Your Amazing Life is Waiting, Are You Ready?
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”
Buddhist proverb
I know you.
I am you.
I have struggled with food and self esteem issues my entire life. I sometimes overdo it on the chips and salsa. I don’t always enjoy exercising. When I decided to make my health a PRIORITY everything changed. It was no longer about how my butt looked (although the view gets better when you are taking care of yourself.) It was not about that number on the scale (fact is two people can wear the same size and look similar and have a 10 lb. difference on that scale.) It became about nurturing and caring for myself and the people I love.
I was ready and willing to open up and make the changes.
This brings me to what I want to discuss with you today.
This subject is difficult to broach simply because, as a Certified Health Coach, I want to heal everyone. As a woman I want each and every one of you to feel the joy that your life has to offer. For you to feel energy and life as you wake up each morning, and the satisfaction of a good day when you go to bed each night. But, I have learned a lesson recently that was hard for me to swallow: Not everyone wants to change.
Nope. You see, sometimes those bad habits that you are entrenched in, and the scary “unknown” side of change can stop you dead in your tracks, unable to move. The unknown is frightening.
As your coach I am your cheerleader, your confidant, your accountability partner. I offer up lifestyle recommendations, suggest possible dietary changes, teach you how to take care of yourself in the areas of stress relief, food patterns, and overall balance in your life. But the thing is, you have to do the work. Your job is to show up to your scheduled appointments, most of which are on the phone. You are responsible to put your best effort forward and make the suggested changes, or move forward in some way that shows that you are willing to put in the time and do the work. There is no magic pill. There is no magic wand to wave to make it happen – it must come from inside you. If you show up to your sessions, only to not have not anything, and to say “No” to every suggestion, it only tells the teacher that the student is not open to change. You must find your WHY.
What is your WHY? Your WHY is your reason to change – the thing that will push you to do better…the thing that will spark up inside you and MAKE IT HAPPEN. Once you find your WHY there is no sitting around and waiting for someone to rescue you or show up with the newest diet fad. That WHY will allow you to search through the all of the diet noise out there and find your true eating style. And yes, it might be quite different than that of your good friend, or even your sister. But it will be yours and it will work for you. Your WHY will allow the work we do together to be different this time because you will not allow anything to get in the way of your goals. You will find balance and create the life you deserve. You are on fire and will achieve and far surpass any limitations you once mistakenly thought you had. What are you waiting for?
What is your WHY?
In health & wellness,
Gina
Healthy Needn’t Be Confusing
Take a few minutes to fill out the Health History Form and schedule your FREE Health Awareness Session. Email the completed form to :
Where are you now with your health?
Are you where you want to be – full of energy? feeling good about yourself?
By taking some time to evaluate where you are at, you can then form a plan to to take the steps to get where you want to be. Accountability partners and written goals go a long way in helping you reach that place. But if you don’t have a written plan, you will never feel like you are headed anywhere.
The problem is there is so much information out there in regards to health, that it is just confusing : Eat carbs? Don’t eat carbs? Caveman style or vegan?? What’s a Momma to do? Just listen to you BODY – it will truly tell you what is working, and what is not.
Let’s get started. Go ahead, grab some paper right now. Write down a few things that you feel would make a difference in your life – perhaps having more energy, eating more vegetables, fitting in physical activity. Start with baby steps and find what works for YOU. Next, fit those items into your schedule and do them. Come back and evaluate again in 4 weeks. Then, you can make some more POSITIVE changes!
KEEP MOVING FORWARD
In health & wellness,
Gina
Do You Mind?
Daily life can be so stressful. There are so many things that need to get done, and then BOOM! yet another obstacle gets in the way causing you to feel even more stressed! There is a solution:
SLOW DOWN & PAY ATTENTION.
Learning the skills of paying attention in the moment is so powerful and worth taking the time to work on. Being in the moment can be relaxing and stress relieving (i.e. HEALTHY). Most people are stuck in their head, constantly thinking and worrying, always thinking.
