We are 5 weeks past the New Year and this is when you need self-discipline to help you stay the course. 

Adrenaline wears off.  Motivation subsides,  At this point, new health goals become extra tough.

What exactly is self-discipline? 

It’s the ability to do something you don’t want to do in the moment. 

I  believe self-discipline is the backbone of all achievement. The ability to stay focused and remain motivated can help us reach any goal, no matter how big or small. But even with all the knowledge in the world, it can be hard to stay self-disciplined.

We all struggle with self-discipline in one area or another, but we also have an area where we do have self-discipline. For example, you may not be able to make healthy food choices, but you show up every day for your children. Remember to give yourself credit! The easy area for me has always been exercise, nutrition and mindset. How about you? What is easy for you and where do you struggle?

Most people think self-discipline is hard and requires a lot of willpower. 

But self-discipline is actually freeing and once you stop resisting self-discipline, you’ll find it much easier to do hard things in the moment. 

Self-discipline is an act of self-respect. 

It’s about keeping your word to yourself. When you keep your word and do what is hard instead of avoiding it, you build a strong relationship with yourself. 

People will often bail on themselves, but they wouldn’t go back on their word to a child or friend. It’s interesting that we often consider it more important to keep our word with others than with ourselves!

Self-discipline is showing up for your future self. The person you want to be. Self-discipline is also an expression of self-love because it demonstrates that you are willing to take the necessary steps to better yourself and your life. 

By taking the time and effort to practice self-discipline, you are valuing your own needs and desires and showing yourself that you are worth the effort. This is an act of self-love, as it is a way of treating yourself with respect and care.

Not following through on goals erodes our relationship with ourselves because it shows a lack of commitment to our own ambitions. It demonstrates a lack of trust in our own abilities and a lack of faith in our own potential. It also demonstrates that we are not taking responsibility for our own actions and that we are not accountable for our decisions. Ultimately, this lack of follow-through on goals can lead to a lack of self-confidence and self-esteem, which can further erode our relationship with ourselves.

I  studied the science of behavior change in college and the data overwhelmingly support that self-discipline is a habit that is available to anyone who wants to develop it.

Showing up when it’s not fun or exciting isn’t easy,  but you do it because it’s what you want deep down.  There is no greater feeling than finally achieving your goals. 

If you’re looking to become more self-disciplined, here are a few tips to help you get started: 

1. Set goals: 

Setting goals is an important first step. When you have something to work towards, it is much easier to stay motivated and committed. 

2. Break it down: 

Break down your goal into smaller, achievable tasks. This will make it easier to stay on track and not get overwhelmed. You want to feel confident that no matter what happens In your day, you will have time and energy to follow through with your goal. For example, if fitness is your goal, plan a cardiovascular exercise 3 times a week for a duration of 5 minutes as opposed to 3 times a week for an hour. First, build the identity as someone with self-discipline then gradually increase. 

This changes your identity from someone who procrastinates to someone who has discipline. The more you trust yourself, the easier it will be to follow through and progress.  

3. Develop a daily routine: 

Establishing a consistent daily routine is a great way to build the habit of self-discipline. It can help you to stay focused and organized, and prioritize tasks. If you aren’t able to follow through with your goal one day, be sure not to miss another day. It may seem inconsequential, but after missing two days, it’s much easier to not follow through on day 3 and day 4. Before you know it, you’ve abandoned your goal. 

4. Be accountable: 

Find an accountability partner or friend to help you stay on track. Having someone to check in with can help you stay focused and motivated. 

5. Track Your Progress: 

This one is huge. I’ve been tracking my health habits for decades and this has had a profound effect in how I show up for myself. There is so much to learn when you document your progress. For example, by documenting my food I discovered wheat was the reason for my digestive issues. By tracking the statistics of my workouts, I was able to learn what heart rate zones and durations interfered with my sleep.  Track your progress as you move through each goal. 

6. Avoid Distractions: 

Avoid things that may distract you from achieving your goals. First, you need to be aware of your distractions. What keeps you from focusing on your goal? It may be social media, a noisy environment, or emails. Learn to control the factors that distract you. 

7. Reward yourself: 

Positive reinforcement can be a great way to build self-discipline. Celebrate small victories and reward yourself for completing goals. When you achieve something or make progress towards a goal, take time to reward and acknowledge yourself. This will help you stay consistent. This is an area where I struggle. I have found that acknowledging my efforts daily in my journal helps remind me of how I’m showing up for myself. 

8. Visualize Success: 

Visualize yourself achieving your goals and what success will look like. 

9.  Create a Support System: 

Surround yourself with people who will motivate and encourage you. For example, when I first started with triathlons I joined a triathlon club. I then had many workout partners to keep me accountable and to learn from. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. If you feel overwhelmed or stuck, don’t be afraid to reach out to others for support.

10. Take Care of Yourself: 

Make sure to take regular breaks, get enough sleep, and eat healthily. 

11. Reduce the scope:

When you encounter unforeseen obstacles in your day, change the scope of your goal instead of totally dismissing your goal. For example, if for some reason I’m not able to complete a strength training workout, I will still do pushups or squats before getting into the shower. This still helps to build the identity of a person who has self-discipline. 

12. Backup plans:

Always have a plan for the what-ifs.

For example, lack of sleep can derail plans.  If I’m exhausted from lack of sleep, I will change the activity to one that is physically more manageable. Instead of a run, I will swim as I’ve found that swimming will actually re-energize me and sustain me for the rest of the day. A run tends to make me feel even more tired. 

Achieving “health” is hard to do on your own. Our brains are designed to seek pleasure and relax so it can be hard to know what to do, what to eat, how much to eat, what workouts to do, etc. 

But can you imagine what it would feel like if you woke up and had the self-discipline to exercise, eat healthily, avoid alcohol, and have emotional control? 

That’s where I come in. As a coach trained in behavior change, I can help you build self-discipline by helping you identify your goals and create a plan of action to achieve them. You will learn how to break down your goals into manageable steps. I also help you to develop strategies for self-monitoring, such as keeping a journal of your progress and creating rewards and consequences to help motivate you. Most importantly, I provide support and encouragement to help you maintain self-discipline over time.

And I would love to help you!

Even though I have consistently participated in weight bearing exercises and strength training for over 30 years, my most recent bone density (December 2022) results found that I have some osteopenia in my right hip and low back. Interestingly, these are both areas where I  have sustained injuries. 

My Mom had osteoporosis and I have been proactive in doing what I can to prevent it, especially since research suggests that osteoporosis and disorders of bone fragility are highly heritable

https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/ar2479#:~:text=Twin%20and%20family%20studies%20have,predominantly%20due%20to%20genetic%20factors.

Osteoporosis is diagnosed when a person’s bone mineral density is lower than a predetermined threshold (usually -2.5 or -2.6), as determined by a bone density scan (DXA scan).

Osteopenia is a condition in which bone density is lower than normal, but not low enough to be classified as osteoporosis. Having osteopenia increases a person’s risk of developing osteoporosis.

Osteopenia is typically diagnosed using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan. During a DXA scan, a low dose X-ray is used to measure the density of bones in the spine, hip, and other areas. The scan produces a T-score, which is a measure of bone density compared to an average healthy adult. If the T-score is between -1.0 and -2.5, it is considered to indicate osteopenia.

As we age, we can expect to lose between 0.5 and 1.0 percent of our bone mass each year. This means that our bones become weaker, lighter, and more prone to breaks or fractures.

The quality of your life in later years is very much dependent on the strength of your bones. 

Personally, I want to be active as long as possible and not be relegated to the couch. 

Therefore, it is important to maintain bone density as we age to ensure that our bones remain strong and healthy and to maintain an active and vibrant lifestyle.

Ideally, we want to shore up long before we hit menopause but even if you haven’t it is not too late to start.

There are definitely lifestyle changes you can implement to improve your bone density. 

Eating: 

1. Increase calcium and vitamin D intake. Foods high in calcium and vitamin D include dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese), salmon, broccoli, kale, and oranges. 

2. Eat more greens. Leafy greens such as spinach, collards, and swiss chard are high in minerals that are important for bone health.

 3. Increase your intake of vitamin K. This vitamin helps to absorb calcium and is found in foods such as kale, spinach, and cabbage.

 4. Eat more plant proteins. Plant proteins are an important source of minerals that are beneficial for bone health. Soybeans, lentils, and quinoa are some of the best sources of plant proteins. 

