.  Recommendation number two comes next week.

Talk to you next week,

 

 

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Chocolate Cake

It was recently pointed out to me that my website lacks cake recipes.  Well the reason is, I not a very good baker.

Now I love food, love to cook and love to eat.  It’s just that baking is more precise, and it scares me a bit.

I also don’t have a sweet tooth so that helps.  Before I go on about baking and share a delicious recipe, I want to share a quick story.

I once told a former colleague that I would rather have a good dill pickle than a donut any day.  And guess what, when I left that job, she bought me a big jar of pickles as a going away present.  We had a great laugh and I every time I ate one of those pickles I thought of Shirley.

Anyway, this last weekend I decided to face my fears, dust off my baking pans, and bake an awesome chocolate cake. A delicious cake made with some very special ingredients that make it ultra-moist, not too sweet and nutritious.

So, the secret ingredient in this cake is BEETS.  Now don’t turn your nose up…. hear me out because the cake is truly delicious, and you won’t believe how great it is.

The beets add moisture and sweetness to the cake.  And just so you’ll know, it does not taste like salad or dirt!

Actually, the beets play up the deep chocolate flavor, it’s almost magical!

The cake batter will be a purple-brownish color and will bake into a moist chocolate cake with no trace taste of beets. I repeat no trace of beets.

As I said before the cake is moist, wickedly chocolate and not too sweet.  Seriously, no one would ever know the major ingredient in this cake is vegetables.

Oh….and let me talk a little about the frosting.  Which is totally optional.  It is made with avocado, maple syrup and cocoa, sprinkled with salt flakes (optional).  To sum up this cake, it is not only the healthiest cake you’ll ever taste but probably one of the most delicious too.

Are you ready for the recipe?  Just click here and it’s all yours.

That’s it for today, have a wonderful week!

Ta, ta for now,

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Secrets revealed….

I’m going to reveal a professional secret.

For all the years I’ve been coaching women in health and fitness, I have always dreaded the New Year’s Resolution craze.

When I owned fitness centers it was the worst!  We would be crazy busy for 30 days.  We would gear up, staff up and then it was over …. like someone let the air out of a balloon.

I don’t know about you but I’m glad the January rush to make a resolution is behind us.   Now I can settle in, get cozy and do the things I need to do to keep the blues away.

This is the time of year that I struggle a bit with seasonal affective disorder.  It’s darker earlier and I spend less time out doors in the sun.  Hence, I tend to be a little moodier, more tired and just not as…perky.

That being the case, I thought I would share a few things I do to keep my spirits up and beat the wintertime blues.

I get more sleep. 

This is the time of year when my body naturally wants to sleep more.  The days are shorter and there’s less light.  I give in to it.  I strive to get eight hours of sleep each night.  Try it, you’ll be amazed at all the ways your body will thank you and you might lose some weight at the same time.

Here’s how the weight loss thing works.

Have you ever had an extremely BAD night’s sleep only to wake up the next day feeling exceedingly hungry throughout the day?

It’s because when we sleep our body makes leptin and ghrelin.  These are two hormones that get thrown out of whack when we don’t get enough sleep.

During sleep, leptin levels increase.  Leptin tells our brain we have plenty of energy and there’s no need to trigger the feeling of hunger.  When we don’t get enough sleep, we end up with too little leptin and our brain thinks it doesn’t have enough energy, so it tells us we are hungry.

Ghrelin is basically the exact opposite of leptin. It tells our brain when we need to eat, when it should stop burning calories and when it should store energy as fat. During sleep, levels of ghrelin decrease, because sleep requires far less energy than being awake. When we don’t get enough sleep, we end up with too much ghrelin in our system, so our body thinks it’s hungry and it needs more calories, and it stops burning those calories because it thinks there’s a shortage.

So, you’re not just imagining things when you don’t get enough sleep and feel hungry all day.  I say, get cozy.  Eat dinner earlier, go to bed earlier and get a solid 8-hours of sleep.  It can make the difference between an energy-filled day and a cranky, hungry dreary day (and maybe help with weight loss).

I drink more water.

 

When we spend more time indoors where the air is dry, we need more water.  If you have plants in your house, you are probably watering them a little more because of the dry heat.  The same thing applies to our body.

Being mildly dehydrated can lead to feeling tired, run down, and can create brain fog.  A little like your plants looking droopy.  Staying hydrated helps us stay energized and healthy; plus, it keeps us from over-eating when our body is just thirsty.

Water is critical to keeping our body functioning at its highest level.  So, aim for at least 64 ounces a day.  You’ll be amazed how much better you’ll feel.

I focus on eating quality food and making one or two little changes.

Rather than trying some crazy restrictive diet, I choose to add in something healthier and crowd out the not so healthy. Eating quality food and getting the right nutrients is a tremendous contributor to feeling happy (and losing weight).

Here are some ways to crowd out the not so healthy and add in the healthy:

  • Crowd out soda (both diet and regular) with herb tea.
  • Instead of picking something up at a local coffee shop or drive thru, add in a quality breakfast. (Did you download the breakfast recipes?  Click here if you would like a copy of my make ahead breakfast recipes.)
  • Crowd out junk foods with additives and preservatives by adding in whole foods.
  • Crowd out processed carbohydrates like bagels, bread and rolls by adding in whole grains and whole food carbohydrates like potatoes, brown rice and beans.
  • Add in enough complete protein at each meal, including brain-healthy omega 3 fats found in fatty fish and ground flax seeds by crowding out too many processed carbohydrates like pasta, white rice and cereals.
  • Here’s another idea…when you eat at home, add in sitting down to a nicely set table and crowd out the electronic devices with some lovely candles. You’ll digest your food better and the calming effect of candlelight is a simple tool to help reduce the stress of the day.

The first step toward improving your mood is always food.  Just a few simple tweaks could dramatically improve your mood.  By eating a diverse, whole foods diet full of healthy protein, whole food carbohydrates, vegetables and fruit, you will notice significant changes in your mood.

These are just a few of the things I do to keep the blues away.  I would love to hear from you.  What are some of the things you do to keep your spirits up and beat the winter-time blues?  Please share.

That’s it for today.

Stay cozy,

 

 

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Visualize Waking Up Every Day and Breakfast is Ready

Can you imagine waking up and breakfast is ready?  All you have to do is pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea and you are on your way to a great day.  Wouldn’t that make your life easier?

Since all of my clients are busy women, I like to help them simplify things.  This way they can start their day with quality food that’s easy to come by.

Many of the women I work with say either “I don’t have time in the morning” or “I’m not hungry when I wake up.”

Here are a few ideas I share in my coaching sessions that make eating breakfast simple, quick and easy-peasy.

One solution is to assemble make ahead breakfasts.  I’m a fan of breakfast muffins, casseroles, puddings and porridge.

I make a great breakfast muffin recipe where two muffins equal one serving, and they are a complete meal in a tidy power-packed portion.  They are  scrumptious either warmed up or cold.

Then I also make a breakfast casserole that is crammed with good stuff.  It’s egg free, soy free and dairy free.  And then there is a pudding and a porridge that each contain all food groups and are easy to make ahead.

Download Recipes Here

Hands down make ahead breakfasts can solve the problem of not having time to eat quality food for breakfast.

BUT, what if you aren’t hungry in the morning?

If your largest meal of the day is dinner and you aren’t waking up hungry after fasting for 12+ hours, then:

You might be eating too much at dinner or you are eating too late.

For many women who struggle with their weight, it is often not caused by how much they eat but instead what and when they eat.

If your largest meal of the day is dinner and you are putting out the least amount of activity following that meal, then you are not efficiently utilizing that food as fuel.  It’s that simple.

Or you might be eating too late.  When we sleep our digestion slows down.  If you eat close to bedtime, you aren’t giving your stomach a chance to digest and process your food.  Which is why you aren’t waking up hungry.  You’ll digest your food more efficiently and sleep better if you give yourself 4+ hours between finishing dinner and going to bed.

Women always ask me if it is true that eating breakfast will help them lose weight.  Though that question is still under-researched, studies do support eating 25-30% of your daily allowance of food in the morning as a beneficial strategy for weight control.  So, if you are trying to lose weight, eat a good breakfast.

It’s easy to let breakfast fall low on our list of priorities in the morning but your body deserves better.  That’s why I’m sharing these ideas and recipes.  I hope they help.

Download Recipes Here

Sending you good vibrations,

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Healthier Habits in Just 6-Weeks

I talk to a lot of women who hunger to embrace healthier habits, but simply aren’t in a place where they feel like they can commit to a long-drawn-out program.

I understand.

That’s exactly why I’ve created a straightforward, consolidated version of my most popular 12-week program.

If you’re craving a change but tackling a full-scale wellness program is the last thing you think you have time for, keep reading.

My online group starts MONDAY.  It is jam-packed with information and is an absolute fabulous deal.  Here’s what you get:

Weekly workbooks and action plans for success emailed directly to your inbox every Monday morning.

Personalized feedback from me for the course duration.

An easy to follow program where all you must do is purchase food.  I’m not going to ask you to purchase shakes, vitamins or anything like that.

Information on how to become aware of the sabotaging thoughts that have been holding you back from losing weight and keeping it off.

Tools you need to learn how to turn those sabotaging thoughts around to work in your favor.

Simple lifestyle strategies to help you reduce stress and increase joy. 

Here’s what’s in each weekly module:

Module One:  The basics – This is the week where you will learn how easy it is to eat healthy whole foods, so you will never have to count another calorie, go on a diet or feel hungry.  You will also learn simple lifestyle shifts to support your recovery from eating processed foods that cause weight gain and chronic inflammation.

Module Two:  Cook Once Eat Twice – This week we will delve into how to structure your plate to lose weight, how to organize a weekly meal plan and cool tools to help you save time.

Module Three:  Master your Mindset – This week we get to the heart of the program.  You will learn how to develop a plan to master your mindset and develop separate action plans to manage the thoughts and fears that hold you back from making healthy changes, so you can lose weight and keep it off.

Module Four:  The Power of Food for Energy and Medicine – This week we will continue to delve into the power of the mind, how the foods you eat effect your mood and the foods you can have on hand that will work as medicine for your hectic life, foods that will give you energy, and help you feel full and satisfied.

Module Five:  What’s holding you back? – This week we will continue to explore the things that hold you back from eating healthier and practical lifestyle tips to take control of them, so you can lose weight and keep it off without dieting, counting calories or feeling hungry.

Module Six:  The Gift of Mindful Eating – This is the final week of this journey.  Here you will learn simple lifestyle strategies that create powerful results from the everyday activities of your life, by using tools that are you already have within you.

You will also receive:

A recipe guide that supports nearly any lifestyle, from gluten free to paleo.

A quick reference guide to help you select healthy snacks, shop at the grocery store, go to restaurants, travel all while following your healthy living plan.

A 30-minute body-weight circuit workout video emailed directly to you that you can do anytime, anyplace.

I’m ready to give you my top secrets to get healthy, lose weight and never gain it back.

If you are ready to step into a healthier, more energetic and happier version of you, then jump on this offer—but do it fast!  You’ve only got until the end of the week to scoop up this program and get started to on your journey to a lighter, brighter you!

Peace and love,

P.S.  If you know in your heart that you need a way out of the lose weight and gain it back rut but you’ve told yourself you don’t have the time… this is the answer! Click this link to get access. There’s no better time than NOW to honor yourself so you can thrive in a body that you love.

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Do you have diet mentality?

Are you thinking, what the heck is diet mentality?

Well it is a chronically restrictive way of thinking about food.  It’s when we deeply analyze our food choices and feel angry or guilty when we eat foods we believe are bad. 

For example, a diet mentality might be:

*constantly thinking about what we’ve eaten or about to eat;
*always counting and restricting calorie, carbohydrate and fat grams;
*eliminating particular food categories, like starches or fats;
*avoiding activities that involve food and eating;
*ignoring hunger signals by drinking extra amounts of water, tea, coffee or    diet soda;
*feeling guilty when we eat something off our diet plan;
*over-exercising to compensate for perceived overeating or weight gain.

Many of the clients I work with have been chronic, life-long dieters.  Even if they’re satisfied with their weight and not currently “on a diet”, they have difficulty giving up the diet mentality.  Gee it makes sense, our culture has even named “skinny jeans’ after the diet mentality.