So here is your task, if you choose in this moment to take it:
For today, STAY PRESENT. Focus only on one thing at a time. If you are with someone, focus on that person. Ask questions and be completely curious about who they and what they are about, especially if it is your partner or child. Do not presume to already know their thoughts or feelings on a subject. Allow the other person to feel loved and heard. As giving as being present with another human being is, it is so much more for yourself.
For today, BE MINDUL. At mealtime, sit quietly and take one bite at a time, noticing when the feeling of hunger subsides. I promise you that it far sooner than you think.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. Drink water throughout the day. Take notice of any tension or sore spots in your body. Tension is usually a sign that the body needs more physical activity.
GIVE YOUR FULL ATTENTION. Whether you are working on a project at work, or at home, give that particular item your full attention. Do not think about what is coming next, or what else you think you have to do. One thing at a time.
There it is – your personal invitation to BE PRESENT & IN THE MOMENT.
Will you accept?
Let us know and post how your day is going over on the Facebook Page at:
Good Life Health Coaching, LLC
I can’t wait to hear from you!
In health & wellness,
Gina
Picking Paleo
It was featured on Dr. Oz recently and Crossfitters are well known for following this lifestyle – it’s called the “Paleo” or “Primal” diet. The basic rules are simple: Do what your caveman ancestors did by eating whole local foods, avoiding grains, legumes, refined sugar and pasteurized dairy (all dairy actually, since raw milk is not legal in most states, although there are several schools of thought that go as far to say it is healthier for you than commercially pasteurized dairy products).
Just as people took the Atkins craze way out of proportion a few years back and decided that a platter of bacon was a feasible substitute for a meal, there are some that take the Paleo theory way off course. A healthy diet is one that 1) fits YOUR life and 2) provides healthy nutrition for YOUR personal needs. Taking some tips from the Paleo lifestyle can greatly increase your health. If you suffer from an autoimmune disease such as chronic fatigue, Hashimoto’s, MS, rheumatoid arthritis or Raynaud’s disease, you would benefit greatly from cutting out the grains and going caveman.
How do you start?
- Eat a whole foods based diet. Eat what nature provides, not what man factory makes. Think fresh vegetables, fruits, seeds, eggs, nuts, healthy fats such as coconut or olive oil. Seafood should be wild-caught , poultry organic, and the animals for meat should be grass-fed, pasture-raised (think happy-cow not sad-factory-farm-cow). The Paleo life is also naturally gluten free.
- Eat every few hours to maintain even blood sugar. This is different for everyone – some people require more good-carb foods, some do better with less. You know your body, and if you don’t – get to know it!! There is no one size-fits-all lifestyle. Be prepared during the day with a cooler full of clean healthy food.
- Be consistent,but allow for treats without the guilt. There are always parties and gatherings. Enjoy them– but this doesn’t mean overindulge every chance you get. Eat healthy, whole-food based 80% of the time. Listen to your body – if that piece of cake you had for dessert last night didn’t sit right, or you feel achy and uncomfortable the next day – lesson learned. Look for something else next time.
The quality of your food is super important. Buy organic vegetables and fruit when you can. Fish that was caught in the wild, not a fish farm (uh, weird, right?) . Cows that are allowed to graze on grass and roam the pasture. Remember the energy of that animals life, what it ate, how it lived, is then ingested by you. Think about that.
The second thing you are wondering is about calcium, right? We are told to have those glasses of milk for growing bones – what about in a Paleo life where there is minimal dairy, if any at all? No worries because dark leafy vegetables and sesame seeds are just two of the many great sources of calcium you can enjoy.
How do you set up your plate? According the Paleoista, Nell Stephenson fill your plate 2/3 FULL of vegetables, a PALM sized portion of protein (see, not an plate full!), a healthy fat such as avocado or coconut oil, and a small portion of fruit.
The internet is FULL of Paleo recipes and ideas. A great book that I personally love is called “Practical Paleo” by Diane Sanfilippo. Find an author that speaks to you. I have found some of the Paleo diet books to be very one-sided. As a Holistic Health Coach I see people as individual, not as everyone fitting into one meal plan. Always trust your body and allow it to tell you what is working, and what is not.
