What's your body image?

Are you one of the many women who has a hard time looking in the mirror? Do you have a warped sense of self? I know that this is an area that I have struggled deeply with myself. If you are you in need of a body image tune-up then, you might appreciate this show by Carson Kressley "How to Look Good Naked" - because most of us do have that desire to look smoking hot wearing zip/nada/nothing. Maybe you will be inspired. I think that this episode seemed tasteful enough though at first I was certainly fearful when they started the show in nothing but skivvies in front of huge mirrors, not to mention cameras...Check it out.

Lighten up

 "I now chose to make my life light, easy and joyful" ~Louise Hay

Instead of taking everything so seriously - lighten up your mindset and truly enjoy your life. Release your grip on what needs to happen AND when things need to happen. Let go of what you need to be OR how things are supposed to be...Instead let things be easy and joyful! Stop worrying about what you aren't and focus on what you are. You are unique and special in your own precious way. Learn to embrace the qualities that make you different. There is NOTHING healthier than that.

What do you think when you see someone smiling and laughing? When you notice a person who is glowing from head to toe. What do you think? I think, "wow" that person is beautiful and I could use a bit of that sparkle in my life. Then I remember "oh right" - I have access to that feeling as long as I am willing to enjoy and relax.

Please don't stop reading and think "well that's easy for you to say." This isn't easy for me. I'm a recovering perfectionist who sees fault in most of the things I do, say, wear, etc. Which can leave me paralyzed in fear of "what if I do it wrong?" I especially see fault in everything I write, but as my goal in life is to "let go" I am writing through the fear. Fear that my lack of grammar, spelling mistakes and punctuation make me seem silly and stupid. There are many times I feel angry, overwhelmed or disappointed in my progress in life. But, if I choose to picture myself as the positive and playful person that I am I usually bring myself out of whatever "funk" I've fallen into. And I call that progress (progress not perfection...).

I encourage you to say this affirmation or read/write it as often as you like until you start feeling easy and joyful.

Here's your homework:
Make a list of all the simple things you love and then start doing them daily.

My Simple List
- Affirmations
- Reading a good novel
- Selecting the perfect essential oil for the task at hand (like Joy or Valor)
- Singing in the car
- Dancing
- Chatting with friends
- Snuggling with my dog
- Yoga class
- Walking the dog
- Taking a deep breath

What are you currently ordering from the Universe?

Remember, the "little" things you say to yourself in jest are the big things that manifest. If you want a truly delicious life, make sure your mind is consistently ordering the right thoughts. What are you ordering from the universe? - Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy

 I don't think this particular quote is more poignant than others like it, but for the last few years the thought of what I have been "ordering" from the universe has been with me on a daily basis. I have been trying to speak with more love and kindness to myself and my dreams. I started speaking to myself with acceptance and tenderness more frequently. I have vowed to create new patterns no matter how cheesy or silly or out of my comfort zone I feel.

Opening myself up this way was far from natural to me. It has always been natural for me to complement others and see their amazing strengths. Yet, the moment someone wanted to tell me about my gifts I would cringe and feel like I was listening to lies. Like so many of my clients who are healing their relationships with food and their bodies. I've had the negative language on a continuous loop playing in the background - with the volume on high. When I think about these terrible loathsome thoughts it reminds me of what I had 'ordered' from the universe for the last 25 years.

Instead of thinking of what I don't want and putting my energy toward negativity. I have chosen to put my energy towards what I do want and what I know I deserve. This is still a struggle, but I can tell you I can finally take a complement and not doubt that the person has only good intentions (that's a big step!).

This month place your energy on what you want. Try using one or all of these methods: 

• Look yourself in the mirror and smile at yourself!
• Make a list
• Draw a picture
• Place post-its all over your house or car to remind you of what you desire
• Meditate on your goal 
• Visualize what you want
• Put notes in your purse or pocket

Detox your Wardrobe

Finally, after months and months of talking about going shopping for a few necessities I finally made it happen. On Friday I called up my best friend and as luck would have it her plans had been swapped to another night and she was free. Woo hoo.