When we forbid ourselves from eating certain food, we create a painful and unsatisfying relationship with food. As we continue to deprive ourselves of these foods, we actually intensify our drive to eat them. Our forbidden foods become overvalued, and we develop obsessive thoughts and cravings for them.

Having a diet mentality usually leads to a cheater’s mentality. And that doesn’t serve us well, whether we’re trying to lose weight or trying to maintain weight loss.

If we have excess weight, and decide we want to change that, most of us want to do it as quickly as possible.  Often the quickest way to feel some control is to go on a restrictive diet.  But all that does is set us up for constantly thinking about eating.  And it should because we’re hungry.

I get it.  I’ve been there. 

Did you know that despite the entrenchment of the diet mentality in our culture, research demonstrates that diets don’t work? Ninety-eight percent of all dieters regain their weight within five years and ninety-five percent within two years. And Harvard medical School studies have shown that constantly losing and gaining weight is more hazardous to health than remaining overweight.

I’m not going to get into my mindset song and dance because it won’t matter unless you are willing to give up the diet mentality.

So what are we supposed to do?  Well, for most people, being overweight is not caused by how much they eat but by what they eat. The idea that people gain weight because they consume a high volume of food is a myth.

What makes most people overweight is not that they eat lots of food but because they eat processed foods, refined carbohydrates and fat, or mostly low-nutrient food.

The good news is eating large amounts of the right food is the key to success. 

We can eat to satiation and lose weight. 

But before I offer you some guidance on how to do just that, let me share some of the many reasons to ditch the diet mentality.

  • It fails to encourage us to learn to trust the wisdom of our body. When we limit our intake and go hungry, our body becomes out of balance.
  • Chronic dieting leads to nutritional deficiencies.
  • Our body interprets chronic dieting as starvation and slows down the metabolism.
  • Food restriction triggers intense food cravings and out-of-control rebound eating and when we go off the diet, our bodies retain more fat for the next famine.

To avoid feelings of deprivation and create a more peaceful relationship with food, we need to balance eating for pleasure with eating for health, and bring our bodies, minds and eating habits into harmony. 

To help yourself develop a more peaceful relationship with food try these simple swaps for better health:

Crowd out low nutrient processed foods with high nutrient whole foods. That means eat real food.  Shoot for 70% of your food every day to be a whole food.  What is a whole food?  A whole food is food that has had nothing added to it or taken from it.  What is a processed food?  A processed food is a food that has something added to it or taken from it.

Chew your food 20-30 times before swallowing and put your utensils down between each mouthful of food. Digestion of your food starts in your mouth.  Let your saliva do it’s job of creating happy enzymes that will help your body assimilate all the nutrients you’re feeding it.

Eat mindfully.Try to stay mentally present whenever you eat.  Sit down when you are eating.  Be grateful for the food you are about to enjoy.  Eat slowly and savor every bit.

As we practice the above steps, we need to be gentle with ourselves as we take this new enlightening journey.  The above steps are a good start to on the road to releasing the diet mentality.

Here’s to ditching the diet mentality,

P.S.  I would love to help you with your own difficulties ditching the diet mentality so you can lose weight naturally and keep it off.  I have created a 1-1 coaching program that is based on making medically proven lifestyle adjustments that lead to permanent change.  Are you ready for change?   Click here and let’s set up a time to chat.

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Action oriented thinking and why it works….

Are you ready for some action-oriented thinking? 

If you’ve wondered why I’m all hot and bothered about action-oriented thinking, it’s because becoming part of the 5% who slim down and keep it off or start a workout program and keep it up is all about mindset.  It is all about becoming aware of the thoughts that have held us back from maintaining our desires.

Is it hard work and sometimes scary to become aware of these thoughts?

Absolutely, most of us have pushed them way back and down deep so we don’t have to be conscious of them.

My suggestion is to be brave.  They are only thoughts and they won’t kill you.  And unless you are willing to become aware of them, you might as well stop reading now.

Destructive thoughts have at least these two things in common:

  1. they help us cut off painful feelings;
  2. they are strongly influenced or controlled by a thought process that both seduces us into a behavior and punishes us for indulging.

Action oriented thinking adopts the view that there are valid alternatives to changing those thoughts.  It requires us to be plugged-in to our thoughts, accompanied by a commitment to take action to change them. This is science based information and is change that you can make happen in just a few minutes.

There are three steps to action-oriented thinking.

For example: let’s say you’re at a dessert party and you see five delicious desserts.

You think:

I know I’m the chubbiest girl here and I feel so self-conscious.  If I don’t have any dessert everyone will think I’m the fat girl on a diet again…. But I don’t care. I don’t want to deprive myself. It isn’t fair that those skinny girls get to eat whatever they want.

You can pave new healthy neural pathways to permanent change if you:

  1. Identify the trigger thought: 

I don’t give a damn. I don’t want to deprive myself. It isn’t fair that those skinny girls get to eat whatever they want.

  1. Identify the feeling:

                    Anger and deprivation:  this is not fair.
Disappointment:  I really want to eat this.
Fear:  I don’t want anyone to think I’m the fat girl on a diet again.
Discouraged:  this is too hard.

  1. Set up an action-oriented solution or strategy:

I’m going to pick my favorite dessert, take a small sized piece, eat it very slowly and enjoy every bite. I know I’m going to feel so proud of myself.

It is easier than you think.  The hardest part is to stop pushing the feelings and thoughts way back and down deep.

If you want to feel strong, confident and in control but you feel you need more guidance and in-depth support, you may want to consider my 6-week online group program Weight Loss Solutions for Life.  It is exactly what I teach in my private coaching.

It’s shown to be effective at retraining the brain for long-term behavior change so we can focus not only on keeping weight loss off or maintaining a workout, but healing and operating at peak performance!

Peace and love,

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Destructive thinking, it is seductive and can hold you hostage to losing weight and gaining it back.

Welcome to the first email in my Steps to Train Your Brain series the augments my Three Steps To Change Your Mindset E-Book!  Today I’m going to share some information on destructive thinking, how seductive it is and how it can hold us hostage.

Destructive thinking is our negative self-talk.  It is that inner dialogue that often involves disparaging thoughts about ourselves or our lives. These thoughts seduce us into destructive behavior while punishing us for indulging.

Becoming aware of this voice is an important component to lasting weight loss and is the first step to learning how to turn those thoughts around.

In the case of destructive or negative thoughts, these messages might include thoughts like:

  • you will never succeed, just eat it anyway.
  • you’ve been nothing but a failure, why try again;
  • why bother, you’re always going to be fat;
  • have a piece of cake, you ate healthy all week;
  • or much worse……

When we give in and indulge, this inner voice transforms into the cruelest enemy, tearing us apart. The voice maliciously punishes. We begin to think “You weak-willed jerk. You said you weren’t going to eat that anymore! You’ve ruined everything. You’ll always be fat.
 
Once you allow yourself to become aware of these thoughts, the next step is learning to challenge those destructive thoughts so we can strengthen our true self. Most importantly, when we learn to challenge those thoughts and follow them up with action oriented thinking, we break free from the internal chains that have held us back from accomplishing long-term results.
 
In my next email we’ll journey toward replacing those destructive thoughts with more constructive ones and how to create action oriented thinking.  We will move toward ways to implement the simple tools that separate the 5% who slim down and keep it off, from the other 95%.

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Sending you a big hug,


P.S. If you are looking for a more guided solution that will provide you with in-depth support, you may want to consider my Weight Loss Solutions for Life program.  It is a doctor-recommended, science-backed program that has shown to be effective at retraining your brain for long-term behavior change so your body can focus not only on losing weight but healing and operating at peak performance!  Click here to learn more.

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What’s next…. finding what works!

Have you ever done some type of short-term program, either a cleanse, 30-day clean eating or workout challenge and at the end thought…? what’s next?  How do I keep my momentum up?

It’s so much easier to stay motivated for the short-term.  It doesn’t matter what you are doing.  It’s the long-term where it gets difficult.

Well I’m excited to share a few solutions.  These simple solutions will help you change from being all gung-ho in the short-term and then stopping.  It doesn’t matter if your situation has been losing weight and then gaining it back, starting a workout routine and then stopping or losing confidence because you have started so many things only to fall back into your old routine.

You see, it doesn’t matter what the program is, if you don’t change what’s going on in between your ears, you will go back to following your old path.

I’ve been there myself.  As a matter of fact, don’t get discouraged because just about everyone I know has.

However it doesn’t have to be that way.  We can pave new neural pathways with just a little effort.  For example:

My client Kathy was frustrated by gaining back the 20 lbs. she lost. No matter how many diets she tried, she would lose 20 lbs. but fail to keep it off.

She was worried that she had damaged her metabolism and that she would never feel confident again.  Then I taught her how to take action by changing her mindset.

Now she is confident that she will never again be part of the 95% that lose weight and fail to keep it off because she knows what the other 5% know. She knows how to use the tools that separate the 5% from the 95%.

If you are curious as to what they are, I share them in a new e-book I wrote outlining three simple steps to change your mindset.  These steps can be applied to almost any situation that you would like to change.

Now, with this e-book you can start your own journey. However, I don’t want you to do this alone. To help you succeed, I’ve got a few more emails to send you over the next few weeks to support information that’s in the e-book.  I’m sure you’ll find them helpful!

Click here to download your e-book.

Wishing you good health and happiness,

 

 

 

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New Year’s Resolutions-Please Don’t!

Tomorrow is the day lots of people make their resolutions for the year.  If you are one of them, I hope you are 100% sure you want to change before you make that resolution.

Think about it for a minute.  How many New Year’s resolutions have you made in your life versus how many have you successfully accomplished?  Resolving to change, followed by trying and failing, followed by a new set of resolutions that starts the cycle of trying and failing again is crazy!  As a matter of fact, the National Institute of Health has defined it as “false hope syndrome”.

But really, why do you think so many New Years’ resolutions fail?

After all these years of coaching people in the fitness and weight loss industry I think I have identified why.

Let me start with a story:

I was talking to a potential client and I asked her on a scale of 1-10, 10 being very badly, how badly did she want to lose weight? 

She said oh about a 6 or 7. 

I asked why just a 6 or 7 why not 10 or more?  She said because changing is too hard. 

I told her I didn’t think I was the right coach for her.  She was so surprised and asked me why? 

You might be thinking…. what??? You would turn a client away?

Hell yes!

Look, I know I can teach my clients how to lose weight.  But I want them to keep that weight off.  And if my clients are going to make a permanent change, their desire for change needs to run so deep that they rate themselves at 10 or above.  Because permanent change takes place between our ears.

That’s why I say, before you set a New Year’s resolution, be 100% honest with yourself.

Ask yourself, on a scale of 1-10 how deeply do you desire that resolution?  And remember, the difficult nature of making changes means that you will likely be putting in effort that will take you beyond the point of it being inspiring or fun.

There’s no point in setting the same resolution you’ve set for years, only to end up feeling down and disappointed in yourself.  You deserve better.

So this year why not give yourself the break you deserve and skip the resolution.  Instead take the time to know what change you deeply desire. Chances are once you feel that desire so deep in your soul, you will be able to craft a road map for change that honors your desires.

Wishing you love, joy, good health and laughter,

 

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Holiday Sanity

Today is the last of my holiday tips and it is probably the most important.  My hope is these tips will help you enjoy your holidays even more.

The first one, and please don’t laugh, is manager your stress.

I know this is one of the most stressful times of year.  But how you manage stress influences your body chemistry, health, immune system and so much more.

To quickly manage stress, try this simple breathing exercise.  It can be done anytime, anywhere.  It is called the 4, 7 8 breath.  I even use it to help me fall asleep.  Here goes:

Inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.

Hold your breath for a count of seven.

Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.

Simple right?

The next tip is drink plenty of water.  Water is one of the most neglected sources of nourishment.  Simply fill up a large glass or bottle, keep it on your desk or bring it with you wherever you go.

Hydration is a natural appetite suppressant and a crucial step toward helping with weight loss and to avoiding junk food binges.  Some studies go as far as saying it is the secret weapon in weight loss.

Water helps to balance electrolytes and keep hunger cues in check. Exact water requirements vary widely among individuals – so, listen to your body and learn how much works for you.

Lastly, make your bedroom your sanctuary. Your bedroom should be used only for sleep and intimacy with your partner.  Avoid watching TV or using a computer in your bedroom and it’s best to keep your electromagnetic exposure to a minimum before bedtime.  Clear the clutter, keep the temperature on the cool side and the room very dark.