Exercising: 

1. Weight-bearing exercise. This includes activities like walking, running, jogging, dancing, and playing sports. These activities help to build strong bones and improve balance. 

2. Strength training. Lifting weights and using resistance bands are excellent ways to build muscle and strengthen bones. 

3. Stretching. Stretching exercises help to improve mobility, flexibility, and balance.

 4. Balance exercises. Balance exercises help to improve coordination and reduce the risk of falling.  

If you want to improve your balance, you can access a free 5 day balance challenge within my private Facebook group. I provide this complimentary resource to my community. Doing so is my way of helping you reach your full potential in terms of health and wellbeing. You can join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindandbodymakeoverforwomenover40

No, this isn’t a trick! You can – and should – eat fat to lose weight. For biological reasons, women are predisposed to gaining more weight than men. Moreover, as women age beyond 40, many hormone levels decline and this plays a role in weight gain. It may seem counterintuitive, but especially after 40, you need fat in your diet not only for weight loss but for overall health.

It DOES matter where your fat is stored. Visceral fat in the abdominal cavity is less healthy than subcutaneous fat on your butt and thighs. Visceral fat tends to accumulate around organs, get inflamed, and tend to affect insulin signaling.

People often use exercise to help with weight loss, but you can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet.

Your body composition and how you look depends more on what you eat than how much you exercise. This means that with your limited time, you’ll get a much bigger return on your investment if you focus on food shopping, planning, and preparing healthy meals.

One aspect of nutrition that women have trouble embracing is that fat – the right kind of fat- is important for health and weight loss.

Yes- butter, quality meat and cheese belong in a healthy diet! This does not mean however that saturated fats, especially from animals, are not harmless. You want to eat these foods in moderation.

This may be hard for you to wrap your head around. For so many years we were told to eat a low-fat diet.

I too followed the low-fat diet that the USDA used to recommend for so long and I did have resistance to the new mindset at first. It’s really hard to change the mindset that fat is bad and not healthy. Fats, especially saturated fat have gotten a bad rap, mostly from bad science.

In the book ‘The Big Fat Surprise’ Nina Teicholz after an extensive reveiw of research on saturated fat states that the science supports that a high fat diet is healhtier than a diet low in fat and high in processed carbohydreates.

STEP ONE – RECOGNIZE YOUR THOUGHTS

The first step is to understand your thoughts about eating fat. Write down exactly what comes to mind when you think of including more fat in your diet. Free flow your thoughts. For example, you may have thoughts like:
“This is crazy.”
“There’s no way saturated fat can be good for me.”
“If I eat fat, I’ll get fat.”

Get all your thoughts down on paper. I’m suggesting this because, to create change, you first need to look at your thoughts. You can’t create change if your thoughts don’t support the change you seek.

I needed to do research, and lots of it so that I could create thoughts that supported adding more fat to my diet. I recommend reading THE BIG FAT SURPRISE by Nina Teicholz. It discusses the flawed science of saturated versus polyunsaturated fats.

Understanding the benefits of fat may help you change your thoughts.

We need fat because fat:

• Provides energy
• Makes up our cell membranes
• insulates neuron cells
• makes up 60% of our brain
• is needed to absorb some vitamins, like A, D, K, and E
• is the precursor for hormones
• is a very important regulating signal. Fat secretes and regulates hormones like leptin which is a hormone that controls satiety.
• RELEASES HORMONES THAT THE REST OF THE BODY REALLY DEPENDS ON

When you eat the right fats you’ll:

• feel satiated
• won’t have sugar urges
• burn fat
• keep performing at your best
• lose weight

STEP 2 – EAT THE RIGHT FATS

There are several types of fatty acids.

Saturated fat

As our society moved away from saturated fat, we adopted more vegetable oils into our diet. When unsaturated fats are heated they oxidize and in this form can be very unhealthy.

Another consequence in our shift away from saturated fats is that we replaced them with refined carbohydrates, like pasta, cereal, bread, and grains. This has lead to the rise in obesity and diabetes.

Some good sources of saturated fat to add to your diet include grass-fed butter, ghee, coconut oil, palm oil, and grass-fed meats.

Unsaturated fat

Some examples of good unsaturated fats include olive oil and avocado.

Polyunsaturated fat

Some examples include omega 3 and 6 fats. Omega 3 fat is found in abundance in seafood and some nuts while omega 6 fat is found in nuts, seeds, and many oils.

Omega 6 fats are healthy in moderation, but North Americans eat way too much omega 6. Research supports an ideal omega 6 to 3 ratio to be 4: 1. In the United States, the ratio is more like 25:1. Omega 6 fat in excess promotes inflammation which leads to health issues while omega 3 fat is anti-inflammatory.

Trans fat

This type of fat is found in margarine and fake butter products. It’s linked to cardiovascular disease cancer and diabetes and must absolutely be avoided.

OK, I’LL EAT FAT TO LOSE WEIGHT….BUT HOW MUCH SHOULD I EAT???

First, you want to understand how much fat you’re currently eating. It may be you are already eating enough. There are many apps you can use that will calculate the number of grams you’re eating.

Once you know what you’re currently eating, determine if you should be eating more or less of the different kinds of fats.

In his blog, Dave Asprey, recommends eating 50% of your diet in healthy fat. The limit that the FDA recommends is no more than 35% fat and no more than 10% of that amount from saturated fat.

There is a discrepancy between current research and the FDA recommendations. It is up to you to determine your comfort level and how much you want to include in your diet. The point I want to convey is that there is a lot of research demonstrating health gains associated with eating more saturated, unsaturated, and poly-unsaturated fats. It’s wise to understand how much fat you currently eat, and to experiment to see how you feel when you eat more.

Always remember to focus on the quality of the fat. If the animal has been fed grains then the fat you eat from that animal will not be as healthy as the fat from grass-fed and grass-finished animals.

HOW TO INCORPORATE THEM INTO YOUR DAY

1. Eat fat at breakfast.
   For example, have avocado with an egg cooked in grass-fed butter or ghee.

2. Eat fat at lunch like wild-caught salmon with vegetables.
3. Eat fat at dinner, like grass-fed meat, wild fish along with complex carbohydrates like yams, and squash.

To promote health, make sure you’re getting enough quality fat in your diet. As we age, hormones decline, for example testosterone and human growth hormone. You need fat to secrete and regulate hormones involved in metabolism and weight management. Strength training and HIIT exercise are also strategies to increase hormones that influence weight loss. You can read more on that here:

I’ve built a whole program around strategies to help women lose weight and improve their health.
Join us on June 1. THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WANT TO SHOW UP THIS SUMMER. How do you want to feel? How do you want to dress? How do you want to show up for yourself and others? Here’s your opportunity to take control, create more energy, more enthusiasm, and confidence.

Click here for details or go to https://www.maureenkemeny.com/weight-loss

There is an abundance of research that shows that fitness helps reverse aging and turn back the clock both physically and mentally.

Fitness after 40 is about much more than the vanity metrics we were concerned with when we were younger, like looking good in jeans. Fitness promotes health from the inside out. As your fitness improves, so does your ability to enjoy life.

Fitness means you’re able to participate in life and do what fulfills you with the people you love.

For me it means being able to hike, bike, run, and travel with friends and family.

What is fitness?

• Physical fitness is defined as the body’s ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist disease, and react to emergency situations.

• A well-rounded fitness program will include mobility exercises, resistance training, cardiovascular training, stretching, and recovery. The latter two components become much more important with age. For example, I’ve noticed that I now need to be very deliberate in stretching on a daily basis in order to avoid straining my lower back.

Research has shown that no matter how old you are, you can improve many fitness markers (read: reverse aging) when you start to exercise consistently. For example, adults over 80 years old can improve their strength with two sessions a week. You can read more here.

Never think that you’re too old to start. The perfect time to start is NOW!

Often people are discouraged from high-intensity activities like strength training and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) because they think that they have to devote a significant amount of time in order to reap benefits, but research has dispelled this myth. (Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism)

• A study found that stair climbing for three 20-second intervals, three times a week, improved the aerobic fitness of sedentary college students in just six weeks.

That means you may be able to help reverse aging and its the physiological effects in just 3 minutes a week if you are currently sedentary.

Can you find 3 minutes a week in your schedule?

No matter how busy or out of shape you are, you can find 3 minutes in your week to climb stairs, or walk up a hill.