I have been "detoxing" my wardrobe for the last year or so. Who am I kidding I love to purge and it makes my closet look squeaky clean. Ask my friend, Feng Shui expert Jessica on how to do this effortlessly. However, this has started to pose a bit of a problem lately as I am starting to feel like I have nothing (given I haven't been in the mood to shop). I wish I was the type of person who knew how to purchase key pieces that work with everything. Instead I have had a problem in the past with binging on sale items because I could validate buying MORE although maybe not the best quality. Not to mention that my terrific pieces do not mix and match well and therefore are left hanging on the hangers.

I have wanted to turn over a new leaf and start investing in high quality clothes that make me feel like a Queen! After speaking with two of my favorite style advisers Sasha and Gretchen I have learned a few key tips that had lead me to this trip to the Mall. One of them being that you should shop a few times a year so that your wardrobe doesn't go out of style all at once (whoops). The other is that you do not need to break the bank to look and feel great. The last, is that you want to make sure you shop with purpose so that those great jackets, sweaters, shirts can coordinate. Otherwise, as I said before you are stuck with beautiful clothes that do not get worn. (check out their sites for more information).

What's this post got to do with Health and Wellness?

Many of my clients who are looking to heal their health feel like crap. I know because I used to be there. And, we all know that there is nothing worse than opening your closet and trying to find something, anything to wear. Having a closet full of stuff that doesn't make you look and feel like the fabulous person you are can be really deflating and create low energy. Which can lead to strange behavior (with food, image, relationships).

I believe that EVERYTHING feeds you; relationships, career, movement, food, creativity, spirituality, etc. So why would your wardrobe be any different? I also think this pertains to make-up.

Here is my confession. I finally invested in high-quality undergarments. Which was WAY overdo given I just admitted I have purged a heck of a lot of stuff. And none of these new items were on sale - though of course it would have made handing over my credit card easier had they been. Why I am sharing this (I am asking myself the very same question - is this too personal, on a blog yes probably)?

The fact that undergarments are closest to your skin means they are the first layer. So that means we need to rid ourselves of undergarments (both the men folk and the women) with pit stains, holes, snags, tears, over stretched, too tight, etc. Invest in yourself. You are worth it - I promise! Putting something on that makes you smile and feels really comfortable is a great way to start the day. Think of them as your "Superman/woman" gear.

Detoxing your wardrobe of old "stuff" that no longer serves you is VERY similar to detoxing your body. You are worth feeding your body good real food. Looking and feeling your best can do wonders for your energy levels, your confidence and your overall sense of well-being. When you invest in yourself whether it is in the form of good food, education, relaxation, socializing with friends you feel better. You feel like your true self.

Start making yourself a priority.

P.S. Check out this Mind, Body, Spirit Detox program and make a commitment to your health. Pam and Jen are amazing and I am so happy to have them in my life. They have brought together fabulous holistic healers to help you reclaim your natural state of awesomeness. If you are ready to upgrade your life this program will allow you to do that. It is a 12 week detox program (a value of $300 dollars per month) that will only cost the price of the delicious products at wholesale! Did you catch that? Given your relationship with me (this is key) you will get this program for the price of the products at WHOLESALE. Not to mention I am including a weekly 60 minute check-in call with Q&A during the program to help catapult your success. Check out the site and give me a call with any questions or to sign up. These amazing products are free of fillers and preservatives plus they are endorsed by Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins and Oprah. What's not to love?

Love this article: Saving Time and Stress With Cooking Co-ops

Now this is a great idea! First, enlist your favorite foodie friends who eat similarly to you! The similar eating part is important. So get started on that list ASAP! Set-up some ground rules with your lovely peeps so everyone knows what is expected. Then take some time to prepare a fabulous meal in bulk! Next, package up those goodies for all the enlisted members. Last, meet up with these fantastic people to swap your delicious meals. Dinner Co-op = Fabulous idea. Doesn't it?