This is such a busy time of year, it’s easy to put taking care of yourself on the back burner.  But when that happens our cup empties, our fuse gets short and we get very overwhelmed.

These are just a few simple things that you can easily integrate into your daily life, whether it’s the holidays or not.  I encourage you to give them a try.  You’re worth the time.

Well that’s it for the holiday tips.  I wish you the happiest and healthiest of holidays.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me using the form below if you need additional support.  I’m here to help you live a life that is filled with good health and joy.

Love and Hugs,

 

 

P.S.  Will you be part of my free post-Christmas fitness challenge? If you would like more information you can click here and ask to join my Facebook group.  This challenge might be just what you need to help you refocus on YOU.

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The Party

Tis the season…..for party, after party, after party.  Holy smokes!

This week I’m going to share my experience with the appetizer, dessert and cocktails party.  Here goes.  Let me start with the four steps I live by.

One:  Set an intention for the outcome I want.  At this party my intention was have lots of fun and to only eat foods that I know wouldn’t make me feel icky later that night and the next day.

You see, I know if I eat foods that are way off from my usual way of eating that I will feel bloated, gassy and tired the next day.

Two:  Stay mindful of my thoughts and keep Negative Nellie from tempting me with old habits. (She is so immature)

Three:  Give myself credit.  I’m getting a little used to it.

Four:  Take action to change old behaviors

What I like about this type of party is everyone brings one appetize and one dessert.  So that means I have lots of control over what’s available for me to eat.

Before I get into the food part, I have two things that I always do when I go to cocktail parties.

The first one is to wear shoes that are not very comfortable to stand in for long periods of time.  This forces me to move away from the food tables and sit down.

The second is to eat something before I go.  I usually have a light protein shake.  If I go to a party hungry, I will NOT make sound decisions.

The party was a blast.  Negative Nellie wanted me to have the sugary festive looking Cosmos that were going around but I just put her in her place and had my usual clear fluids cocktail (Grey Goose Martini) in my fancy glass.

I brought a roasted eggplant and walnut dip with watermelon radish to use for dipping.  Since it was rather different compared to all the creamy, cheesy, fried appetizers, only a few of us ate it.  That suited me just fine.

As for the desserts, there were lots of cookies and I love cookies.  So, I had to remind myself how much I did not want to feel bloated and gassy the next day.  (Someone had to be the adult.)  I took one small plate, put several cookies on it, one of the mini cupcakes that I brought and ate those.

BTW I brought mini black bean cupcakes which where delicious and adorable.  No one knew they were made with beans 😊.

All in all, I had a great time, never felt like I deprived myself of a thing and had total control.  And, the more I kept repeating my 4-step pattern, the weaker and weaker Negative Nellie got.

That’s it for today.  I hope you join me next Monday, when I go “live at lunchtime” in my Women’s Wellness group with the last set of tips.

Cheers,

P.S. Have you heard about the free 10-day post-Christmas challenge I’m running my my Facebook group?  If you haven’t and you’d like information about it, click here and ask to join.  You can find everything you need to know in the group.  It even includes a free giveaway.

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The Weekend Gathering

The Weekend Gathering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every year my family gathers for a weekend.  We cook together, eat, play cards, talk, go for walks, and gather as a family to create great memories.

Last weekend was my family gathering and I’ll quickly outline how I stayed true to my healthy lifestyle goals.  I hope you pick up on a pattern.

Let me share again the four steps I live by when I know I’m going into a situation that might elicit Negative Nellie’s nagging opinions.

One:  I set an intention or a goal for the outcome I want.  My intentions for the weekend were to remain true to my lifestyle goals of eating whole food, to be in the “moment”, and to feel good about my decisions.

Two:  To stay mindful of my thoughts.  To be aware of when Negative Nellie starts trying to keep old habits alive and to pave right over her with new positive neural pathways.

Three:  I give myself credit often.  Not ever easy.

Four:  Take action to change old behaviors

Since I wanted as much control over my food as possible, I sent a suggested menu for our main meals to the family for their input and approval prior to our arrival.  That way I would know what to expect and how to plan for my own needs.

Once we arrived in the town where we were staying, we had to grocery shop for the meals.  So I made sure I had eaten lunch before I stepped foot in the grocery store.  That way I could make decisions that weren’t tainted by being hungry.

Groceries were purchased, the entire family arrived, and the festivities began.

The weekend was filled with cooking meals together, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and lots of fun.

I made sure to make a few vegetable based hors d’ oeuvres like Greek salad on a stick and the usual veggies and hummus.

Yes, there were all types of chips, cheese, crackers, and desserts but it was easy to ignore because I made sure I had whole food alternatives and I focused on what mattered most, my intention of being totally present with those I love.

Can you see the pattern of how I repeat the same 4 steps, time, after time, after time?

I am aware that old patterns and fears will always be there.  But I am also aware that it’s my choice to take action and pave new neural pathways.

I hope you find these tips helpful.  If you know anyone who might benefit from these tips, please share this email with them.  They can ask to be invited to my Facebook group where I share them live by clicking here or receive my blogs by clicking here.

That’s it for today.  I hope you join me next Monday, when I go “live at lunchtime” in my Women’s Wellness group with tips on how to handle the holiday party where there are all types of holiday cocktails and tables full of hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

Ta, ta,

Patti

 

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Happy Hour Tips

Staying mindful of our healthy lifestyle goals can be especially challenging when we are going to “happy hour”.  Here’re my tips on how to stay true-blue to you and still have a fun filled night out.

Let me start with the four steps that I shared last week.  I use these when I know I’m going into a situation that might trigger unwanted behaviors and elicit Negative Nellie’s nagging opinions:

One:  I set an intention or a goal for the outcome I want.

Two:  I stay mindful of my thoughts, both good and bad.

Three:  I give myself credit often.

Four:  I take action to change old behaviors

So here goes:

Driving to the pub, I set my intentions.  I planned to stay for a couple of hours.  I would have one cocktail and at least two glasses of water.  If we order food, I would only eat foods that come as close as possible to my whole food style of eating.  Lastly, when the evening is over I want to feel good about myself.  

The old me would go to happy hour hungry. I would eat very lightly throughout the day, so I could eat pub food.  I learned a long time ago to never go to happy hour (or grocery shopping) hungry.  I also know that alcohol can influence the way I make judgements and I want total control.

So, I choose to eat my usual breakfast and lunch.  Then an hour before I met my friends, I had a light protein drink made with just water and protein powder.

I meet my friends, order a cocktail that is made with clear liquids and not full of sugar. I choose a Grey Goose Martini.  I love martini glasses….they are so much fun!

Now we are talking and having a good time. Someone says, “let’s get a high table and order a bunch of food to share, I’m starving.”  I think to myself……” I’m so thankful I drank that shake!”

We look at the menu and it’s the usual crispy crackling calamari, roasted tomato crostini, chicken wings, truffle parmesan fries, etc. I’m thinking…” oh boy….”.  That’s when I see it…. BRUSSELS & CHORIZO.  It’s just sautéed brussels sprouts with chorizo, caramelized onions & shredded parmesan…PERFECT!

We are all talking, laughing and having a great time when the food comes and everyone starts oohing and ahhing. They all dig into the fried stuff and I’m happily filling my plate with the sprouts, chorizo and a couple of chicken wings.

All in all, I was there for a couple of hours, the time flew by and I had a fantastic time.  As I’m driving home, I think to myself how great I feel and that I need just a little light meal when I get home.  I go home and have some leftover lentil soup.

When I get into bed, I say to myself: “you’ve got this girl……you had a great time, stayed true to your intentions and were in total control.”  I sleep great and wake up the next day ready to take on the day.

Sir Winston Churchill is credited with saying: “Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.”  All it takes to avoid repeating  an old pattern is creating new neural pathways paved with positive actions. We have choices and cultivating change takes time and effort.

That’s it for today….  Stay tuned.  Next week I’ll present a new challenge and the action that can be taken to create a positive outcome.

If you know anyone who might benefit from these tips, please invite them to receive these posts by sharing this email.  They can click here to receive the posts.

Cheers,

 

 

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The Buffet

Here’s today’s scenario….

I’m going to an all-day holiday business function.

According to the agenda, the morning will start with a continental breakfast and networking.  Then there will be a morning break snacks served, a buffet lunch and afternoon break with coffee and cookies.

I find catered events to be a fun challenge because I never know what food will be served and if the food will serve my needs.

As I was driving to my function, I set an intention for myself to maintain my healthy lifestyle goals and to keep my promises to myself.  I remind myself how certain foods make me feel energetic and other foods make me feel good for the moment that I eat them, but I usually feel crappy after.

I’m feeling on top of my game.

I arrive at the function and skip the breakfast buffet of donuts and bagels.  It was easy todo because I had my power smoothie before I left.

I grab a cup of coffee and start networking with other women.

The function begins, and I go find my seat with my friends.

Now comes the morning break.  Ut oh.  I walk out, and they have mini pastries, fruit, protein bars, juice, soda and coffee.

I ask myself….am I really hungry?

I decide I’m not hungry, but I want to take a look at the protein bars.  I pick one up and read the tiny ingredients list.  Yup, just as I expected, sugar is the second ingredient.  I smile to myself and put it back because I know if I start down the sugar trail I will pay the price by feeling lousy as soon as the sugar boost wears off.  I put the protein bar down and go talk with a few women.

This is where I check in with how I am feeling and what thoughts are going through my head.  So far, I’m feeling confident and happy with myself.  I give myself a mental pat on the back for making good decisions around all that sugar.

Side note:  Giving yourself credit for good decisions throughout the day is a very important tip.  The more credit you give yourself for making good decisions, the less chance Negative Nellie, who lives rent free in your head, can sabotage you.

Finally, it is time for lunch.  I’m hungry.  My morning smoothie has certainly metabolized.  I’m looking forward to eating.

I get to the buffet table and there is an abundance of food.

There are warm croissant sandwiches with ham and melted brie, pasta salad, rolls and cold meats, salad, roasted potatoes, baked rigatoni and meatballs.

I take a second to tune into my feelings and there’s Negative Nellie saying……”oh come on, it’s OK just for today, don’t deprive yourself.  It’s not fair.  Look at all these other women.  They’re eating whatever they want.”

I take a breath and say to Nellie…”get lost bitch.”

I think to myself I am not going to give into those vandalizing thoughts (aka – Negative Nellie).  I’m going to build up my resistance muscle and modify things here a bit.

I decide to do the best I can.  I fill my plate with salad, a few potatoes and a few meatballs.  I’m thinking, “I’m thinking, this should give me what I need so I don’t fall asleep in the afternoon session.”

Now I’m walking down the buffet table and come upon the desserts.

OMG! There are cannoli’s, eclairs and tiramisu!  CRAP!  I quickly remind myself why I’m not going to have any.  Here’s what I say to myself:

“I am so happy I have all that food on my plate because I know how good I feel when I eat good food.  And, those meatballs look delicious.  If I have that tiramisu, I will give myself a total sugar overload.  I’ll won’t feel great after, I might end up in the bathroom which is embarrassing, and I’ll berate myself all night.”

I go sit down with my friends, smile when they make comments about my healthy food choices and give myself credit for walking my talk.

Learning to assess a situation and choose an appropriate action is a vital tool to help initiate the change.

For change to happen you need to be very sure of why the change is important to you and remind yourself of that WHY repeatedly until it becomes part of your DNA.

Your desire to change must be stronger than Negative Nellie and your fear of failure.  Your desire has to trump every other reason your sabotaging self (Negative Nellie) can throw at you.

It is not just a matter of motivation.  It is a thought process of turning those negative thoughts around.

Remember, you have choices……either strengthen your fears or strengthen your resolve.

If you know anyone who might benefit from these tips, please invite them to receive these posts by sharing this email.  They can click here to receive the posts.

That’s it for today….  Stay tuned.  Next week I’ll present a new challenge and the action that can be taken to create a positive outcome.

 

 

 

 

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Staying Mindful During the Holidays

Staying mindful during the holidays can be oh so challenging.

So, I’ve been thinking…..what can I do to give support and help you maintain your healthy habits this the holiday season?

Since a big struggle is around eating healthfully during the holiday season, I decided I’ll share tips to help you stay mindful of eating healthfully during this fun time of year.

So, weekly I’ll send a new “tip” and also share that tip “live” at noon on Monday’s in the Women’s Wellness Facebook group.