Why are aerobic activity and strength training important for you?

There are so many benefits. Simply google the benefits of exercise and you will find a lot of information. Some benefits include:

1. Muscle growth and prevention of muscle loss
2. Minimize effects of the aging process, even reverse aging
3. Help metabolize carbohydrates and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
4. Reduce the likelihood of breaking a bone in a fall
5. Improve energy level

Continue reading for more information on the above benefits. Or, jump to the next section on how to incorporate aerobic activity in your life.

1. After the age of 35, people start to lose muscle mass at 1% to 2% a year. Once in our 60s, that increases to about 3% a year.

• Even if you are exercising beyond 60, you will lose muscle mass, but not as much as the sedentary person.

• High-intensity exercise can stimulate the production of anabolic hormones that promote muscle growth and help counteract the loss of muscle we experience after 40. Yet another way exercise can reverse aging!

2. Research by Wyckelsma and colleagues 2017 found that HIIT exercise helped mitochondrial density in 65 to 75 year old subjects. Improving mitochondria density may be able to improve your cellular function and minimize the effects of the aging process. (Wyckelsma et al. 2017)
3. Lean muscle mass is also important as we age because it helps us metabolize carbohydrates.

• As you improve your ability to metabolize carbohydrates, you may reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Given that almost 30% of Americans 65 and older have diabetes, the research suggests that exercising consistently, especially over 40 is important to help reduce your risk of this disease.

4. Exercise creates stress for the body which makes it stronger. The stronger the body, the occurrence of breaking a bone from a fall is lessened.

There is growing research that demonstrates that HIIT training helps reverse aging effects and it can allow you to maintain the energy level of adults who are many years younger.

HIIT sessions do not need to be long. The focus is on intensity and not duration. The shorter HIIT sessions are more intense, however, they may reduce the risk of repetitive or overuse injuries that come from longer workout sessions.

NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, THE RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT YOU WILL BENEFIT FROM INCLUDING HIIT EXERCISES IN YOUR LIFE.

You want to include high-intensity activity 2 to 3 times in your week, but you don’t want these sessions to be long in duration as they are stressful on the body. The older we get, the harder it is to recover from high-intensity workouts.

In his book ‘Ageless Intensity’, Pete McCall recommends no more than 3 HIIT sessions a week.

How do you know if you are working at the right intensity to reap the benefits of HIIT training?

The talk test and using will help you gauge if you are working hard enough to get the anti-aging benefits. When you are working hard enough, you are then using glycogen as fuel; this is the energy pathway you want to develop for longevity benefits. The aerobic pathway is used for less intense activity.

• The TALK TEST or the RATE OF PERCEIVED EXERTION (RPE) scale is helpful in guiding you with intensity.

The harder you work, the more out of breath you will be and the harder it will be to talk. By monitoring talk, you can determine if you are working at a lower intensity (below 5) or at a higher intensity. An all-out effort is closer to a 10 and a very easy effort is closer to a 1.

RPE scale:

10 = all-out effort sustainable for just 20 to 30 seconds- very hard – can’t talk
9 = very hard intensity – breathing hard- good for 1 minute intervals
8 = hard intensity – hard to say more than 2 or 3 words
7 = vigorous activity – can speak in short sentences with difficulty
6 = hard but doable for 30 to 60 minutes
5 = able to have a conversation – some effort
4 = you can speak a few sentences without struggling
3 = able to maintain a conversation and not get out of breath
2 = very easy to maintain a conversation and could move for hours
1 = bare minimum effort, like a slow stroll

Rowing machines, jump ropes, body weight exercises, resistance training, and bikes are great for performing HIIT intervals. You can also find a hill outside or stairs as was mentioned in the study above.

Here are some HIIT protocol examples:

Be sure to get approval from your physician before starting an exercise program and incorporating high-intensity exercise.

If you are new to exercise, it’s best to start with strength training and gradually increase intensity over 3 to 6 months.

Once you establish a foundation, carefully incorporate HIIT training. Start with only 2 high-intensity bouts and slowly add another, maybe every 2 weeks.

Option 1:

Always start with a warm-up: approximately 3 to 4 on the RPE scale
Slowly increase the intensity so that you break a sweat and stay at this level for about 3 to 5 minutes and 5 or 6 on the RPE scale
20 seconds at a level 9 or 10 on the RPE scale, followed by 10 seconds at a level 4 or 5 on the RPE scale
Repeat for 8 cycles – total of 4 minutes
Cool down

Option 2:

Warm up (follow same warm up rules as in option 1)
30 seconds at 9 or 10 on the RPE scale
30 seconds at 4 or 5 on the RPE scale
Repeat for a total of 5 to 10 minutes
Cool down: 5 minutes or however long it takes to lower your heart rate to within normal range. This is done at a level 3 on the RPE scale.

Change the intensity and duration of your workouts on a consistent basis.

A weekly rotation could look like this: (recommended in the book ‘Ageless Intensity’ by Pete McCall.)

Day 1 = strength or power training
Day 2 = bodyweight exercises
Day 3 = metabolic conditioning HITT
Day 4 = strength
Day 5 = bodyweight
Day 6 = metabolic steady state
Day 7 = rest

Contact me for help in creating a personalized HIIT workout.

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Scroll down to get the recipe for a healthy cauliflower salad!

There is so much power and truth to this saying. When we enter the week prepared for what is ahead, not only does our life run better, but we feel better.

My challenge to you this week is to carve out a little time on the weekend to think about how you can best prepare for the week ahead. 

Choose an area of health you most want to focus on. For example, if it’s fitness, look at your calendar and decide what activities you want to do and when – both day and time. (P.S. Here’s a great video of exercises to help with those love handles for those times we eat too much junk food and not enough salads!)

Maybe if you’re interested in attending a fitness class then this is the time to register. If you wait till the last minute, not only are you less likely to go, but the class may be full.

The more details you iron out ahead of time, the greater the chance you will do it. 
 

If nutrition is a priority for you, spend some time choosing some recipes, creating a grocery list, and shopping.

I like to make a couple of recipes ahead of time to prepare for days that have an extra packed schedule.

Here’s a cauliflower salad recipe that we just love. It’s so rewarding to open the fridge on a busy workday and find something already made that is tasty and healthy. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:

(quantities can be adapted, to taste)

• one head cauliflower
• 4 large or 7 medium carrots
• one bunch parsley
• 1/3 cup almonds
• 1/3 cup green olives, pitted
• olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 3 green onions
• ras el hanout (see recipe below)
• Optional: 4 tbsp dried cranberries or 6 pitted dates

Instructions:

1. Cut cauliflower and carrots into large pieces and toss together in oil and ras al hanout (you can buy the spice blend, or you can make your own using the recipe below).
2. Roast cauliflower and carrot mixture in oven until fully cooked at 400 F. Once cooked, let cool a bit.
3. Once the cauliflower and carrots have cooled a bit, chop up and add: parsley, almonds, green olives, green onion. Gently mix everything together.
4. Optional: Add dried dates or cranberries
5. Make the dressing: lemon juice, olive oil, ras al hanout
6. Toss the salad in the dressing and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

Enjoy this cauliflower salad as-is or serve alongside protein of choice. I like it next to grilled chicken. For a vegetarian version, you can add chickpeas directly to the salad.

Recipe for Ras el Hanout:

Ingredients for Ras el Hanout:

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander seed
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Intructions for for Ras el Hanout:

1. Mix spices together & enjoy

Tell me how you like this salad!

Looking for more recipes? Check them out here.

Wishing you a week filled with abundant health and happiness,

Motivation.

Such a powerful contributor to health. It gets us out of bed an hour early to exercise. It is the reason we put in tireless work to keep ourselves and our loved ones happy and healthy. It is the big ‘why’ behind all of our actions and behaviors. Yet it can seem, at times, impossible to channel motivation and keep it going long-term.

At times, motivation is easy to come by but just as quickly fades into avoidance or procrastination. Other times, it is simply too hard to even start. It’s easier to let the Netflix series you’re watching automatically play the next episode than to get up off the couch and get your butt to the gym. It’s easier to order take-out than to buy and prepare a nutritious meal for you and your family.

At this point you may be asking, “Sure, but how?! How can I even get motivated?”

Before we practice harnessing motivation, let’s back up a bit to really understand motivation at its core. In essence, it is the response to “why”. Why do you wake up an hour early to go to the gym? Why do you spend some of your very limited time on this earth to have dinner with your friends? Why are you trying to lose weight? Why are you trying to create a better work-life balance?