While you are meeting up share a cup of tea and delight in seeing your friends in the flesh instead of via Facebook or Twitter!

Gosh this whole thing is making me hungry!

I'm not this kind of coach, but...I think I could help you get your swagger on!

Swagger Coach w/ Taavon - watch more funny videos

I love these 2 actors! Who doesn't want a swagger coach to help them through all those none practical purchases (chandelier in the closet - anyone?).

Make today matter

This last week I wrapped up a book called "The Book of Joe" in preparation for my book club meeting in July. I found it to be a fast read and I did have a hard time putting it down. Does this book have anything to do with food? Not really, but it does reflect on the preciousness of living your life fully and I believe that to be a huge piece to my business as a health coach. One section I read leapt off the page and allowed me some much needed reminding because although we "know" we don't always "know." I decided I wanted to share it because sometimes we all need a little reminder now and then to assess what truly matters in our life.

Excerpt:

"The three of us laughed a lot that day. That's what I remember most. And that for one day, I completely forgot about my secret and just enjoyed myself, for the first time in ages."

I nod, feeling my eyes becoming moist...I can actually recall the way that day felt, the sensation of it, and what it felt like to be me then. The crisp autumn air, the noise of Manhattan, the delightful, conspiratorial sense of being somewhere we shouldn't have been...the cool wind as we walked through the zoo.

"That day mattered," Wayne says emphatically. "There were plenty of other days that mattered too, but not nearly as many as there should have been. I've thought about it a lot. What makes a day like that matter so much, and why there are so many less of them as we get older."

"And what's the answer?" I ask.

"It's simple, really. We were doing what we wanted to do, instead of what we expected ourselves to do...I'm here to tell you," he says "that at the end of the day, which is where I currently reside, nothing else matters but the things that truly matter. This is nothing you didn't know before, but even though you know it, doesn't mean you really know it. Because if you really knew it, you'd act on it, man."


Have you put off doing something that really matters because you have other more pressing things to do? This week I ask you do something you REALLY want to do and put off something you EXPECT of yourself. See how you feel at the end of the day. 

Detoxing & renewing the body! Q & A

This posting is for those who listened to my Detoxing the body & renewing the body! teleseminar last night. If you are interested in this F.R.E.E. call then click this link to register.

Whose Standing in your Way?

How many of us have had big dreams that have fallen on the wayside? How many of us hope to change our lives - weight, career, relationships, spirituality, fitness level, etc?

The main thing that stands in our way to having what we want is OURSELVES. Don't believe me? Probably because it is too painful to admit. I will be the first to admit I have let many opportunities pass me by because I was scared. I was scared of what other people might think, I was scared of "what if", I was scared to fail, I was scared that it might change me, I was scared for the sake of being scared. Why? So that I wouldn't have to put myself out there...to be challenged and possibly reach success? Maybe because of the limiting self-talk that I would let run freely through my mind "who the hell am I to have what I want?" "How could little 'ole me be able to be such a rock star?" Or whatever other crazy garbage I let play on a loop in my mind.

Silly as it may be we keep ourselves from a lot of what we want because it might mean that something would change, and change is scary. We have created very specific "safe" environments for ourselves and living this way is something we understand, even if it is the absolute opposite of what we want.

Want to know a secret? Ready? This behavior is VERY real and it affects all of us. Yes, even the "perfect" models, celebrities, next door neighbors, that guy at the gym with chiseled abs, your boss, your parents... Each and everyone of us wants to have a better life in some way - more money, better health, fulfilling careers, loving relationships. I know for me, part of the challenge is believing I am deserving of these gifts. I believe deeply that every else is deserving, but me, w-e-l-l I am working on it (and I am making loads of progress everyday!). I think YOU are pretty cool and I am coming to terms with the fact that I am really special and it is okay to honor that specialness instead of hiding my bright, fun-loving, glorious light. See I am on my way. You can be too!

Take a moment to ask yourself what are you letting stand in the way of what you want? I encourage you to dream big about what kind of life you want. Write it all down - think about it often - believe that you are worthy of this destiny, because you are! Don't worry about how you get there.