My tips will be thought and action-based techniques for managing behaviors through self-awareness.

I’ll present different realistic situations that might come up, show you how thoughts and behaviors influence decisions, and what actions can be taken to create a positive outcome.

We have thoughts about thoughts all day long.  Those thoughts bring about feelings. The more we become aware of our responses to our thoughts, whether our response is another thought or a feeling, the more opportunity we will have to create a positive outcome.  Keep in mind it is the small positive actions repeated over time that create change.

So, stay tuned.

Next week I’m going to present solutions for how to handle that holiday business function where breakfast, lunch and snacks are catered and there is an abundance of food.  I promise to send a fun and realistic solution that will create a positive outcome.

If you have a situation coming up that you would like me to help you out with, please reply to this email and I’ll be happy to discreetly use your story in one of my blogs.

One more thing, if you know anyone who might benefit from the information I’ll be sharing, please either send them this link to sign up for the blog or this link to join the Facebook Group.

That’s it for today.

Hope you have a sparkling day!

 

 

 

 

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Can Food Be Medicine?

There are so many reasons why we should pay attention to what we eat.  Especially this time of year when we are spending more time indoors.

Often healthy eating is associated with weight loss and there’s no denying that eating more healthfully will contribute to a smaller waist line.  But more importantly, incorporating healthy eating into our lifestyles will not only reduce our risk for getting a life-threatening disease, it’s a great way to boost immunity to help fight off colds and flu.

Did you know that climate-controlled chambers and cold and dry conditions, simulating winter in New England, allow exhaled viruses to stay suspended in the air longer than under other conditions? That is because droplets of moisture around them evaporate quickly, making the pathogens lightweight.  Kind of gross to think about all those germs and viruses floating around us.

That’s why we need to pay attention to what we eat so we can give our body the nutrients it needs to fight off those icky germs and viruses.

Seeing our food as medicine helps us make better decisions about what we eat.  Perhaps more than anything else in our lives, the foods we regularly eat can help keep us healthy. Though no food or nutrient is a cure-all against disease, eating healthfully will certainly contribute to warding off illnesses and wintertime colds and flu.

Our immune system is hardwired to attack anything that it sees as foreign, such as germs and viruses.  The process of attacking these pathogens is called inflammation and it is the body’s defense mechanism.  Occasional bouts of inflammation protect us against threatening health robbing invaders.

However, when inflammation is a constant visitor, it is not good.  Chronic inflammation can quickly become our enemy.  The good news is that we can lessen and even prevent chronic bad inflammation with diet and lifestyle thus producing a healthy immune system.  And a healthy immune system will help fight off those attackers.

Our diet doesn’t need to be “perfect” to be healthy.

Why not start by making just one or two changes?

Maybe start by removing one or two of the foods that are known to be unhealthy such as refined carbs, fried foods, processed meat or sugar-laden beverages.

What do you have to lose?  Might as well give a try.

Then you can add back in healthy whole foods that will boost your immune system and fight chronic inflammation.

Here are two delicious dairy-free recipes to get you started:

Creamy Garlic Soup

Creamy Potato Kale Soup with Sausage

Well that’s it for today.  I hope this information inspires you because maintaining a healthy immune system is nothing to sneeze at.

If you are struggling with eating more healthfully, I would love to help.  Just fill out the form below and let’s have a conversation.

Peace, love and veggies,

 

 

 

 

 

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Where Does My Sweet Sugar Hide?

You would be surprised the number of foods that are secretly packed with that sweet seductive stuff.

Studies have found that the major food and beverage sources of added sugars for Americans are:

  • refined carbohydrates like bagels, sweet rolls, pastries and doughnuts
  • sweetened teas and fruit drinks, such as iced tea, fruit punch, etc.
  • dairy desserts, including ice cream
  • energy drinks and sports drinks
  • candy
  • desserts, cakes, cookies, pies and cobblers

These sources of sugar might seem obvious, but they aren’t the only foods responsible for increased sugar consumption. Added sugars are found in thousands of common food and beverages found in most grocery stores, including “natural” and organic foods.

Here are 10 of the most common “healthy” foods that are playing hide and seek with sugar:

  • Cereals and granolas
  • Breads, including “whole grain”
  • Snack or granola bars
  • Drinks, like coffees, energy drinks, blended juices and teas
  • Protein bars and powders
  • Yogurts and other dairy products (like flavored kefir, frozen yogurt, etc.)
  • Frozen waffles or pancakes
  • Bottled sauces, dressings, condiments and marinades (like tomato sauce, ketchup, relish or teriyaki, for example)
  • Dried fruit and other fruit snacks

If you are someone who craves sweets and sugar often, then you would be wise to avoid it until your taste buds come back to not needing the sweet stimulation.

Living a healthy life doesn’t mean you have to give up sugar entirely.  If you focus on eating a whole food diet and very occasionally indulge, will be on the right path.

Need more help with giving up sugar?  Sign up for my free 3-day sugar cleanse that starts Monday, November 5th and ends Wednesday November.  It is a great place to start.

Sign up here!

 

Until next time,

 

 

 

 

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Are they really better than sugar?

Tell me….if you see the word “natural” associated with sugar, do you automatically think it’s something that is good for you?

Holy smokes….that word is so misleading, especially when it comes to labeling food.

When people use the term natural sweetener, they typically mean sweeteners that aren’t refined granulated sugar or are less processed than sugar.

Some of the claims attributed to natural sweeteners are:

  • they have minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants
  • they’re lower on the glycemic index scale (may not raise blood sugar as much as other sweeteners)
  • they’re lower in fructose/glucose
  • they are much healthier for you than sugar

Please, don’t be fooled by these misleading claims.

Some natural sweeteners are agave nectar, brown rice syrup, coconut sugar, date sugar, honey, maple syrup; molasses, organic cane sugar, sucanat, and turbinado sugar (raw sugar).

There are claims that turbinado sugar and organic cane sugar are healthier and less processed than sugar.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Turbinado sugar is refined cane juice and is a little darker with hints of molasses because it contains more impurities. Organic cane sugar is from organically grown sugar cane.  Both are highly refined and very similar to table sugar in terms of nutrition and how your body metabolizes them.

What does all of this mean?  It means you’re out of luck if you’re choosing these sugars because you think they provide superior nutrition.

A few years ago, I was fooled by the agave syrup trend because it was supposedly less processed.  The reality is, it is highly processed to deliver a refined and clear syrup, so it’s hard to argue that it is less processed.  Sigh….live and learn!

There are a few sweeteners that are less processed than sugar and retain some minerals and other substances. But….does this make them a better choice than refined sugar?  You decide….

Honey

Honey is a sweetener many choose over sugar for health reasons, and its claimed benefits range from preventing cancer and heart disease to regulating blood sugar. Honey does contain trace amounts of minerals and antioxidants. Darker honey has a stronger flavor and contains more antioxidants, but the amount is negligible compared to other foods like fruits and vegetables that offer many health benefits.  As one of the oldest sweeteners on earth, and the product of honeybees foraging nectar from flowers, honey is truly amazing and offers wonderful flavors.  But despite terrific tastes that vary with the seasons and flowers, and diverse culinary uses, your body treats honey pretty much like refined sugar, and you shouldn’t consume honey for health reasons.

Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is promoted as a good source of magnesium, but it has only 1 mg of magnesium per teaspoon. Compare that to ½ cup of cooked spinach with 80 mg magnesium, ½ cup black beans with 60 mg magnesium, or one medium banana with 30 mg magnesium. If coconut sugar makes your recipe taste great, go for it. But keep in mind that coconut sugar has the same calorie and carbohydrate content as regular sugar and is mostly sucrose.

Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is a product from the boiled sap of maple trees.  Maple syrup contains small amounts antioxidants and minerals (calcium, potassium, and iron), and a moderate amount of potassium and zinc. It is a good source of manganese, but, you would be better off getting your manganese from nuts and seeds, leafy greens, unrefined whole grains, or legumes.

Brown Rice Syrup

Brown rice syrup sounds healthy and you will see it in many commercial granola, cereal, and fruit-and-nut type bars. Similar to all sweeteners, your body breaks down brown rice syrup and treats it like other sweeteners, whether it is organic or not, part of a healthy cookie, or poured on pancakes.  Bottom line, its sugar.

Molasses

Molasses is the dark liquid that remains after sugar is extracted from sugar cane. It comes in several varieties depending on the level of processing. Blackstrap molasses is the least refined and a notable exception for getting nutrition beyond calories from a sweetener. But because of its bitter flavor, it typically not substituted for sugar.

Keep in mind, just because it is marketed as natural does not make it healthy.  For example, simply adding the word fruit to the word sugar makes people think it is healthier. In this study, consumers looking at cereal ingredients perceived the cereal with fruit sugar as healthier than the cereal with sugar, although the nutrient profiles of both cereals were the same.  Fruit juice concentrate is a common sweetener in many foods, but it is no healthier than sugar, and organic fruit juice gummy bears with no artificial flavors are not better for you than Jujyfruits.

So my take on this is despite marketing claims and labels that suggest otherwise, is that natural sweeteners are not any better for you than refined sugar.

Your best bet is to become an informed consumer, eat more whole foods, and consume less sugar, from all sources.

If you are ready to kick the sugar habit, sign up for my Free 3-day sugar cleanse that starts Monday, November 5th and ends Wednesday November 7th.  Who knows, maybe this short and sweet 😊 cleanse will help you start your New Year free living more healthfully.

Until next time my sweet,

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Strategy to Reduce Fat Storage

One of the best strategies to reduce fat storage is to stabilize your blood sugar.

A recent study showed that when it comes to losing weight, reducing fat storage, and keeping it off for more than two years, only 15-20% of dieters kept their weight off.  One main reason was that they were never taught how to balance their blood sugar.

When you eat sugar rich foods from processed foods, beverages, even that little shot of juice from your juicer, your pancreas goes into overdrive, producing a surge of insulin. This insulin surge tells your body that plenty of energy is available, and that it should stop burning fat and start storing it.

According to Dr. Mark Hyman:

If we make too much insulin, it drives the fuel in our blood into our fat cells. Too much insulin also does a lot of other bad things like cause heart attacks, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, cancer and dementia.

When it comes to causing spikes of insulin that start this miserable chain reaction, not all calories are created equally. Sugar and refined carb calories are the culprits.

He goes on to say:

Focus on what you eat, the quality of the food you eat, and the composition of the food you eat. Then, you won’t be hungry and will shift from fat storage to fat burning.

So how does one go about balancing their blood sugar?

It is simple.  You can naturally balance your blood sugar by eating meals rich in whole food protein, carbohydrate, healthy fat, vegetables and fruit (see this plate as a reference).  This will help you feel full, will bridge the gap from one meal to the next without a dip in blood sugar and will stabilize blood sugar so your body will burn fat and have consistent energy throughout the day.

Losing weight and keeping it off won’t happen just by reducing your caloric intake.  It will happen by focusing on implementing a few small healthy changes day, after day, after day.

Do you think you eat foods with too much sugar? Sign up for my FREE 3-day Sugar Cleanse.  It will provide you with practical steps to kick your sugar habit.

XO,

Patti

“You see, there is no magic bullet, quick fix, or quantum leap method to reach success.” 
― Jeff Olson, Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success & Happiness

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Kick the Seduction of Sugar

Refined sugar is so enticing.  It is an amazing mood booster.  It prompts the body to release dopamine and serotonin (our happy and pleasure hormones) and creates an instant little lift.  This is why people will turn to sugar in times of stress, difficulty or when we crave comfort.

We have all been warned of the dangers of alcohol and drugs, but we have never been cautioned against the dangers of refined sugar.

So why is refined sugar so dangerous?

When we eat sugar, our blood sugar spikes and insulin is released.  Then blood sugar rapidly drops, and we crave sugar again, like a drug addict craving their drug.

The good news is we can quickly reverse that craving by cutting refined sugars out of our diet.  And, once we let go of sugar, our cravings will go away.

It won’t be easy.  Sugar is seductive and you may experience some feelings of withdrawals.

And by the way, don’t think the difficulties associated with refined sugar will go away by using artificial sweeteners.  They are even worse.  These chemicals confuse the metabolism, cause the body to store fat improperly and come with the same if not worse withdrawal symptoms.

But not to worry because good things will happen when the sugar habit is kicked.

We will lower inflammation and boost our immune system.