It comes down to your WHY.

There are two types of motivation: external and internal. If your big “why” is external and you haven’t done the work from within, then your motivation will be fleeting, at best.

It is essential to dig deep and find reasons that are super important to you, to your values and to your purpose here on earth.

We can look at some examples to better understand external versus internal motivation:

1. Look at the amount of people who go to the gym in January versus February. People make a New Year’s resolution to lose those extra pounds. That’s great! So they sign up for a gym membership and decide to go 5 days a week starting right after the holidays. On the evening of January 1st they pack their gym bags and meal prep for the week. January 2nd arrives and they wake up early to squeeze in a gym workout before work. “This year will be different!”, they say. They blend up a nutritious smoothie and head off to the gym. They have a great workout at the gym. At lunch they eat a healthy salad with lean protein. “This is delicious!” they say. Their motivation level is high. Unfortunately, what inevitably happens to many of those gym-goers is after a week or two, they lose motivation. “This salad is delicious!” quickly becomes, “Maybe I’ll just get a pizza today.” Waking up ready to hit the gym quickly turns into snoozing the alarm or rationalizing why it’s OK to skip your workout today. By the time February rolls in, the gym is back to its pre-holiday crowd. Maybe next year…

Why were these people unable to keep going? They very likely had an external reason for their goal. Maybe society is telling them that they will be happier if they are thinner. Maybe the celebrities they read about go to the gym and follow the same diet they are trying. These reasons are given value by others, not by themselves. External reasons aren’t bad, but internal reasons are the fuel for long-term motivation.

What is your reason? If it’s for external reasons outside of you, like praise or recognition from others, then you’ll want to dig deeper and find a reason that is aligned with your own values.

2. In an episode of Ozmosis, John (the host) and I talked about his motivation- his reason for running. He is an avid runner, but this year due to an injury he has been having trouble making running a priority and logging those miles. He is struggling with getting “back in the groove”.

We often base our future performance on our past performance, and John is no exception!

John felt a lack of confidence because he was comparing his physical state to that of last year. He viewed himself as unhealthy simply because a year ago he was, in his mind, healthier. He believed that the miles he ran was a direct measure of his worth as a coach. He was down on himself because he was running less and was connecting his running with his self worth as a human and as a coach. It’s almost impossible to be motivated to get up to run when you’re feeling this way.

This resulted in excuses, inaction and procrastination. Like with many of us, it turned into a vicious cycle that perpetuated itself.

How is John supposed to feel motivated while he’s feeling frustrated and unconfident? His motivation came in brief spurts then quickly died off. How we feel determines how we show up in our life. Think about the last time you felt sad. What actions did you take as a result? You may have gone to bed, or reached for a bag of chips, or turned on the T.V., or cried. Sustainable motivation is fueled by positive feelings. As humans, we are wired to move away from pain, whether it’s physical or emotional.

John needed to work on developing thoughts that lead to confidence and empowerment. From these thoughts, results will naturally follow. From strong internal reasons, motivation will spring forth.

Here is the podcast episode if you want to listen for yourself!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEjiyqLS0bo

Now we get to the fun part! Here’s an exercise I want you to do. Carve out a good amount of time to really think about this. Putting 2 minutes of hard thinking into this exercise will not reveal many secrets to motivating yourself for the rest of your life (if it were that easy, you’d already be super motivated and wouldn’t be reading this!). Give yourself the time that you’d give to a loved one when they come to you with a problem. Also, silence distractions! Set your phone and computer notifications to ‘Do Not Disturb’. Ask those you life with to not interrupt you and go into a quiet room, if possible.

Ready? Here we go!

Imagine you’re 100 years old. You know you’re nearing the end of your life. You’re sitting in your rocking chair on a chilly autumn morning and reflecting on your life and the choices you have made.

What are the things you have done that would lead you to feel your life was well lived? In short, what was the purpose of your life? Really think about what has brought you fulfillment. Write this all down. Out of this, make a list of the 5 most important things that make you feel most content. What are the 5 vital events or choices that occurred in your life that lead you to undoubtedly say that you had a meaningful life? What are the major decisions or paths you took which allowed you to lead a life that was filled with purpose. How do you know your life was well lived?

It may be a difficult exercise for you at first, but over time and with practice it will become clear to you. Remember, you are not necessarily writing about things that actually happened or that have already happened. This mental exercise puts your imagination to work on what could be.

Throughout the years in which I’ve guided clients through this mental exercise, I have never had one say they wanted a bigger house out of life. Not one client wishes they had more cars in the driveway. Sure, that walk-in closet with racks of designer shoes and clothes would be nice, but it never makes that top 5 list. When you read or hear about stories of people actually on their death beds, they are not regretting a lack of material items. Instead, we might hear: “I wish I had forgiven my mother.” “I wish I had a better relationship with my children.” “I wish I took that risk in my career instead of staying in my safe and stable job that I only tolerated.” “I wish I wasn’t reliant on an oxygen tank and wheelchair.” “I wish I gave more to the world than what I took.”

Be honest with yourself about your feelings while doing this task. Check in with your body when you write something down.

What is your reason for making your goal?

It’s important to consider your reason closely to understand what feeling is fueling your desire. In order to fuel long-term behavior, you want to elicit a positive feeling. For example, it will be hard to lose weight long-term if your reason is because you hate your body. When we feel shame, disgust and other negative feelings we aren’t motivated to be kind to ourselves nor behave in a way that supports our well-being.

Does your reason come from fear, or self-punishment or does it come from a desire to live your best life?

Next, log one of your normal days from the time you wake up until the time you sleep. Write down everything you did. Log what you ate for breakfast, what you drank, who you spent your day with, what you worked on, what you did during your free time, what you watched on TV, what content you read…

Be as detailed as possible and leave nothing out (not even those cookies you ate as a late-night snack)!

OK great, now comes the final step. Compare the log of your actual activities with the log of your fulfilled future. Do the choices and accomplishments match up? Look at what you actually did in a day and compare that to what you want out of life. Did you make time for the things that are important to you? If you want to be satisfied with your life it will require daily effort and practice.

Ultimately, you need to decide if you are willing to do what is required to leave this life with no regrets.

If you are, then take those 5 things you want out of life, and start incorporating them into your daily life now. Bit by bit.

To be- and stay- motivated, your daily life needs to support why you are here on this planet.

It’s OK if you aren’t there yet, because guess what? You aren’t 100 years old! You aren’t on your death bed! You’re one of the lucky ones. Be kind to yourself, yet determined, as you find your “why” to life.

It really will motivate you every day.

If you really get stuck and need some guidance, I’d be happy to help.

As a woman 50 and older, you want to be strength training because it is one of the best ways to support your health.

This is the stage of life when you most need to be strength training.

If you haven’t started yet, it’s not too late. Studies have shown that even individuals in their 80s build muscle and bone when they begin strength training.

Being aware is half the battle. The other half is getting started.

Muscle stem cells start to disappear when estrogen levels decline which results in muscle loss. Also the drop in estrogen increases bone loss.

When you build muscle mass, it raises your resting metabolism and that makes your body burn more calories, even at rest. This helps with weight loss (as long as you don’t use exercise as an excuse to eat more). A nutritious diet and appropriate portions along with exercise are needed for weight loss and maintenance.

Here are some important tips to help you get the most from your strength training:

Tip 1:

Aim for intensity.

You need to be lifting enough weight to stimulate muscle growth.
This means that you aren’t using light weights. You know the weight is too light when you’re able to do 20 repetitions or more.

Use a weight that doesn’t allow you to do more than 10-15 repetitions and the last 2 repetitions will be a struggle without compromising form.

Proper form though is a priority and should not be sacrificed for more weight.
Once you’ve mastered proper form, slowly increase the amount of weight you’re lifting.
Don’t go light, unless you have an injury, or you’re brand new to exercise.

Tip 2:

Longer is not better.

You don’t need to exercise for a long time if you are using enough intensity to stimulate muscle growth.
Don’t be tempted to go longer. This is a huge mindset change for our midlife generation since for so long we were told that more is better.

Aim for 20 to 30 minutes. Add a 5 minute warmup and 5 minute cool down and your workout will be 30- 40 minutes in total.

You’ll see better results in weight loss, strength and body tone with the right amount of strength training. More is not better in menopause.