Much love and light!

Check out the Kathleen Show - grabbing life by the ovaries for great interviews, podcasts, posts...

Celebrate Love Daily

How does Valentine's Day make you feel? Excited? Irritated? Sad? Don't care? It tends to be a source of excitement or pain depending on whether one is in a meaningful relationship. A lot of people use this time of year to express their love and gratitude to special people in their lives. There's nothing wrong with celebrating love. But, why now and not, say, in June or September? We should celebrate love on a daily basis! So, ask yourself what you are doing to celebrate love each day. The little things add up. It could be taking out the garbage or doing the dishes to show that you value the relationship. Maybe you give out big bear hugs to the people in your life that make it joyful.

Not only should you be giving of yourself, but you should be giving to yourself. Are you a creative type that needs some time knitting, writing, or playing music in order to recharge? Maybe you need some time alone to sit and read? Have you been getting the exercise you enjoy? Make sure that you are getting some play time in your day. Play time isn't just for kids. Celebrate loving yourself and others.

Weight-loss Tips

TAs a Certified Holistic Health Coach I work with many busy professionals who are seeking weight-loss. They see weight-loss as either the single hurdle they have regarding their health & wellness goals or in tandem with others (acne or bad skin, stress, mood, sleep, IBS, etc). I was typing out a list of ideas that I will be sharing with one of my groups to help them get on track and I thought I would share the basic list with you too. We will be covering this list in detail in my group program, but even as a stand alone list I think it shines a light on areas that you can improve/change/remove in your life.  Let me know what you think.

• Be thankful - give thanks with meals
• Eat seasonal foods
• Find a support network
• Stretch
• Eat at home more
• Set intentions
• Cook for a loved one
• Journal
• Reduce sodium intake
• Meditate - Slow down
• Quality vs. Quantity
• Deconstruct your cravings
• Stop rewarding yourself with food
• Shower after work to renew your energy!
• Eat less
• Give yourself permission to shine!
• Call a friend to check in
• Stop overcommitting yourself!
• Drink water
• Set goals month to month/week to week
• 3 meals a day
• Shorten your list of things to do
• Eat fruits & veggies at every meal
• Substitute some exotic fruit for ice cream or heavy desserts
• Cultivate beneficial relationships
• Ditch draining relationships
• Go play
• Exercise/movement everyday
• Get enough sleep
• Volunteer your time with an organization you believe in
• Ask "What's right for me?"
• Eat healthy fats
• Don't eat something you can't recognize as a whole food
• Reduce portion sizes/don't buy mass quantities
• Convince your body that life is not one BIG emergency
• Avoid 100 calorie packs - they are full of sugar
• Respect and honor yourself
• Eat breakfast
• Determine your triggers
• Breathe deeply
• Keep a food journal
• Avoid refined sugars/High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Keep an exercise journal
• Learn how to cook
• Keep junk out of your house

This entry has been posted as part of Prevention Not Prescriptions Tuesday hosted by The Kathleen Show

Loving Kindness

My earnest request is that you practice love and kindness whether you believe in a religion or not - HH the Dalai Lama

To sum up, to bring about the complete happiness of others it is necessary to become enlightened yourself. When you understand this and resolve to see enlightenment for their sake, this is called the altruistic intention toward enlightenment, or bodhichitta.
-HH the Dalai Lama


What do these quotes have to do with Diet & Lifestyle? I believe there needs to be more effort focused on numero uno. I mean YOU, of course. I challenge you to treat yourself with the utmost respect. This is a challenge for many. In fact, it is supremely important for you to cultivate a positive relationship with yourself if you are going to have meaningful relationships with others. Sounds a bit hippy dippy doesn't it? I know it. In high school I would have been rolling my eyes and looking at my watch. Then I would start bashing my entire self worth. Yippy - let's see how many rounds I can do before I feel totally defeated!