A study found that eating 100g of sugar (equal to ½ of a Krispy Kreme glazed donut) lowered the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria by as much as 50% and this immunosuppression lasted for up to 5 hours. Sugar also contributes to chronic inflammation, which lowers our immune system’s ability to fight off colds and flu.

This means when we cut refined sugar out of our diet we will be able to fight off colds and flu better and may even reduce allergy and asthma symptoms.

We will also sleep better.

Eating or drinking sugar before bed can supercharge stress hormones which can lead to not sleeping.

So, what happens to our sleep when we stop eating sugar?  We will have better quality sleep within just a few days of kicking the habit.

Also, our moods will improve, and we will experience decreased depressive and anxiety symptoms.  I know what you are thinking…..but, but, but…those salted caramel filled chocolates boost my mood.

Guess what?  The exact opposite is what really happens.

Sugar tends to worsen depressive and anxiety symptoms and it also impairs a person’s ability to cope with stress.

While eliminating refined sugar alone may not cure anxiety and depression, it can help to minimize symptoms, boost energy levels, improve mood and the body’s ability to cope with stress.

I could go on and on, but I’ll stop here.

There is so much information on this topic. The moral of the story is to learn how to crowd out refined sugar and add in sugar from the appropriate whole food choices.

If you are ready learn how to kick the sugar habit, I’ll be hosting a FREE 3-day Sugar Cleanse in just a few weeks.  If you are interested, you can register here.

Cheers,

References:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160407111828.htm

https://drhyman.com/blog/2011/02/04/stopping-addiction-to-sugar-willpower-or-genetics/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15987666

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Are You Looking For A Wakey Juice Cocktail Mid Afternoon

Do you look for a caffeine infusion after lunch to help you concentrate?  Do you find yourself wishing you had a place to catch some z’s around 2:00-3:00 PM?

Here are a few common reasons this might occur and ideas on how to keep it from happening.

What did you eat for lunch?

Simple carbohydrates like breads, white rice or pasta can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar followed by a drop.  That drop can leave you feeling tired and cranky.  Try eating a lunch following a plan like the Healthy Methods plate pictured below. This will help you to have an abundance of energy for the rest of the day.  And, there’s an additional bonus.  You won’t walk in the house famished and ready to dive into the chips when you get home.

 

What did you eat for breakfast?

Forgoing the most important meal of the day may lead to an energy crash around 2:00-3:00 PM.  Eating a healthy breakfast using the plan above will sustain your energy throughout the day. If you are tight for time, try a protein shake. Just make sure that protein shake has all the nutrients you need and isn’t high-loaded with fruit.  If you need some help with ideas around this, let’s talk.

Maybe you are a little dehydrated.

Even mild dehydration can make you feel tired, sluggish and moody.  So, drink your water!

Have you been sitting too long?

Your blood carries oxygen and nutrients to your skin, brain, and every cell in your body. Sitting and working away might earn you points with your boss, but it can also make you feel pretty drowsy.  Your body associate’s stillness with going to sleep.  Get up and move every 30-minutes.

Maybe your body temperature has dropped.

A dip in your core body temperature naturally happens between 2:00-3:00 pm.  It triggers the release of the sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin.  To prevent this, get moving so you warm up.  Go for a walk at lunchtime, have a walking meeting, or walk up and down the stairs quickly several times.

Avoid Sugar.

A little sugar goes a long way in the wrong direction. Consuming sweets leads to a sugar-high which leads to a sugar crash, causing us to become even sleepier.  So, ditch the donuts!

This is my favorite.

A midday trip to the gym or a vigorous 30-minute walk will not only boost productivity, it will ward off sleepiness, too. Don’t have time to hit the gym? Let’s talk about 30-minute workouts that you can do anywhere, anytime.

Ok….these are the goodies to keep you fired up and ready to roll throughout your day.  In my humble opinion these are pretty easy to implement.  Let me know what you think!

High fives,

If you think you need more support to stay jazzed up and energized throughout your day, let’s talk.

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Do You Feel Creaky as the Tin Man?

In my practice, I often hear “When I wake up, I feel creaky as the Tin Man?”

There can be so many factors that contribute to waking up feeling like the Tin Man.

For today I’ll focus on flexibility, mobility and stability of the joint.

Flexibility is the ability of a muscle to lengthen or stretch when needed.  Think of it like a rubber band. If you pull both ends and it stretches. If it doesn’t stretch, it’s inflexible. It’s the same principle with muscles.

Mobility on the other hand is the ability of a joint to move actively through an intended range of motion. Let’s look at your shoulder joint.  It is designed so that you can move your arm forward, backward, side-to-side and in circles. If it can move like it should, the joint has healthy mobility. If you can’t move in all those directions, for example you can’t keep your arms next to your ears when raising your arms overhead, that’s a lack of mobility.

Stability is defined as the ability of the joint to maintain control of movement by coordinating the actions of surrounding muscles and ligaments.  Stability of a joint depends on 3 main factors:

* *the shape, size and arrangement the bones that connect joint;

**the ligaments in the joint;

**the tone of the muscles surrounding the joint.

This is why I love the exercise bodyweight squats so much.  They are a great example of flexibility, mobility and stability.  We need flexibility in our muscles to bend at the hip, mobility in our joint to perform the squat without hurting our knees or back, and joint stability to move thru the movement without assistance.

I think the best way to keep things flexible, mobile and stable is to work on it every day.

Here are two everyday examples of how you can acquire flexibility, mobility and stability without going to the gym.

When you are emptying the dishwasher, notice how are you bending when you pick up the dishes? How you are bending when you put them away in a lower cabinet?  Do you bring your torso down with your legs straight or bent or are your bending from your hips, knees and ankles into a squat?  Bending as in a squat will help you keep your joints mobile and your muscles flexible, while strengthening your stabilizing muscles.

How about when you are walking or sitting? Are you aware of your posture?  Simply keeping your head, shoulders and hips in alignment will help.  Oh and of course, when you are sitting, and you get up, please do it without using your hands or swinging your feet.

You are only as strong as your weakest link.  The key to getting stronger and more fit is to “oil up” those joints every day, so you aren’t as creaky as the Tin Man.  And the best way to do that is to get moving!

I hope this helps.

P.S.  If you need help setting up workout that can be done anytime, anywhere, one that keeps you agile and supple, let’s set up a discovery call to chat.  Let’s see if working together would be a good fit.

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I woke up the other day and started crying….

Hello there!

I woke up the other day and started crying….but they weren’t tears of sadness.  They were happy tears!  I was happy because I realized a year had already gone by since I relaunched Healthy Methods!

It has been an exciting year that’s for sure.  I have had so many amazing opportunities to learn, serve and lead.  That’s why I would like to share my joy and celebrate by gifting you a few resources.

I know that eating healthfully and taking care of yourself can be demanding.   But as Sir Francis Brown said “knowledge is power.  Which is why I am sharing these resources.  The more you know, the less you struggle or get overwhelmed.

These resources are science-backed, well researched and provide useful information.  You would be surprised how just a few simple changes can make a big difference in your energy level, as well as your overall health.

Consider these an anniversary gift from me to help support your journey toward good health.

Thanks for following me and here’s to many more amazing years.

Cheers,

Patti

P.S.  If you struggle with living the healthy lifestyle that you desire, I would like to help.  Just contact me and let’s schedule a few minutes to chat.

Click here for E-Books

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Accountability Challenge

Would you like a reason to get back into regular exercise?  How about an easy to do challenge?

Between 9/4/2018 and 9/30/2018:

Simply send me an email telling what you did for 30-minutes of sustained activity that day and how it paired with the theme for the week (explained below).

Workout 3-5 times a week

Your 30-minute workout can be a structured workout like the workouts in the video section of my Women’s Wellness Facebook group, it could be a run or walk outdoors, a bike ride, or even cleaning your house.  It just needs to be some type of SUSTAINED activity for at least 30-minutes and you need to exercise 3-5 times a week.

If you use Facebook, and would like to participate through my Women’s Wellness Group so you have access to a few workout videos, let me know and I’ll send you an invitation to the group.

You can do this.  There are 1440 minutes in a day…. you can find at least 30 minutes to dedicate to YOU!

To add a little fun, let’s pair each week with a theme.

9/4-9/8 – Core – let’s focus our workouts to have with 5 or more minutes devoted to abdominal exercise.  For example:  let’s say your sustained exercise is going for a walk in the woods.  How can you add in 5 minutes of core work?  It’s easy. Along the way drop and plank for 30-60 seconds 5 or 10 times or stop and do some standing bicycle crunches or standing bird-dog exercises.  I’ll add videos each of these exercises into the Facebook group.

9/9-9/15 – BOOTY – let’s focus our workouts on booty.  That’s easy because pretty much any exercise that involves the lower body covers it.  Want to mix it up a bit?  When you are out walking add 30-60 seconds of walking lunges.  If you are walking up the stairs, walk up every other step.

9/16-9/22 – HEARTRATE – let’s focus our workouts on getting our heartrate up for 20 minutes of the 30 minutes you are exercising.  Again, it doesn’t have to be a structured Circuit or HIIT workout like the ones in the video section of the Facebook group.  If you are out walking, stop and do 15-30 seconds of mountain climbers or step out jacks.  Or just walk or vacuum briskly enough to get your heartrate up using the guide below using a perceived exertion level of 5-6.

1-You can converse with no effort

3 – You can converse with almost no effort

4-you can converse comfortably with little effort

5-conversation requires some effort

6-conversation requires quite a bit of effort

7-conversation request a lot of effort

8-conversation requires maximum effort

9-10-no-talking zone

9/23-9/30 – FLEXIBILITY – Let’s focus on getting 5 or more minutes of stretching into our workout.  If you enjoy walking as your workout, add in 5 minutes of stretching at the end.  If you are going to use your housecleaning as your workout, give yourself 5 minutes when you are done to do some stretches.  Check the video section of the Facebook group for a stretching workout.

If you have a history quitting, here’s what I suggest:

Make a list of why exercising is important to you and read that list EVERYDAY.

If you find yourself making excuses for not working out, you have two choices.

You can either strengthen your excuse by not working out or you can strengthen your resolve by saying “go away and annoy someone else” to your excuse and take action by getting up and working out.

If the above doesn’t work and you continue to struggle with motivation, come to me.  Let me encourage and support you. That’s what this is for.

This is all about becoming consistent with your workout.  Communicate with me and I’ll be there to help you every way I can.  By the end of this challenge, I know you will be more focused on exercising regularly.   I can’t want to celebrate your victories with you!

So, are you in?

 P.S. If this challenge peaks your interest in private coaching, just fill out the form below and let’s set up a time to chat.

 

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Train Your Brain So It Doesn’t Hold You Hostage

There’s that voice again.  The one that keeps saying you are too busy, need some down time and some chores need to be done before you can exercise?

Then there’s the voice that says, go ahead you deserve to eat those cupcakes, you worked hard today?

Or the biggest voice of all, the one that asks you how many more times are you going to fail?

As a coach I refer to those voices as your destructive thoughts and I’m here to tell you that there is a method that can help you tune those voices down.  You can even train your brain, so they can no longer hold you hostage and instead, make them work for you.

There is one condition for this method to work, and it’s big.  You must be absolutely sure that your desire for change means more to you than staying the same.  If you have that deep desire, keep reading.

The first step.

You must become aware of your destructive thoughts; the feelings associated with them and write them down.

I think this is one of the hardest steps toward changing your behavior.  Destructive thoughts can be unpleasant, addictive and they elicit deep feelings that you often don’t want to deal with.

Writing your destructive thoughts down opens doors that would otherwise be closed.  With a written record of your thoughts and feelings you can examine not only the thoughts themselves, but also the frequency, the timing, and any patterns that might exist. This trains your brain to notice future destructive thoughts faster and with more efficiency.

Second you need to learn how to challenge your thoughts.

Challenging your destructive thoughts will set off every alarm and slam every excuse into your consciousness.  Be aware, your old habits will want you to cave in.

When you encounter a destructive thought that is difficult to challenge, try to imagine this.  Someone you love has come to you for advice.  They are sharing this destructive thought with you.  What would you say to help them challenge their destructive thoughts?

Lastly, practice action-oriented thinking.

For example.  Let’s say you find yourself thinking: I don’t want to exercise, I’d rather sit on the couch and watch the news.

Ask yourself:  how does doing this make me feel?  You think …. relaxed, I deserve some down time.