Tip 3:

Our recovery needs at midlife change and we require longer periods of rest.

Research suggests that more recovery time is needed between workouts at this stage of life. Instead of 48 hours in between workouts, try 72 hours and see how your body responds.

Tip 4:

Focus on exercises that involve several muscle groups at a time.

Your strength rewards are far greater with exercises that involve several muscle groups.

Aim for full-body workouts- meaning legs, core and upper body. If you need a change though, another approach is to focus on your upper body during one of your two weekly sessions and your lower body during the other weekly session.

Tip 5:

Incorporate exercises that require a balance component.

Balance exercises help improve your stability, coordination and strength which will minimize future risk of falling.

For example, you can train your balance by standing on one leg and raising the other leg to the side, in front or behind you.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve slipped on ice and been able to regain my balance! I know it’s because I don’t neglect to include a balance challenge during strength training.

Now to get started, look at your calendar and plan 2 weight lifting sessions this week. Decide on the days, the time and allow 30 to 40 minutes to get it done. Make this appointment non-negotiable. Your health is counting on you showing up for yourself.

Lately, it seems everyone is talking about fasting. In today’s post, I’ll share 2 big truths to help you decide if fasting is for you, and if so which method is best for you.

And if you are currently fasting, I share some REALLY important information below that you’ll want to implement, otherwise you may no longer continue to get results from fasting.

I practice time-restricted eating most days of the week, while my husband follows intermittent fasting a few days of the week along with time-restricted eating.

Is fasting a fad or a legitimate trend?

Recent research shows that fasting is a practice that yields many worthwhile health benefits.

Some of the benefits of fasting include:

Weight loss
Increased lifespan
Improved immunity
Improved heart health
Reduced inflammation
improved insulin sensitivity
Reduction in metabolic disease

Bottom Line – fasting will improve most health markers and is well worth your effort unless you are underweight, under 18 years of age, pregnant or breastfeeding.

How do you go about it?

There are different ways to fast, depending on what you’re trying to achieve. I’ll focus on time-restricted eating and intermittent fasting.

Intermittent Fasting (IF)

The 24 hour day is divided into two periods: a fasting period and an eating period.
This is a dual approach to reduce calorie intake and the period of time in which you eat.
The most common schedule people follow is a 16/8 hour schedule. A person will fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8-hour window. This is done between 2 to 7 days a week.
Most people skip breakfast on intermittent fasting. days. For example, the eating window may be from 11 am to 7 pm or 10 am to 6 pm (or any other time that fits your schedule).

Intermittent Fasting is for you if:

you typically aren’t hungry in the morning
you have a significant amount of weight to lose
you’re prone to nighttime snacking.

Time restricted eating (TRE)

Time-restricted eating is a form of intermittent fasting that typically allows a longer eating period than intermittent fasting.
With time-restricted eating a person eats as much as they want during a predetermined eating window.
People typically eat between an 8 to 12-hour window.

Time-restricted eating is for you if:

you don’t like to miss breakfast. This method works for people who don’t like to miss breakfast (like me). I would rather miss dinner than miss breakfast!
you don’t have a lot of weight to lose and want to experience the health benefits that fasting provide.
if you’re new to fasting, TRE is a great way to ease into longer fasting periods.

BOTH INTERMITTENT FASTING AND TIME-RESTRICTED EATING ELICIT BENEFICIAL HEALTH EFFECTS INCLUDING:

weight loss
reduced-fat mass
improved heart function
enhanced aerobic capacity.

During the pandemic, I was pretty diligent in following the fast periods which meant I didn’t snack or have any alcohol after dinner. As a result, I lost almost 5 pounds whereas many people gained weight during this same period.

HERE’S WHAT INTERNET SEARCHES DON’T TELL YOU ABOUT FASTING:

Don’t follow the same fasting period every day of the week.
WHY?
Studies have shown that over time, the body will no longer respond to fasting as it did initially. In fact, over a prolonged period of restrictive calories, the body may reach a state of stress. The body needs diversity to keep working well. It’s called metabolic flexibility. You want your body to be able to adapt to various demands placed on it.

In order to avoid this, you need to vary your eating window. For example, follow a 16/8 (fast -eat) window two times a week, a 12-hour window 2 or 3 times a week, and the remaining days a 13 /11 window.
Don’t follow the same fasting periods for long, extended periods of time.

Another concern, especially for women after menopause, is that extended long fast periods may promote muscle loss. You want to maintain as much muscle as possible. The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism will be.

References
1.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836017/

2. Longo, Valter D., and Satchidananda Panda. Fasting, Circadian Rhythms, and Time-Restricted Feeding in Healthy Lifespan Cell Metabolism 23, no. 6 (June 2016): 1048–59. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2016.06.001.
3. https://daveasprey.com/dr-will-cole-796/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5783752/
5. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/20/7777/htm
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4636982/

RESET, RENEW, RESULTS

If you want to really get a handle on your weight and your health, and learn optimal aging strategies like fasting, join my 6 week program called Reset, Renew, Results.

You’ll learn content that is NOT shared in Weight Watchers or any other program. My program is science-based and it draws from psychological practices that are proven to enhance and solidify learning.

At 63 years old, I walk my talk. I’ll teach you how you can eat, move and think for weight loss and lasting health.

Join us. I KNOW you won’t regret it!

Sign up HERE

What can you do when you lose your motivation?

During a coaching call this week, a client asked me this question. She shared how she struggles with motivation. She wants to exercise more, but she doesn’t follow through and doesn’t show up for herself. She disappoints herself over and over again which erodes her self-confidence. It’s almost impossible to feel motivated when you are down on yourself. She asked me to outline a plan for her.

It’s human nature to not want to always show up and do the hard things.

What hard things am I talking about?
Eating better, drinking less alcohol, strength training, stretching, losing weight, going to bed earlier, stressing less, establishing healthy boundaries -any goal you have to make you and your life better.

I know you have goals for yourself – small goals, big goals, health goals, personal goals, business goals. Goals to travel more, stress less, sleep more, drink less.

You have goals because you want to grow as a person.

You want to be a better person for your children or grandchildren or for yourself.

It’s called evolution and it’s programmed in your genes.

You can’t become a stronger person when things are easy.

They aren’t meant to be easy and when things aren’t easy your mind will play tricks and come up with every reason in the book to not do it. To become better, to become stronger, you don’t want it to be easy.

So what can you do?

Change your thought about what it is you want to do. Instead of thinking I want ……. (insert goal) to be easy, say ” I love that I’m finding this hard. It means I’m growing as a person.”

It creates a whole different feeling, right? From feeling defeated to feeling empowered. And do you know how you respond when you feel empowered? You take action that brings you closer to your goal.

I’m offering one thought option, but it can be any thought that makes you feel empowered and excited.

You’ll definitely feel much more motivated when you feel empowered than when you feel defeated.

Do not quit or change your goal. Instead, change your thought about your goal.

It happened to me a couple of days ago. I have a goal to run a half marathon which means I need to start running consistently.

I’ve added my training plan to the calendar.

This past Friday was a run day and I was feeling very unmotivated.

This was my thought process:
Why am I unmotivated? I’m slightly sore from yesterday’s strength training, but mostly it’s because it’s raining.
I then asked myself, “What thought do I need to think that would support the goal I want which is to keep to my run plan?”

• I could tell myself that running in the rain is enjoyable. I’ve done it many, many times. Heck, I’ve even run a marathon in the pouring rain.
  That thought didn’t motivate me.

• My next thought was,
  “If I have some company it will help me get out the door.”
  I contacted a running buddy, but she couldn’t go.

• My next thought,
  “I could run on the treadmill.”
  Who am I kidding? I don’t like running on the ‘dreadmill’.

• I added, “I’ll give myself permission to run half the planned distance and I can watch a show on Netflix.”
  That did it. I got on the treadmill and when I reached the halfway mark I stopped. It was a win in my books. I was proud of myself for showing up. Instead of not running at all I ran 25 minutes.

Allowing myself to do less almost always works for me. I’ve often told myself just do 10 minutes and if I want to stop at that point I can. Most of the time I complete the workout, but there have been times I’ve given myself permission to cut it short.

You can show up for yourself. Wrestling with your thoughts is the hardest part. Find thoughts that will support your goal and DO IT.

You have dealt with much more unpleasant feelings in your life. You are much stronger than you give yourself credit for.

Going through childbirth or losing a loved one is hard, much harder than dealing with short-term discomfort.