Think about how you treat those around you. Do you snicker under your breath, or laugh at them, or curse them when they are trying to be the best they can? Probably not. How many of us pick away at a loved one's food choices, exercise regime, or spiritual practice, as if its the only activity to participate in? Not many. Think of the respect you would give to a best friend, mother, father, co-worker etc. Stop using negative self-talk. No one-including you-is deserving of such criticism. Stop placing guilt or shame on yourself for something you ate, or are about to eat, or something you did, or did not do. I cannot imagine insulting someone with the same sort of talk I would easily (unconsciously) say to myself.


Instead, treat yourself as you treat others. You are a blessing and if you have a hard time believing it then this tip is for you. Treat yourself with kindness today. Everyday.


Check out the Kathleen Show - grabbing life by the ovaries for great interviews, podcasts, posts...

What can I release or make peace with?

I wanted to share a question that I pose to my clients & friends. What can you release or make peace with? The last few months have been rather busy for me. Running a small business is still a "process" and there is much to learn. Though sometimes doing everything myself overwhelms me and stresses me out (I do like a challenge). Then these little things in life start getting to me. Sound familiar? It isn't fun. These are things I thought I had conquered, but are resurfacing. Lovely right?

These challenges or obstacles we face are really more of a reminder to us on how we can live our best life. How can I say that? Well these challenges are just like when your body let's you know that you are sick - this symptom/challenge is telling you something.  Maybe it is asking you to slow down and relax. Maybe you should be getting more sleep. Maybe you need to be eating better, maybe exercising outdoors in below zero weather needs to be put on hold for a bit. Whatever the symptom/obstacle is if you pay attention you will know what you need to do.

One of the many fantastic things about my health counseling business is that I am blessed to work with people who have similar challenges to my own. Which means the frequent tips & recommendations I give out to my clients, which are close to my heart, are revisited daily. We all know the the saying, "do as I say and not as I do." I don't believe that this saying applies in my particular field (or any really). I never recommend that my clients try certain foods that I am unwilling or uninterested in trying myself nor do I request that they adjust certain lifestyle behaviors without knowing that I too am either in the same process or have done it before. I think (for lack of a better saying right now) that is hogwash! When I speak with someone in any field I want to trust them and know they have the experience to back up their recommendations.

So to the point. I was speaking with a friend who gently reminded me of my own message (really a shared message between both of us) - What can you let go of or make peace with? Here is my current challenge - I would like to let go of certain internal/unrealistic expectations I have for myself. This pressure leads to tremendous amounts of stress and negativity in my life. There I said it - BIG sigh. Thanks for letting me share.

I ask you now to think about this question and determine what you want during this wonderful time of renewal and rebirth. What do you want? What can you release? What can you make peace with? What can you do more of?

Cheers to you and your best life!

Emotional Baggage

This morning I had the intention of writing more about exercise and what I have been up to lately, but as it turns out I stumbled on this link. The link will take you out to YouTube and you will find a snippet from Deepak Chopra. He talks about releasing emotional toxins. I have been studying this concept for the last few years.

We as a society tend to blame others for how we feel. If we are not blaming others we are blaming situations from the past or other scapegoats to make us feel better. Deepak says briefly in this clip that in order for one to release these toxic emotions you first need to take responsibility for them. This can be really hard. At least I certainly rather not accept that I am the one creating my negative experiences. Then he says to witness what those emotions feel like. Ask your self am I sad or angry or whatever? Once you feel the emotion and define that sensation, write about it so that you are looking at the situation as a nonjudgemental observer. Then when you have fully expressed the sensation share those feelings with a loved one. The last little bit that he mentions is to then release the emotional toxin through fire or set the emotion free in the wind. I think that releasing is the second hardest part. For some reason we hold on to negativity like armor. At least I think I used to. I have learned that we hold on to what we know. We know what it is like to stay stuck, hurt, angry, pissed, or annoyed in life. But, the challenge is to release those feelings and embrace new emotions of joy, contentment, satisfaction or peace.

We are all given the right to these more appealing emotions, but first we have to stop getting in our own way.

What do you think about releasing emotional toxins?