Now ask yourself:  How would I feel if I went and exercised.  (Be very specific and honest with your answer.)

You think: I feel resentful that I have to get off the couch.  I’m comfy.

Now challenge that with:  But I really want to stop taking some of these medications.  If I exercise I will be taking control of my health.  Maybe I can even cut back on my anxiety medication.  I actually think is causing me to gain weight and have diarrhea.  And if I can cut back on my meds I’ll be in control.  Its only 30 minutes.  I’ll be even more comfortable and relaxed when I’m done.

Now, get up off the couch, take action, and go workout.

If you truly desire change, you can train your brain to disrupt the old patters of thinking. It’s not about discipline.  It is about putting your brain into training and taking action, again, and again and again.

Here’s to being in control.

Cheers,

P.S.  If you deeply desire change and would like information about behavioral nutrition and fitness coaching that can be done anytime, anywhere, just reply to this message and let’s set up a time to chat.

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Life Changing Tips to Help You Overcome “Over Spending Syndrome” at Farmers Markets – Recipes included

Hi there, Patti here with help that I hope will change the way you eat!

Do you go to farm stands or the farmers market only to come home having spent more money than you wish you had and wondering “what am I going to do with all of this?”

If you do, then keep reading because I have an action plan to help.

By now you know that I think food is fun. I love taking advantage of all the locally grown produce and pasture raised meats from farmers markets and farm stands this time of year and crafting them into a meal.

But I used to have “overspending at farmers market syndrome”.

Ugh!  I would end up with an abundance of everything that looked beautiful! Like deep green cucumbers, beautiful kale, and rich red tomatoes.  Sooooo, I created an action plan to help me overcome this syndrome.

My problem # 1 was:  I purchased too many vegetables.

Solution: plan meals starting with vegetables first.

I use this plate as my starting place.  If I know I am going to fill my plate with veggies first, then then rest is easy.

Planning my meals this way keeps me nourished and I have total control over my meals.  I like that…..

But what happens if you have an abundance of one beauteous veggie, like kale.

That’s when I will vary my protein and starch and serve the abundant vegetable many different ways.

One night it will be in a salad, one night I’ll sauté it, one night I’ll add a warm protein and starch to a salad to make it a little different.

One of my newest recipes is this kale and quinoa salad.  It was so easy and delicious.  Even my husband liked it and he is super anti-kale and anti-quinoa.

Problem #2 was:  spending too much money!

Solution:  Make a plan, work the plan and shop from a list.

I do my grocery shopping from a list that I put together after I pick up my farm share.  And, before I go shopping do a quick in-home inventory check then I put together a meal plan (see an example here with some great recipes).

Having a meal plan and a list keeps me from buying too much at the grocery store; I don’t waste food because I use leftovers in my plan; and we hardly ever buy take-out.  It helps me have a more peaceful relationship with mealtime because I have a plan.

Oh, and I use a great app. called Grocery IQ.  I love it because it syncs with my husbands’ devices, so he can put things on the grocery list.  It eliminates all those stickies on the counter.

If you were avoiding your local farmers market or farm stands because you had “over spending syndrome” I hope these tips help.

Buying your food from a farmer’s market, farm share or local farm stand gives you the opportunity to connect with the folks that work so hard to make it readily available to us.  Who knows, you might just find a new veggie that you love.

Peace, love and happy meal planning,

P.S.  If you are ready to create an action plan to help you overcome what’s holding you back from losing weight, just fill out the form below and let’s talk about my Behavioral Fitness and Nutrition program.  This is a virtual coaching program that can be done anytime and anywhere.

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The Web of Pain

Here’s a quick story about pain.

A client came to me and said, “I am having major neck and upper back pain.  It is so bad I’m getting headaches.  Can you help me?”

She said she was crabby, exhausted, and in pain all the time.  She wasn’t doing things with her friends because she couldn’t.

She had tried massage, stretching, exercise, hot baths, ice you name it.  Nothing worked anymore.

She needed something different, so she came to me.

After a few treatments, she no longer walked like a robot and her demeanor had changed significantly.

Are you wondering what I did?

I used a tool that helps to manipulate fascia and it is great for pain relief.

What the heck is fascia?

Fascia is a thin sheath of fibrous tissue that surrounds our muscles, nerves and organs.  It is a delicate system that looks similar to a spider web.

Now imagine a few of those very delicate spider web like fibers being stuck together.

These web-like stuck together fibers tend to get dense and hard. When they get dense and hard they don’t move very well and cause pain like headaches, piriformis syndrome, low back pain, and more.

Stuck is not good.

Stuck means that things are not moving as they should.  Kind of like an internal traffic jam.

We want our fascia to be open, not stuck.

When it is open and juicy it gives the muscles, nerves and bones etc. more space to do their job.

The human body is incredibly adaptive.  But adapting to pain can shape how we live and have long term consequences on our lives.

Chronic pain can affect every aspect of our life including relationships, employment and our ability to participate in normal activities.

We deserve to live as comfortably as possible, without chronic aches and pains.  If you feel stuck in a web of pain and would like to know more about the type of fascia therapy I provide, fill out the form below and let’s talk.

 

 

 

 

P.S.  If you want to see fascia up close and personal, take a look at this video. I show something similar to all of my clients.

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Are you stuck?

Is this you?

The party is over, everyone is in bed and you are cleaning up.

You take one cupcake……before you know it you ate all the cupcakes that were left.

The next morning when your husband asks you “how are you honey” you fake a smile and say “I’m fine” because you don’t want to tell him the truth…. which is you are not doing well at all.

A few days later you go to the doctor, who you dread going to because you know she is going to tell you that you have gained weight, and you tell her how badly you are feeling then let her prescribe an antidepressant medication.

Yikes, it’s like being in a prison of misery and despair.

You have two choices.

You can stay right where you are.  As uncomfortable as it may be, you are choosing it as your comfort zone.

OR

You can make a decision to learn how to get out of your own way.  How to understand what is working against you and why.  And how to use that information to shift your thoughts to work for you instead of against you.

If you are serious about getting unstuck, it is time to learn something new.  And it isn’t another diet.  That’s the last thing you need.

But you do need something powerful.  Something that will turn your comfort zone upside down.

Maybe we need to talk about my behavioral approach to wellness program.  It is a powerful program but it is not for just anyone.  This program will only work if your desire to change is greater than your choice to stay right where you are.

This program does not give a quick fix or magic pill. There is work involved and the results from this program are not typical.

Clients who have completed this program change the way they think and behave.

If you are ready to move out of your painful comfort zone, let’s talk.  Contact me so we can set up a time to chat.  I’ll share all the details and we can see if we are a good fit for each other.

Cheers,

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Escape the Unpleasantries of Bloat and Gas

After a meal, do you ever feel bloated, have uncomfortable gas and the stomach gurgles?

It used to happen to me all the time.  I would have a weird feeling like my stomach had a balloon in it.  I would have the gurgles like I still wanted to eat and gas would be rumbling around in my stomach.

After many years of living with discomfort, I figured out what was going on.

First, I found out I was not eating enough healthy fats.  This was during the low-fat craze.  Because I was eating mostly low fat, processed food, I always felt bloated, gassy and never satisfied.

So, I had to learn about healthy fats and how to add them into to my meals.  I learned that meals either too low or too high in any type of fat would increase bloating and digestive discomfort.

Finding the right balance of healthy fat combined with vegetables, whole food carbohydrates and high-quality protein, is what solved my problem.  Once I started eating that miracle combination, I did not experience bloat, gas or the stomach gurgles.

Then, because I was eating mostly processed foods, I learned that I was not absorbing nutrients.  That is why I felt bloated, experienced digestive issues and was exhausted all the time.  The processed food that I ate either sat in my belly or moved through very quickly rather than efficiently being metabolized and used for energy.

There were a bunch of other culprits that caused bloating, gas and that feeling of being hungry.  Like eating too fast, chewing gum, not chewing my food thoroughly, drinking carbonated beverages, eating dairy products, even eating simple carbohydrates like fruit, pasta, and bread.

Learning to eat healthy whole food and finding my unique balance was the beginning of my journey to free myself from stinky digestive discomfort.

If you struggle with feeling bloated, gassy and hungry, start by making a few simple changes.  Try crowding out simple carbohydrates and processed foods and add in clean, high quality whole foods.

One of the most powerful tools to combat inflammation and digestive discomfort comes not from the pharmacy, but from the grocery store.

That’s it for today.

Wishing you a sparkling day,

 

 

P.S. If you need some help learning how to crowd out those foods that cause you discomfort, let’s talk.  Let’s work together to create a healthy, pleasurable way of eating that is designed just for you.

 

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It’s Ice Cream Time

It is hot here in Connecticut and it is ice cream season.

I LOVE ice cream.  Unfortunately, dairy products do not like me.   However, that does not hold me back.  I just crowd out what I cannot have by adding in what’s good.   So I am sharing my two dairy free ice cream recipes:

Lime Coconut Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Cashew Cream.

They are so easy to make and delicious.

Enjoy,

 

 

P.S.  If you would like some help learning how to eat ice cream guilt free, let’s set up a discovery call to chat.  Let’s see if working together would be a good fit.

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Can we talk?

I’m constantly hearing about the newest and greatest “diet”.  Weight Watchers, Volumetric, The Dash, Mediterranean, Paleo, Keto…..yikes!

In all the years that I have been in the health and fitness field, I have seen so many women go on a diet, deprive themselves and lose weight, only to put it right back on because they could not continue their life on their “diet.”

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you must do something vastly different from dieting.

You need to learn new skills.  Skills that will help you make cravings go away.  Skills that will help you deal with trigger eating situations and skills that will help you conquer every excuse and feeling that causes you to overeat.

Learning these skills will teach you how to make your struggles work in your favor.  And it is challenging work.  It is certainly harder than being on a diet.  Because the fear associated with change runs deep.  So deep, that many would rather stay stuck and continue to avoid looking at themselves in the mirror.

If you really want to change, the most important thing you can do to ensure your success is to work with a mentor or coach.  One who will not only be supportive but is also skilled at asking you the tough questions that will be your catalyst to change.

Someone who will help you push through the hard part of becoming consciously aware of how awful you feel about yourself and the feelings associated with that.

One who will give you an action plan to turn those awful feelings around, so they work for you.  A plan that will build your confidence, so you know how to make every feeling, craving and excuse work to your advantage.

When you try to go it alone or even in a group you stay in isolation mode, where fear and doubt easily take hold.  You end up trying diet after diet and eventually just give up.

You are worth so much more.  You only have one body, why not learn how to love it?

P.S.  If you are ready to change your beliefs and change your life, I still have a limited number of spots open in my private coaching program. Message me and let’s chat.

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Do you crave chocolate?

Chocolate has been a treat for thousands of years.  It has been considered everything from health food to junk food and it is one of the main foods that people crave.

For many of my clients, chocolate is a frequent craving, but what does it mean? Helping my clients deconstruct their cravings is one of the things I do as a health coach.  So, let’s take a minute to look at a few possible reasons behind chocolate cravings.

First is exhaustion.  If you have not slept well, you are more likely to crave foods that will boost your energy and chocolate is one of them.  Unfortunately, the energy you get from chocolate only lasts for a brief time before your energy levels dip and you begin looking for more of it.

If you feel exhaustion may be contributing to your cravings, you may want to look at your sleep hygiene.  Maybe you need to turn your bedroom into a more sleep inducing environment.  Try keeping it quiet, dark and cool and get computers, TV and work materials out of your bedroom.

The next reason you may crave chocolate is stress.  Cravings for sweet foods like chocolate are an appealing choice because they offer a boost of endorphins that you unconsciously seek to help cope with stress.  Chronic stress can take a toll on your health.  Try managing your stress by taking time for self-care, deep breathing and moderate exercise.

If you have thoughts of chocolate dancing in your head, it may be helpful to explore your feelings around your sugar cravings.  Become conscious of your thoughts.  Are you using chocolate to help you deal with your emotions?  Ask yourself: “if I eat a small amount of this chocolate, how will it affect me?”

Eating chocolate is by no means a terrible thing.  Take a bit of time before starting to eat the chocolate so you can get in the right frame of mind.  Learn to make that craving work for you.  Eat your chocolate mindfully and slowly.  Truly savor the experience.

Every time you stand up to your cravings, you strengthen your long-term resolve and you are more likely to be satisfied with a smaller amount and less likely to binge.