I do believe that discipline is my superpower. I show up to do the hard things and it is a feeling that drives my action. I know what it feels like to be so down that I’m not sure if I can get up again. It’s a dark place where there is little hope. I show up to do the hard things because they make me feel hopeful. That is the emotion that drives my actions.

How about you? How are you making yourself stronger? What drives you? I would love to know.

Chances are that if you’re over 40, it’s the latter. According to a neurosurgeon I saw at the Cleveland Clinic, this is normal. He told me that anyone 40+ has some degree of degeneration in their joints. It’s a natural part of aging. Of course injuries and lifestyle do contribute.

The joys of aging…

Joint inflammation and damage can limit our movement, and yet movement is exactly what we need to keep agile and strong as we age.

Doing what you can to preserve your joints is worth every minute of effort.

Let me share with you what has worked best for me. My motto has always been: If it doesn’t hurt then it’s worth trying. (And trust me, I’ve tried a lot of different things for my joints!)
I’ll share what I’ve found to be the most effective.

If you have sore joints, it may seem counter-intuitive, but strength training is key to maintaining joint health.

Your joints are stronger if the muscles around them are stronger. As long as you have proper form as you perform the exercises, you will improve the integrity of your joints. If you aren’t sure about your form, get help from a professional.

Here’s a great strength training routine you can use.

The better you look after your joints, the longer they will serve you.

My routine since the pandemic looks different than it did before. When things get back to normal, I’ll be back to see my chiropractor since active release therapy and acupuncture help to keep me more flexible. Another change since the pandemic is that I don’t need to travel for infrared sauna because I bought a red light therapy device that I can use at home.

Here’s my current routine:

Infrared Light Therapy

I use the Baton Rouge from True Dark. I like it because it’s light, portable, easy to use and affordable. I can honestly say I’ve noticed a difference, especially in my knees and thumbs.
Every morning, I use light therapy on my knees, thumbs and any other joint that may be sore.

You can read more about it on the True Dark website. Here’s the link to the one I use.

Infrared light therapy uses certain wavelengths of light to restore, repair and protect tissue that is either injured, degenerating or at risk of dying. While varying wavelengths affect the body differently, as far as healing with red light is concerned, the most effective wavelengths range from 630-670 nm and 810-880 nm.

Benefits:
increase mitochondrial function
decrease skin inflammation
reduce wrinkles
heal wounds
help osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, and cognitive dysfunction following brain injury

Icing

After using the light therapy, I ice my knees. Fifteen minutes helps to reduce inflammation.

Essential oils

I still can’t believe that I used to get injections and take anti-inflammatories (bad for the stomach) to deal with knee pain. That was before I was introduced to essential oils.

Now that I know better, I can make healthier choices.

Over time, I’ve developed my own blend of essential oils for my knees. These oils are scientifically shown to support tissue like muscles, joints, ligaments, and cartilage. If you want the recipe, let me know and I’ll send it to you.

The main ingredient in my blend is Deep Blue Rub, which is all-natural. Remember, what you put on your skin can be absorbed into your body, so you want to make sure it doesn’t contain any toxic ingredients.

Learn more about Deep Blue rub and purchase it here
Get 25% off Deep Blue rub for an entire year with a $35 membership HERE
There are huge benefits to having a membership. With it, all doTERRA products are 25% off for an entire year!
And you get free membership in my private essential oil group. In this group you’ll learn how to replace toxic chemicals in your home with natural, health-enhancing products.

Foam Rolling

Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique. It can help relieve muscle tightness, soreness and inflammation, and increase your joint range of motion. I have foam rolling on my health tracker as a reminder to do it daily. That’s how effective this strategy is for me.

Foam rolling can be an effective tool to add to your warm-up or cool-down, before and after exercise.

Here’s a video that explains how to effectively foam roll.

What helps you relieve soreness? I would love to know.

Sign up for my newsletter to have the best exercise, nutrition and mindset tips for women 40+ delivered to your inbox.

Women often focus primarily on cardiovascular exercise for weight management or loss. If this is you, then follow these tips to understand how to exercise for optimal weight loss. I do encourage you though to focus on nutrition as well since what you eat can contribute up to 80% of how you look.

There are so many strategies that have a huge impact on weight loss and, when used properly, yield amazing results. Not only will they help with weight loss, but they are critical for overall health and optimal aging. After all, it’s not just about the numbers on the scale.

Some of these strategies include:

• Cardiovascular exercise
• Intermittent fasting
• Nutrition
• Protein fasting
• Leptin reset
• Strength Training
• Autophagy

An important mistake I see women make is that they don’t understand the difference between movement and exercise.

Movement versus Exercise

Walking is a fantastic form of movement that yields wonderful health benefits. You’ll want to consider walking whenever possible. Walking at least 20 minutes is important for lymphatic circulation, improving insulin resistance, reducing cardiovascular risk, dementia and improving mitochondrial function.

There’s a difference though between movement and exercise. Walking is not intense enough to create the same physiological adaptation that you get from an activity such as high intensity interval training (HIIT). For weight loss purposes, you want to focus on exercise that is brief, purposeful, intense and safe.

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is the optimal choice for weight loss.

HIIT training is so effective because it causes you to produce more human growth factor (a protein hormone) than regular cardio or even a 45 minutes strength workout. This protein hormone helps to maintain, build and repair healthy tissue in the body. It helps speed up metabolism and fat loss. A HIIT workout burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time, and your metabolic rate is higher for hours after a HIIT workout. The same can’t be said for walking. HIIT can burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time

HIIT is repeated, extremely hard bouts of work interspersed with periods of recovery.

It’s not the same as interval training, which is also a hard effort. HIIT exercise uses the anaerobic pathway and it will be an all out effort.

This means you are showing up and giving 100% effort, not 80 or 90%.

For this kind of workout to be effective a 30 second all out effort is long enough to get the physiological benefits for weight loss.

I recommend using a heart rate monitor to give you an accurate read on your level of effort. Somedays I think I’m giving it my all, but my monitor tells me otherwise. It’s useful feedback.

I like to use a 3:1 ratio when I do a HIIT workout. First I’ll warm-up for 10 minutes with a slow jog. Your warm-up can be any activity that slightly raises your heart rate and prepares your body for the upcoming activity.

I then run 30 seconds at an all out effort, followed by a very slow jog or walk for 90 seconds. You want to fully recover during the rest period so that you can go very hard each time.

This cycle can be repealed 6 to 15 times. The more in shape you get, the more cycles you can do. If you’re new to HIIT workouts, start at the lower end. After 3 weeks or so, add an extra cycle to your workout and gradually continue to increase.

End with a 5 minute cool-down.

Exercise ideas for HIIT:

• Jog in place
• Bodyweight squats
• Pushups
• Burpees
• Situps
• Running
• Biking
• Swimming
• Hills
• Rowing

Don’t do HIIT training more than twice a week. Start with once a week then move to twice a week, but once will suffice.

Do a cardio HIIT session 3 days apart from a strength workout.

HOW THIS LOOKS

• Be sure to get medical clearance before engaging in cardiovascular exercise.
• 10 minute warm-up
• 30 second all out sprint (running, biking, rowing, skipping, swimming)
• 60 to 90 second recovery – you may even have to stop and rest for 90 seconds. Be sure to bring your heart rate down.
• 6 to 15 cycles
• Cool-down of 5 to 10 minutes

Remember though, that in terms of your physical appearance, exercise is about 20% of the equation.

Understanding how to eat for health will minimize fat gain and optimize muscle tone and definition. What you eat makes much more of a difference than what you burn by means of exercise. In fact, excessive exercise can actually work against you, spiking your cortisol and making you gain weight.

Join me for my 6 week weight loss group- Reset, Renew, Results- and learn how to easily integrate weight loss strategies into your life. You will lose weight, end emotional eating, and manage urges. The most rewarding benefit is that you’ll be 100% confident knowing what you need to do moving forward. Hear what others say HERE.

Get more info and join HERE.

There are many well-researched health tips that will contribute significantly to your health, but the tip that will make the biggest impact is one that is not well-known or talked about until now!

When trying to achieve a health goal, most people focus their energy on actions. For example, I’m not losing weight so I’ll add more exercise to my day, or I’ll eat less food. This approach won’t last.

Lasting change starts by creating thoughts that will make you feel good about what you want to do.