In Health & Wellness,
Gina
Announcement: 4 Week Health Makeover
4 Week Health Makeover
Value :Good Health – PRICELESS!!
Cost: $149
Do you know that you need to make some changes in regards to your health, but just don’t know where to start?
Want your energy back, get a good nights’ sleep AND feel good about yourself?
The 4 Week Health Makeover was created for just that!
It all starts with your FREE Health Awareness Session…
Program includes:
*One 50 minute session (phone or Skype)
*One email per week (4 weeks)with personalized suggestions for your:
· Nutrition
· Exercise
· Self-care
· Holistic lifestyle
Email support throughout the program, with a 15 minute session scheduled at the end of the month.
Email gina@goodlifehealthcoaching.com to schedule your FREE Health Awareness Session
Oh Looky–it’s Snack Time
The kids and I have been working on a granola bar recipe for a while now. Each time they were delicious, but either didn’t hold together well OR did not have the “blondie” cakelike texture we were looking for in an afterschool snack.
This weekend was successful with the Granola Cookie Bar recipe.
Enjoy! Let me know how it turns out at your house!
GRANOLA COOKIE BAR
(12 cookie bars)
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 C gluten free rolled oats
- 1 C gluten free flour blend
- 2 Tbs. ground flaxseed
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 Cups puffed rice cereal
- 1/2 C chocolate chips
- 1/3 C coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 C pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbs. water
- 2/3 C almond butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Gluten Free Flour Blend
- The blend I use is in the following ratios: 1 C brown rice flour, 1/2 C tapioca starch, 1/2 C potato starch.
- Any blend that you prefer will be fine in this recipe.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cut parchment paper to fit bottom of a 8 X 8 square pan. Line pan with the parchment and spray sides and paper lining lightly with cooking spray.
- 1) Combine oats, gluten free flour, ground flaxseed, salt, cinnamon, puffed rice cereal and chocolate chips in large bowl. Stir together.
- 2) In a medium sized bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil. maple syrup, water, almond butter and vanilla.
- 3) Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix together.
- 4) Spread in the prepared pan, pushing down with spatula to flatten out the batter in the pan.
- 5) Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
- 6) Remove from the oven, cool for 5 minutes. Then take a knife and loosen the edges around the bars from the pan.
- 7) Allow to cool for 1-2 hours before cutting.
Enjoy!!
In health & wellness,
Gina
Fitting Fitness in Your Schedule
REPOST – ORIGINAL POST ON 11/13/2012
Making It Work
It’s the middle of November and before you know it the holidays will sneak up and grab hold of your time. Seriously, once Thanksgiving comes and goes everyone is going to weekend parties, skipping the gym and overindulging every chance they get. It’s not your fault. ‘Tis the season. Once your daily routine has been shaken up, it can be difficult to get back on track.
What can you do?
Here is a trick that works great and it is almost too easy. When working with a client that is having a hard time fitting in fitness, meal planning or any other healthy habit, we first write out their daily schedule. Next, the client takes a look at their day and together we find ways to add in those healthy habits connected to daily tasks already there. This creates reliability on the task and makes it much harder to skip.
Some examples of this are:
- Walking for 30 minutes during your hour lunch break at work
- Joining a gym that is on your way home from work
- Hitting that yoga class right after the kids get on the bus or taking a walk for 30 minutes from the bus stop
- During family dinner one evening, speak to the family about requested meals for the week and meal plan together
For today, write out your daily schedule for the week. Take a look to see how you can begin to fit fitness into your day. Go easy on yourself. It should be most days, but doesn’t have to be all days of the week. Find the time that works for your unique life.
Want to know another way to help these habits stick? Find an accountability partner. This can be the person you meet to work out with OR a partnership with a friend that helps you both stay on track.
However you decide to make it work for you, make sure you are exercising because your body needs to and because you get to. Make it a part of your life, not a task that you dislike so much you skip it altogether.
How are you making fitness a sustainable habit in your life?