If you have been seriously thinking about getting help strengthening that long-term resolve and getting your life back, it is time to sign-up for my Three Pillars of Wellness program. I still have a few spots left so message me and let’s chat.

Hoping your day is full of blessings,

 

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I Just Started Exercising and Dieting – Why Have I GAINED weight!

Over the years I have seen women go gung-ho with a new diet and exercise program only to find a month or so down the road that they have gained weight.

Has that ever happened to you?

If it has, there is a remarkably simple reason.

Most women’s weight loss and exercise programs proclaim that you need to do longer, harder workouts and follow a restrictive diet to lose weight and increase your metabolism.

And you know what?  Often times that does not go well with your hormones.

Instead of speeding up your metabolism, the negative effects from a reduced calorie diet and long, hard workouts confuse your body and your metabolism responds by producing stress hormones.  Those stress hormones slow down your metabolism and your body will then hold on to weight instead of losing it.

What’s a body to do?

Rather than stressing your body and yourself by restricting your caloric intake and exercising long and hard, just eat three nutrient dense meals a day and exercise regularly at a moderate pace.  That will turn your body into a machine that works for you instead of against you.

Sounds simple right? Well, it is!

A moderate workout program will get you stronger, you will lose inches and produce those happy hormones called endorphins.  A good nutrition program will help you get healthier, have more energy and lose some weight.

But what about sustaining your weight loss and making your workout routine a habit?

That’s where the challenging work comes in and this is what could really change your results for life.

To keep that weight off and make your workout a habit, you need to train your brain to think differently by reshaping your long-standing ways of thinking that have held you back from creating new behavior patterns.

This is where a coach can help you.  A good coach will not only help you learn to eat healthier and create workouts that will help you lose inches and create happy hormones instead of stress hormones. That coach will also help you create those new behavior patterns so that eating healthier and working out now becomes a healthy habit.

If you are ready to change your beliefs and change your life, I have a limited number of spots open in my private coaching program FEAST Academy.

Because this is such a personalized program I only work with a few clients at a time, so I urge you to act now.  All you have to do is fill out this no-obligation application and we can set up a time to chat.  I’ll share all the details and we can see if we are a good fit for each other.

 

 

 

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Breakfast – Why Bother?

I’m sure you’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  But do you know why?

After going several hours without eating during the night, your body needs fuel for immediate energy and to replenish low glycogen stores. Starting your day with a healthy breakfast helps you regulate your blood sugar levels and prepares your for an active day.

But what is a good breakfast.  A good breakfast includes foods from the following food groups:

  • Protein
  • Carbohydrate
  • Fat
  • Fruits and Vegetables

Many of my clients struggle with getting enough protein at breakfast.  They either don’t want to eat eggs all the time or can’t.  So, what is a good protein alternative at breakfast?

I once asked that question to a Functional Medicine Doctor I was working with.  Her suggestion was leftover protein from dinner.  So, I tried chicken for breakfast.  It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either.

I advocate eating 70% whole foods at each meal.  So here are some whole food breakfast ideas that don’t include eggs:

  • Try this whole food breakfast pudding . I make it often.  In the warmer months I eat it cold and in the colder months I warm it up.
  • Mix beans with a whole grain, some greens and avocado. When beans are mixed with a whole grain it, provides almost all of the enzymes found in a pure protein like meat, fish or eggs.  Serve greens and beans with some cooked brown rice or quinoa, a healthy fat like avocado or butter and you have a great  breakfast.
  • You can also add organic nut butter to a whole grain porridge.   That combination will also come close to providing the enzymes found in a pure protein like meat, fish or eggs.  Add in your favorite fruit and yummmm!  Just read the ingredients on your nut butter.  You don’t want anything added to it.  Just ground up nuts.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Start your day with a combination of whole food from the groups listed above and you will have 10 times more energy than you ever had eating “Wheaties”.

Cheers,

P.S.  Planning meals that meet your individual needs is just one of the services provided with my coaching program.  If you would like to see if nutrition coaching would help you, just click here and let’s schedule a discovery session.

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Restoring Your Workout Confidence

Have you ever tried to get down on the floor to play with a little one only to have a tough time getting up?  Have you noticed you get tired running up the stairs?  Has your doctor told you that you could lower your blood pressure if you did some exercise?  Does the thought of starting an exercise routine create anxiety because you question what your body is capable of?

First, I would like to give you a big hug for reading this far into the blog because most people do not want to admit that these things are happening to them.  And when they do, they feel like there is something wrong with them.

Nothing could be further from the truth!  There isn’t anything wrong!  Your body just needs a tune up.  And working out is like taking your car in for service.

So, here are a few ways you can honor your body and increase your workout confidence.

First – Make a Commitment and Be Honest

Start by setting up a workout routine that you can do and a schedule you can keep.  Then set realistic and doable expectations.  And most importantly, be honest with yourself about the things you perceive to be holding you back.

Second – Play to Your Strengths

If you are new to working out or if you have returned after a little hiatus, you might feel a bit awkward and uncertain in the beginning.  That’s why it is important you choose a workout program that plays to your strengths.  Choose something you can master and learn to trust your body.

Third – Cultivate Trust

Learn to trust the messages your body sends and be patient and kind toward yourself.  As you gain trust in yourself and your ability to perform your workouts, your motivation to continue will grow.

Fourth – Recognize the Real Changes

Look for your non-aesthetic changes like increased range of motion, improved balance, increased energy, more flexibility, lower blood pressure, better sleep, etc.  These are the real changes that will positively affect your life.

Exploring your body’s capabilities can become your greatest motivation to continue to work towards many of life’s goals.  So, go for it, give it a little time and enjoy the rewards of your renewed confidence.

You are the author of your life.

Cheers,

Patti

P.S.  If you would like help with setting up a workout program, let’s set up a discovery call to chat.  Let’s see if working together would be a good fit.

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Can you relate to Janet?

She walked into the women’s only fitness studio like she did every morning at 6:00 AM.

She joined 3 years ago with hopes of losing weight and toning up.

By 6:05 the whole group was there.  The staff was walking around making sure everyone was using the machines correctly and everyone was chatting.  It was a home away from home for Janet.  She loved being part of the “community”.

But today was different. Today, Mackenzie, one of the trainers, was leaving.

The staff put together a poster with pictures from the 10 years Mackenzie had worked at the studio, showing her posing with members.  Janet had tears in her eyes as she signed the poster…..and then she froze!

She leaned in a little closer to make sure she wasn’t imagining things.

There was a picture of Janet with Mackenzie, the first week Janet joined.  Mackenzie was demonstrating how to use the leg extension machine, as Janet stood next to her and watched.

Janet noticed she had the same sweatpants on in the photo that she had on today but…

Those same sweatpants now felt like they were cutting off the circulation to her stomach and legs.

Janet had clearly gained weight.

At first, she was perplexed.  She showed up almost every day for 3 years and she used the equipment just like the staff told her.

But in her heart, Jane knew she had not really focused on the most important thing that the trainers had told her would help her achieve her goal.  They told her she needed to challenge her own limiting beliefs around losing weight.

Janet realized she fell into the trap of socializing and going through the motions.

And because of that, she went backwards!

This can happen to the best of us.  There’s a great quote by Jim Collins, “Good is the enemy of great.”

You see Janet was “good” by exercising regularly.  But she never challenged her beliefs around losing weight and that held her back.

If you really want results you have a choice to make.  One that will support you to shed those limiting beliefs that have been blocking your joy and holding you back from getting great results.  You need to open the door and decide if you want to step into a new life and reroute those limiting beliefs.

I have seen so many women do just that and it has been life changing for them.  Too often they look back and say “why didn’t I do this sooner.”

When you are ready, I’m here.  Click here and let’s set up a time to chat.

 

 

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The Power of Pleasure and Holiday Recipes

The Power of Pleasure

Our Memorial Day holiday is right around the corner.   Memorial Day is a day where those who died in active military service are remembered and honored.  And with the holiday comes commemorative parades, picnics, barbecues and activities that give us pleasure.

I’m particularly excited because I am having company for the entire holiday weekend.  That means I can cook for the people I love.  For me cooking is a form of nurturing and it gives me pleasure to nurture those I love.

Unfortunately, everyone is usually so busy during holidays that all they feel is stress.

What if you slowed down a bit?  What if you felt happiness, delight and joy instead of the pressure of busy, busy, busy.

The feelings associated with pleasure divulge their deepest secrets when we slow down and allow life to bring us back into the moment.  We need pleasure the way we need vitamins from healthy food.  When we slow down and pay attention to what really gives us pleasure, we feel peaceful, joyous and content.

So, my health tip for this weekend is to simply slow down and allow yourself to get a big dose of pleasure.

One of ways I hope to indulge my guests is to serve a delicious vegan ranch dressing and veggie platter.  To download the recipe  you can go to my website recipe page.

Most store-bought dressings are full of unpronounceable ingredients that scare me, so I just make my own.  I like to have control over what I put into my body.

That’s if for today.  Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday weekend.

Ta, ta,

If you are struggling to lose weight and workout,  let’s chat and find out what’s holding you back from living more comfortably in your body.

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The roller coaster………

Life is good…….

You made the decision, bought the shakes, cut up the veggies and prepared the food to follow a new plan.

Woohoo!

You get up in the morning, drink your shake for breakfast, do your 10-minute full body fat burning workout and feel on top of the world.

You drive to work singing to the radio.  Lunchtime comes around and you have another shake (it is soooooo easy).  Then you go for a 45-minute walk with a co-worker.  You are over the moon happy.

You come home from work and have an energy bar.  You get some laundry done, run the vacuum and make dinner.  When it comes time for dinner you measure out your portions and the hubs and kids get the rest.  You’re thinking “I can do this”.

Next day, you get up and drink your shake for breakfast and do the 10-minute ab blast workout.  You get to work, and someone brings in bagels and cream cheese.

Panic sets in.  You begin to question yourself.  You have half of a bagel and skip the cream cheese.

You begin to think….”can I really do this”?

Lunchtime comes around.  You are sitting at your desk drinking your shake and munching on your measured-out veggies.  Your friend who you normally walk with called in sick, so you don’t walk.  Instead you go on Pinterest and look for low calorie recipes, then go over to Instagram and start comparing yourself to all the perfect looking women in the photos.  You start berating yourself thinking you aren’t good enough.

Next morning you drink your shake for breakfast as you watch your family eat waffles and your stomach growls.  You get “hangry” and skip the 10-minute butt lift workout.

You get to work in a cranky mood, walk into the break room and this time it is donuts!  You say “SH**” and take a donut.  You eat it fast hoping no one sees you.

Your mood throughout the day continues to get sour and you begin to ask yourself:

What am I doing wrong?

Why can’t I stick to this?

How do those women on Instagram do it?

Here’s the deal.  If those women you are comparing yourself to really can “do it”, it is because they have the answers to some important questions.

I work with women to teach them how to use those answers to help them reclaim their life and get off the damn roller coaster.

Until you really know what’s holding you back from feeling comfortable in your body, you will always ride that roller coaster.

When you are ready to learn how you can reclaim your life and feel at home in your body, let’s set up a discovery session.

Let’s find out what’s holding you back and how to shift things around to get the results you want now…….

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Here’s to the informed shopper-free download

Do you love food?  I sure do.   Which is why I want to be an informed consumer and want you to be one too.

It is said that food can either be the most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.

That’s why I embrace whole foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains, plus healthy proteins and fats. I also I advocate crowding out processed foods with healthy whole foods.

I suggest to my clients that they crowd out processed food because most of the processed foods in the US are made with genetically modified organisms.

In case you are unfamiliar with GMO’s, they are organisms made by forcing genes from one species, such as bacteria, viruses, animals or humans, into the DNA of a food crop or animal to introduce a new trait.   Sounds creepy doesn’t it?

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine reported, several animal studies showed serious health risks associated with genetically modified food including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. (Ever wonder why so many people have gastroesophageal reflux disease?)

So I encourage you to be an informed consumer and take a look at the Non-GMO Shopping Guide that you can download by clicking here.

I hope you find it helpful.

Ta, ta for today,

 

 

P.S.  If you are struggling to lose weight, fill out the form below and lets schedule a discovery call to see what’s holding you back from losing weight and what your next step should be.

 

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Sometimes I get so angry listening to all the weight loss hoopla.