In order to implement positive actions in your life, you need to adopt a THOUGHT that supports that action. Positive thoughts create positive feelings. Positive feelings support positive actions. Positive actions create positive RESULTS in your life.

The single most impactful health tip is to focus on the quality of your thoughts surrounding your health goal.

If you aren’t achieving a result you want, it’s because you have a thought that doesn’t support that goal. First look at the thought behind your goal. How does that thought make you feel? Or, you can ask yourself what thought is making you feel discouraged about your goal?

For example, when someone tells me that they want to exercise consistently, but they just don’t have the motivation to make it a consistent part of their life, I know we need to explore that person’s thoughts around exercise. When I ask how she feels about exercise she may say, “I hate it” or, “It’s a chore”. When I ask why she feels that way she may say, “It’s hard for me” or, “I’ve never been good at it” or, “I do it because I’ve eaten too much”. None of these thoughts make her feel good. No wonder she isn’t able to enjoy exercise. Why would you want to continue doing something that makes you feel bad?

When this same person is able to create thoughts around exercise that make her FEEL better, feel more joy, feel more empowered, feel less discouraged, only then will she be able to make exercise a regular part of her life.

When you are able to implement positive actions in your life, it’s because you’ve adopted a THOUGHT that makes you feel more positive about that goal.

I want you to think about one of your health goals for a second. Is it to drink more water, eat more vegetables, add more exercise, lose weight,….?

How does the woman who has achieved that goal think? Her internal environment – her thoughts – and her external environment support that future person.

Now ask yourself, “Do I show up as that version of me NOW? Do I show up as the woman who is living that goal?”

The woman who wants to eat more vegetables prepares a grocery list that includes vegetables. She shops and has produce in her fridge for the week. She finds pre-washed lettuce and many other convenient healthy choices which makes it super easy. She plans her meals daily and knows what vegetables she will eat at each meal. Her thought may be, “I deserve to feel my best”.

The woman who fuels with water has a method for making it consistent and convenient. She has a glass or metal water bottle that she fills first thing in the morning. She refills it when it’s empty. She keeps it at her desk and sips throughout the day. She takes it with her when she gets in the car. She may even set her timer to remind her to drink.

Her thought may be, “Water makes my skin glow”.

The woman who exercises consistently looks at her calendar at the beginning of the week and plans her exercise. She knows what she will do on what day and at what time. If she goes to the gym she has a gym bag packed so she doesn’t get to the gym unprepared. She makes this appointment with herself NON-NEGOTIABLE. After all, this is the most important activity on her calendar.
Her thought may be, “Exercise gives me energy”.

Do you create an environment that reflects where she’s at?

Think about the future you who is healthier and start to be her NOW. How you show up every day MATTERS!

If you want to achieve your goal this year, start showing up and making decisions the way your future self would! These decisions are based on the quality of your thoughts.

Start living through that lens and I guarantee you’ll get there!⠀

This is the mindset of RESULTS. Live now as the future you.

Have a wonderful week. I would love to hear your thoughts. Let us know below!

Do you want help creating intentional thoughts that support the life you want to live?

We offer group coaching. Find out more HERE.
If you prefer more individualized attention, one on one coaching is available. Contact us HERE.

For women over 40, our daily need for calories drops because we lose more muscle with each passing decade after 30. We also have to deal with changing hormones, which has an effect on our emotional and physical well-being. Fitness and exercise routines that worked when we were younger, no longer seem to have an impact, especially on our bellies. Ladies, it’s ok! It’s not a hopeless situation. Once you make some tweaks in your strength training and cardiovascular activity, you’ll be on your way to developing more muscle and losing weight.

Why Is Muscle Important?

In your thirties, you start to lose muscle and bone mass. After the age of 50, both men and women may lose up to 10 pounds of muscle per decade, and bone density at a rate of 1% per year after age 40. This loss has a drastic effect on health and quality of life.

Strength-training exercises are at the heart of building bone density and muscle mass.

When you learn to include smart and effective strength training and cardiovascular activity into your life, you’ll gain:

• higher bone density
• improved blood lipids
• better insulin sensitivity
• more lean muscle
• better metabolism
• less inflammation
• improved sleep

How Often Do You Need To Strength Train?

The older you get, the more important it is for you to focus on strength training. If you’re in your thirties, start to create consistency with strength training. In your forties and beyond you want to strength train at least twice a week for general health.

If you have never lifted weights then get lessons in proper technique. It’s money well spent.

Lifting light weights is a WASTE OF TIME, however, if you are new to strength training start with light weights until you build strength and learn proper technique. The amount of weight you use depends on your experience, current strength, and previous injuries.

Challenging your muscles to exhaustion stimulates more human growth factor.

How Much Weight?

The kind of strength training that will make a BIG difference is to use a weight heavy enough for you to reach muscular failure in 90 to 120 seconds. This will be a weight of around 80% of a one-time maximum lift. This is different from an approach that suggests using a light weight and completing a lot of repetitions. Using a heavier weight stimulates more human growth hormone and testosterone. You want to challenge your muscles, safely and effectively. If you don’t know what you’re doing, hire someone to teach you proper form and help you determine what weight to safely use.

To figure your maximum one-time lift, you’ll want to have a variety of weights available to establish your baseline. It’s advisable to have someone with you to help in case you need it. You want to understand the maximum amount of weight you can possibly lift in one repetition. You’ll have to establish this baseline for each type of exercise.

For example, if the one-time maximum weight you can lift for a shoulder press is 20 pounds, then you’ll use 16 pounds during your strength training for optimal muscle gain.

Here’s How To Make It Work

As the saying goes, a Sunday well spent brings a week of content. On the weekend get out your calendar and plan what days and times you’re going to strength train in the upcoming week. Keep this appointment with yourself as though your life depends on it!

It’s so easy to blow off your commitment, but remember the only person who can make your health a priority is you. This means it’s up to you to show up for yourself. And remember, it’s not any harder for you than it is for anybody else.

Plan for obstacles. If you’re a morning person, don’t plan to do your workout late in the day. Take into account your routine and your energy rhythm.

If you’re like me, you may prefer cardiovascular activity over strength training. I naturally gravitate towards aerobic activity and I would much rather be outside hiking, biking, or running than being inside lifting weights. The older I get though, the more I understand the importance of doing what I may otherwise want to sidestep and I no longer give myself the option of one over the other. When it’s a strength training day, that’s what I do.

If you enjoy going to the gym, you can use the stationary machines, or free weights. My preference is to use free weights at home. Planning to go to a gym adds one more potential obstacle for me. Having what I need at home means I know exactly how long my workout will be since I don’t have to wait for equipment at the gym, or get delayed by traffic.

The reasons you give yourself as to why you can’t stay committed to your plan are nothing but excuses. When you look outside of yourself for reasons why you can’t do something, you’re simply not taking ownership of your health. There will NEVER be a perfect time.

Some people think they have to enjoy an activity to stay committed, but guess what, that’s another excuse. You may never really like it. I’ve never loved strength training, but I keep showing up a couple of times a week. I have for 25 years.

You learn to love the results. You learn to love the process because you are showing up for yourself.

A SAMPLE ROUTINE

Always get medical clearance before starting an exercise program.

Allow at least 30 minutes for your strength training. This includes a warmup and cool down which will help lessen your chance of injury.

You can choose to do all upper body exercises during one weekly session and lower body exercises for your second weekly workout.

Another option is to do half of the upper body exercises and half of the lower body exercises during one session, then include the remainder upper and lower exercises for your second workout. Keep track of your exercises and the amount of weight you use.

The purpose of this routine is to challenge your muscles and take them to fatigue. This means you’ll do as many repetitions as you can until you can’t lift the weight anymore. You only have to do one set of each exercise and since you’re using a heavy weight, it won’t be a lot of repetitions.

WARMUP

Start with a 5 minute warm-up with any exercise that will raise your heart rate. If you feel you need more time, then take it. Somedays, I don’t feel as limber and I may take up to 15 minutes to warm up.

Some options include:

• Marching in place
• Walking upstairs
• Jumping rope

EXERCISES

Work through the exercises without breaks. You want your body to work hard to stimulate growth.

WORKOUT #1 Upper Body

1. Pushups: No excuses.

Whether you are brand new to pushups or experienced, you need to add pushups to your routine. Certain exercises give you a huge return for your effort, and pushups are one of them. When I don’t have time for strength training, I’ll at least do pushups.

