When I say “mindful eating” or “listen to your body” what’s your instinctual response?

I know for a lot of people their knee jerk reaction is, “My body wants cheetos and ice cream at every meal, so I don’t think you want me listening to my body.”

This is incredibly common and it points to an unfortunate theme: we do not trust our bodies. And we do not trust ourselves.

And where does that leave us but to rely on a diet telling us exactly what we are and are not allowed to eat?

But here’s the irony: dieting is not only one of the stronges...

I just came back from a 7-day cruise and on the last night my friend Jose asked how disciplined I felt like I was during the trip. 

I said, “I don’t know that ‘disciplined’ is the right word.” Discipline in this context implies willpower, sacrifice, and strict rules. That really doesn’t describe my experience on board. 

The right word? Mindful. Here’s how this looked in practice…

Mindful of my hunger and satiety cues.

With lots of all-you-can-eat buffets it would be easy to go overboard (pun intended). So I regularly asked myself if I wa...

How often do you find yourself using willpower when you’re trying to change your diet, or get in an exercise routine, or implement a better sleep schedule? I’m guessing a lot. 

I have to choose to get up early to make myself a healthy breakfast.

I have to choose not to eat the donuts my coworker brought to work today.

I have to choose to go to the gym at the end of the day instead of flopping off the couch.

I have to choose not to reach for that big bag of chips when I finally do sit down to relax. 

That’s a lot of decision making. That...

Over the past few weeks I've had a few newer clients come up against a similar obstacle, one I'm sure you've probably experienced yourself: information overload that has you totally freezing up. 

You're bombarded with ads for dozens of supplements, all with promises of a quick fix for your stubborn weight, your low energy, your poor digestion, your thinning hair, your aging skin, and the like.

You see experts touting wildly different diets so convincingly you can't figure out which is the right one. 

One book assures you that cardio is k...

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“Energizer bunny” “sunshine girl” “enthusiastic” “perky”.

These are the words my friends use to describe me these days. But that was NOT always the case. 

For years I could get 10 hours of sleep and still be dragging ass. No amount of coffee or naps could remove the dark cloud of fatigue that hung over me day in and day out. 

And that fatigue robbed me of so much life, so many experiences. In college I didn’t go to parties, I didn’t make a lot of friends, and I didn’t take many trips because by the time I was do...

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Summary 

This Cinco De Mayo I decided to go spend some time with my big sister (a fellow holistic health coach). And as we sat and enjoyed absolutely mouthwatering gluten-and-dairy-free burritos and modified margaritas made with just tequila, lemon, lime, and lime la croix, we talked about our clients and the various ways we get them to make lasting change - ya know, typical shop talk.

Want to know our secret? 

It was a strategy we came back to again and again: eating the same delicious comfort foods, snacks, and treats, but k...

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Summary 

Do you ever want someone to just freaking tell you what to eat? What's good? What's bad? What's allowed? What's not?

I get it. That is the simplicity and clarity we need when we're new to any skill.

If we're just starting piano, we can't start with chords and using both hands at once. We have to learn note by note, pluck it out finger by finger.

But eventually, if we want to get good, we have to progress. We have to learn the more advanced skills, navigate the greater complexities, until eventually we become the ex...

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If you know me, you know I am not a fan of deprivation for deprivation's sake when it comes to dieting.

I don't think we should be cutting out foods willy nilly, and I certainly don't think we should cut out entire macronutrients.

However the old adage is true: one person's superfood is another person's poison. And sometimes there are certain foods that cause a reaction in our body that prevents us from looking or feeling our best.

And the only way to truly know what those foods are is through an elimination diet.

A...

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Summary 

Do you ever get stuck in the middle between your ideal body and your ideal lifestyle?

Like, you want to be lean, and toned, and feel good in your skin, but you also want to relax and enjoy having fun with friends and family -  celebrating birthdays, holidays, and heck, making it to the weekend. 

Well, this is where that all-to-common all-or-nothing thinking comes into play. We think we have to either be super strict with our food and have the body we want or we can have fun and live our lives. 

But my friends, client...