It is such crap.

→Drink this super shake and lose 8 pounds in eight days.

→Use this weight loss value pack and cleanse for life.

→Fast intermittently and lose 30 pounds.

→Eat your food from these portion control containers and get slim for summer.

I admit I have considered many of these.  But the same questions would always come up…

What if I am invited to someone’s home for dinner? Am I going to bring all my own food in those little containers?

Hasn’t science proven that our metabolism slows down when we fast?

What if I like to chew my food…..not drink it?

If the program really works, why did the coach gain the weight back only to repeat the program again?

That is why I get angry when I see all this rubbish.  I think it ruins the integrity of the industry.

Look, if you are considering some weight loss program that promises a quick fix, promotes “magic” foods or combinations of foods, I suggest you get clear on why you want to do it and what will happen after you have used someone else’s idea of how and what you should eat.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have two choices.

You can stay in your comfort zone, go on weight loss program after program and continue to lose and gain weight repeatedly.

OR

You can get the help you need to understand the compelling reason that is really holding you back from losing weight and keeping it off.

You see, once you know what is really holding you back, you can learn how to use that to your advantage and eat regular food without a struggle.

Pew.  Thanks for letting me rant!  As a parting gift for listening, click here for a few tips on mindful eating that you can print out and refer to.

Ta, ta for today,

Patti

P.S.  I am starting a FREE private and closed Facebook group.  It will include fitness tips, workouts, workout tips, nutrition tips and interviews with other wellness professionals.  This is a private, by invitation only group.  If you would like an invitation, please fill out the form below and I will be happy to send you an invite.

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One Pan Meals, Cocktails and Restrictions

What if I were to tell you that you can have chocolate or a cocktail and still lose weight?

Well I am telling you just that.

I am a major fan of eating lots of different types of foods, and as anyone who has shared a meal with me will tell you, I also enjoy a casual cocktail.  My philosophy is life is to be lived, fun is to be had and it can all be done while staying healthy.

The concept that you must restrict yourself to lose weight is nonsense.  It will only stress you out and send you right back to the cookies.  Restriction leads to anxiety, rebellion and weight gain.

Instead I would like to encourage you to release those restrictive beliefs by adding in some fun, pleasure and delicious, nutrient dense foods.

That’s why this one pan meal bok choy recipe, that you can see by clicking here, caught my eye.

I was at the dentist getting my teeth cleaned and the food channel was on.  To me that was the perfect way for my dental hygienist to add pleasure to a cleaning because I love the food channel.  It inspires me to take what I see and recreate it to be just a little healthier.  So I did just that with the bok choy meal.  It can be made in 30 minutes and can be made with meat or vegan.  Bok choy is so much fun to cook with, it is delicious and very nutritious.

Meals like this will help you understand that you do not have to sacrifice tasty food to be healthy and lose weight.  And if you double the recipe you will have plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.

I would like to inspire you to stop repeating the very patterns that cause over-eating, binging and self-hate.  If you need some support doing that, let’s talk about coaching.  Because it is possible to lose weight while having fun, drinking an occasional cocktail and eating chocolate.

That is it for today.  Let me know if you try this recipe.  Hope you have a sparkling day.

Cheers,

 

 

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How to get results……

Have you ever asked yourself what’s really holding you back from getting the results you want to feel at home in your body?

What about why do you tolerate carrying around extra weight?

Here’s a client story that might help.

I have been working with a client who told me she had tried it all.

When I did my client intake here’s some of what she said:

I’ve have tried every diet out there.  I would lose weight, but I was miserable and hungry all the time.  I put all the weight right back on.

I don’t look in the mirror anymore.

I’m only 42 and I get winded walking up the stairs.

I hate myself.

I have so much anxiety.

I take all this medication!  What’s it going to be like when I’m 60?

I think I’m ugly and unlovable.

My heart ached as I listened.  However, as her coach it was up to me to help her break through what was holding her back.

Here are some of the questions I asked:

Me:  What do you think is holding you back from what you want?

          Her answer:  I’m afraid I’ll fail again.

Me:  What if you could change the way you see yourself?

          Her answer:  I’m afraid I won’t stop crying.

Me:  What’s your hesitation around taking action?

Her answer:  If I put myself first, my family won’t love me anymore.

Can you see the common denominator here?  It’s fear.

Fear is a learned behavior and I’m happy to say we are breaking through that.

So far, as we are journey toward her desired results, my client has lost 14 pounds, smiles all the time and is on fewer medications.

Here’s her formula for unlearning her fear and getting results.

She made a decision to change. (Sounds simple but it’s not when fear is involved.)

She is taking action and adjusts her behaviors throughout every day. (Best antidote to fear is action.)

She uses the tools and knowledge I provide her with to move beyond her self-limiting beliefs that have held her back.

Have you ever asked yourself, what would happen if you could see what’s holding you back?  If you knew what it was would you be able to take action?

Something to ponder upon.

Hugs,

P.S.  If you have struggles like my client’s, let’s set up a discovery call to chat.  We can see if working together would be a good fit.

 

 

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Do you hold on to stuff?

Teddy Bear

We tend to hold onto our stuff year after year. We save and stock up on things that we don’t know what to do with anymore and keep things because they hold precious memories.  There is a saying that goes, “You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new.”

If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try giving away some of that stuff.  Say goodbye to your past and welcome new energy.

For good mental and physical health, we have two “houses” that need to be spring-cleaned: our physical homes and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate “stuff” in the form of outgrown clothes, magazines, and random keepsakes, our bodies also accumulate “stuff” that needs to be cleaned out.

Let’s start with your heart.  What if you were to start by throwing away negative thoughts and habits you’ve been harboring that no longer serve you?  An open heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each day and will make room for all of life’s gifts and surprises.

Now let’s go to your body.  Try giving your body a break from rich and complicated foods.  Since it is springtime, start by crowding out rich and complicated foods by adding in more leafy greens.  They are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine.   Members of the leafy green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

Leafy greens are so nutrient dense.  They are hight in calcium, maganesium, iron, potassium and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K.  Additionally they are full of fiber, aid in purifying your blood, strengthening the immunce system, clearing congestion and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Have I convinced you to add-in more leafy greens?  I hope so.  If you would like to give them a try, click here for an easy recipe to get you started.  This recipe can be used for almost any type of leafy green.  Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

That’s it for today.  Here’s to spring cleaning.

Cheers to your good health,

Patti

“You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.”-Jan Glidewell

P.S.  If you struggle with eating healthy, whole foods….let’s talk.  I’ll show you how it can be easy and you will never feel deprived.

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Are you shy about going to a gym?

shy about the gym

Do you wish you could fall in love with feeling fit, but you are shy about going to a gym?

Are you worried about signing up for a group exercise class and being in over your head?

Being shy about going to a gym and the fear of getting injured are very common along with the fear of feeling so sore the next day that you can hardly walk.

Don’t let that shyness keep you on the couch.  The benefits of working out far outweigh any risks or fears.

So let’s look at ways you can get your workout groove on.

 

Start at your level

 

Start slowly and build up.   Diving into a fast-paced workout will just add stress to stiff muscles, joints and your motivation.  One of the most important steps you can take in making fitness part of your lifestyle is to practice acute body awareness.  Pay attention to aches and pains and never workout through the pain.

Know what you can and can’t do

If you have specific concerns about your abilities, range of motion or endurance, be sure to take these into consideration with your workout routines.  You know your body best.

Hone different Skills

Don’t lock yourself into the same workout day in and day out.

Make sure you switch up your routine.  By doing that you will not only get a better overall workout, but different exercise routines will hone different skills like balance, coordination and flexibility which helps to keep you moving as comfortably as possible.

Recognize the good.

Lastly, recognize the positive moods and feelings of well-being you experience.  They will serve as motivators to help you keep up with your new  routine as the months progress.

 

Is there anything you would add?  Please share.

Cheers,

 

 

P.S.  And if you are not working out regularly, let’s talk.  My favorite workout is a circuit workout that lasts no longer than 30 minutes.  No special equipment is needed and working out in the privately gives autonomy and freedom. There’s no one to judge and no one to compare yourself to.  Fill out the form below and let’s talk.

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Come into my kitchen and let’s talk chocolate!

Do you think chocolate should have its very own food group?

It seems as if it should.  Chocolate is powerfully comforting, creamy, and delicious.  Many people eat chocolate at least several times a week. (Can you see my hand raised?)

Which begs the question…

Is Chocolate Good for You?

The answer is both yes and no.

Chocolate has been used for centuries to treat bronchitis, sexual malaise, fatigue, hangovers, anemia, depression, memory loss, high blood pressure, poor eyesight, and more. It also helps release that feel-good neurotransmitter. serotonin, in the brain.

But eat the wrong kind and you’ll get loads of sugar, calories, and junky ingredients.

How to Eat Chocolate Responsibly

Chocolate begins life as raw cacao (pronounced kah-kow) beans. Loaded with antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and plant phenols, cacao is a powerful superfood. The more processed cacao becomes, however – think commercially produced candy bars – the fewer healthy components remain.

So how can you get the most out of your chocolate fix?

  • Don’t be afraid of the dark.
    • The darker the chocolate, the more beneficial cacao it contains.
  • Know your percentages.
    • The number on dark chocolate packaging refers to the percentage of cacao bean in chocolate. For maximum health benefit, look for dark chocolate that has 75% to 85% cacao.
  • Go raw – or as unprocessed as possible.

Looking for more fun ways to enjoy chocolate?  Try this dark chocolate treat. Invite some friends over and make a batch!  Chef Karolina’s Raw Chocolate Truffles have a preparation time of just 20 minutes and make about 25 truffles.  If you try this, let me know what you think?

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw cacao powder
  • 1 cup cashews or macadamia nuts
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • Water (to mix)
  • Roll-in ingredients: shredded coconut, chopped nuts, chocolate nibs, raw sugar, cacao powder, ginger, or something else you love

Directions:

  • Mix cashews in a food processor until it forms a powder, adding enough water to create a thick paste.
  • Add maple syrup to cashews and pulse to process.
  • Add cacao powder. Pulse to process.
  • Refrigerate for four hours or overnight for best results.
  • Form teaspoon-sized balls of dough. Coat balls in your chosen roll-in ingredients!

Get Even Healthier!

Are you curious about how to choose chocolate and other delicious healthy foods to keep you healthy and your taste buds happy? Let’s schedule a complimentary consultation (fill out form below) or pass this offer on to someone you care about!

That’s it for today.  Have a sparkling day!

Cheers,

Patti

Patti Garland ischocolate good for you

 

P.S.  If you have any interest in my fitness and nutrition group starting SOON,  click here .

If you or anyone you know would like a few tips to help curb stress eating,  this lunch and learn might help.

About Me – As a health coach, fitness coach and massage therapist, I am dedicated to helping you reclaim your life, so you can enjoy all the adventures life has to offer.  Together we’ll find lifestyle solutions that support you to be your happiest, healthiest, and most joyful self. 

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What’s more comfortable for you?

Helloooooo it’s Patti here and I went live on Facebook the other day to ask a question.  I love to ask questions.

I asked my Facebook friends which is more comfortable for you?  Doing something to take care of yourself or doing something to take care of someone else?

Now I’m asking you.  I’m curious what your answer is.

Most people answered that they would prefer to take care of someone else.

Why is that?

I think it is simple….it think it is because somewhere in our life we were given the message that taking care of our self is selfish and wrong.

Wow….now I think that message is so wrong.

Because taking time to take care of our self is important to our survival and to the survival of those we love and want to serve.

Think about the message we get from flight attendants regarding the use of oxygen masks.  They say put your mask on first.  Why?  Because if we don’t take care of our self with oxygen we quickly run out of it, pass out and die.

Well I think the same goes for taking care of ourselves.  Our bodies need movement, sleep, nutrition and a whole raft of things that requires us to take time to take care of ourselves.

We instinctively know how to care for others.  What if we were to tap into those innate skills and orient those skills toward taking care of ourselves?

Would it then help us to take better care of those we love?

Hmmmm…..food for thought!

Please reply and let me know what you think.

If you are looking for a way to start to focus on your self-care, you might want to click here for a simple selfcare tool. It is complete with a recipe.

If you are ready to take a bigger step towards taking care of yourself, just fill out the form below and let’s talk about my Three Pillars of Wellness program.  It includes both private and virtual coaching.

That’s it for today….

Ta, ta…..