Here’s a VIDEO to help guide you in technique at all levels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCx-p6l0MLc

Once you can do 10+ repetitions from your knees, start to add full pushups. Do as many full pushups as you can and finish the set with knee pushups. Keep challenging yourself.

I’m 62 and I can do over 50 full pushups without stopping. I challenge myself every year to match my age in pushups.

2. Chest:
   Chest Press
   Chest Fly
3. Shoulder
   Shoulder Press
   Lateral Raise
4. Back
   Dumbbell rows
   Rear Fly
5. Triceps
   Overhead extension
   Bench Dips – till you simply can’t do another one.
6. Biceps
   Standing curl

WORKOUT #2 LOWER BODY

1. Squats with universal bar or dumbbells
2. Lunges with universal bar or dumbbells
3. Deadlift with universal or dumbbells
4. Monster Walks with a band around your ankles. Move in all directions left – right – frontwards – backward.
5. Hip extensions

COOL DOWN

Choose any activity that is less intense and allows your heart rate to go back to normal. Examples include walking and active stretching.

In case you missed it, here’s another great routine for you to follow.

Take this opportunity to commit and gain muscle. It’s never too late and you’re never too old to start. I would love to hear about your journey.

Join me on June 1 and learn how to combine the right nutrition, fitness and mindset to lose weight and feel your best. Learn what NO OTHER weight loss program teaches!

Become the CEO of your mind and body. Weight will drop, excuses will go out the door. Emotional eating will end. You will be in control!

Turn your health around in just a few weeks with expert guidance, support, and encouragement.

SEE WHEN THE NEXT GROUP STARTS AND JOIN US HERE

You won’t believe how much better you can look and feel in just 6 weeks.
Nutrition + exercise + positive psychology work wonders!

Our relationship with our beautiful planet is symbiotic and the health of one greatly influences the health of the other. The small, simple steps we take to protect the earth make a difference.

There are toxic chemicals everywhere – in our environment, food, packaging, plastics, home, skincare products, and water.

So how can we make a difference?

There are so many ways. We can focus on recycling, reusing, and reducing our waste. Another way is to avoid purchasing products that add to the toxic load. These can be replaced with safer alternatives that don’t pollute the environment.

Some changes we’ve made in our home include:

• buying organic produce and grass-fed meat when possible (reduce methane gas)
• using natural ingredients to clean in the home
• avoiding scented skincare products
• avoiding plastic (e.g. no more plastic water bottles, plastic wrap, plastic containers)
• water filtration system

Before using a product, I research the list of ingredients to find information about its safety. A website you can use for this research is Environmental Working Group.

Several years ago, I started incorporating essential oils into my everyday life to replace many of the toxic products we used in our home.

Bonus: replacing toxic products with essential oils is good for both the planet AND our health!

We’ve replaced:

• dryer sheets with wool balls + essential oils*
• air fresheners with water diffusers & essential oils*
• home cleaning products with essential oils, vinegar & baking soda*
• perfume with essential oils*
• antiperspirant with homemade deodorant
• skincare lotion with scent-free / chemical-free lotion from doTERRA
• shampoo with sulfate-free shampoo from doTERRA
• Advil / Tylenol with peppermint & deep blue blend from doTERRA
• poison ivy cream with tea tree, peppermint & lavender essential oils*
• airway congestion with peppermint, lemon, oregano & tea tree essential oils*
• sleep aids with Serenity & Adaptiv essential oil blends, lavender, vetiver & cedarwood*
• anti- stress aids with Adaptiv blend, sandalwood, Balance blend, Peace blend*
• seasonal relief with lemon, peppermint, frankincense & lavender essential oils*
• toothpaste with fluoride-free toothpaste from doTERRA
• toxic makeup with Beauty Counter makeup
• digestive distress with DigestZen essential oil blend, peppermint & ginger essential oils*

*I use doTERRA because they are the purest and safest essential oils on the market. If you’re interested you can find their products here.

If you need help placing an order or want to know how to get 25% off your order, reach out to me HERE and I would be happy to help.

I even love to add a few drops of essential oils to furnace filters. The air smells wonderful and we get the therapeutic benefits of the essential oil.

And did you know chemicals make it harder to lose weight? There are chemicals that mess with our hormones and encourage fat storage.

If you’re interested in learning how to live a lifestyle that leads to weight loss and limits your exposure to chemicals, JOIN ME in my next 6-week weight loss group!

Are you tired of living in a body that doesn’t feel right? Summer is around the corner and I want to help you trim your body and transform your mind so that you can thrive in a way that you deserve.

Join me on June 1, 2021, for my very SUCCESSFUL 6 week weight loss program Reset Renew Results. This program WORKS because it goes beyond how you’re eating or exercising. You’ll learn how to identify the thoughts you have that are causing your urges and emotional eating so that you can make a change and lose weight permanently.

You’ll be ready to proudly wear summer clothes and enjoy what you see in the mirror. I’ll show you what works for women 40+ in how to eat, move and think for lasting results.

When I tell my weight loss clients that one of the basic tenets of successful weight loss is daily weighing, I get a lot of push back. For most people, the thought of getting on the scale creates so much anxiety.

Research supports that people who weigh themselves daily are much more likely to lose weight and maintain their weight loss.

A 6-month randomized, controlled study found that daily weighers lost on average 9.2 kg (20.24 lbs) at 6 months compared to 3.1 kg (6.8 lbs) for those weighing themselves less than daily. The participants who weighed themselves daily lost significantly more weight. They also adopted many more weight control behaviors that helped to maintain their weight loss long-term.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4380831/

It’s much easier- physically and mentally- to get back on track after gaining a couple of pounds versus gaining five or ten. But knowing the facts doesn’t make stepping on the scale any easier.

If you have a goal to lose weight and keep it off, you’ll want to start weighing yourself daily, and to do that you’ll want to learn how to make weighing a neutral activity. You won’t be able to do that when you make the numbers mean something personal.

Giving a negative meaning to the numbers on the scale will sabotage your weight loss and, more importantly, affect the relationship you have with yourself.

It’s important to remember that numbers are neutral and they don’t have the power to control you and influence how you feel. Numbers are data and can very effectively guide you toward your goal when you understand that the numbers have nothing to do with your self-worth.

When you step on the scale those numbers mean something to you because you’re making them mean something.

What thoughts are you choosing when you see numbers on the scale? Most people aren’t even aware of their thoughts, and there’s good reason for this. We have well over 40,000 thoughts a day and most of them are unconscious. Much of what the brain does is at the unconscious level. People may notice feeling disappointment, shame or anger, but they don’t understand the thought creating the feeling.

Here’s a process to help you learn how to change the experience. The next time you get on the scale, do the following:

1. Look at the numbers.
2. Identify what you’re feeling and write it down.
3. Identify the thought creating the feeling. Ask yourself, “Why am I feeling this?” Pay attention to your answer because this is the thought behind the feeling. You may have more than one feeling. For each feeling investigate the thought behind it. Write it down.

Peel away at the onion and you’ll discover the thoughts that are creating the drama about the numbers on the scale. You can choose to make the numbers mean something positive or something negative about yourself. It’s a choice.

4. Replace the negative thought with a positive thought that serves you. How you speak to yourself will influence how you feel. Why choose words that will only hurt you? Ask yourself, “How do I want to feel?” Choosing to feel hope, curiosity, excitement, and love will allow you to make much better choices for yourself. It’s much easier to make healthy choices when you feel positive about yourself.

The only way to feel differently about the number on the scale is to change the thought that isn’t serving you. You know you’re thinking a negative thought if you’re feeling a negative emotion.

What could you think instead? Any thought that makes you feel better is a viable option. Maybe you could choose to think:
The numbers on the scale help me understand what food choices are right for me.
Knowing my numbers is a step closer to controlling my weight.
Numbers are only data and don’t determine my self-worth.
I’m a step closer to my goal every time I weigh myself.
I’m making myself a priority and weighing myself is an act of self-love.

Choosing to make it mean something positive about yourself will move you toward your goal. Negative thoughts only move you away from your goal.

It’s nothing but a number on a scale. Nothing more. When you learn to look at the information in your environment as neutral and not as a reflection of your worth, the journey becomes so much easier.

I’m learning how to play golf and I had my first lesson this past week. I’m so new to the sport that I had to be taught how to hold the golf club. The instructor taught me the basics and after hitting at least 100 balls I was thrilled to be able to even hit the ball!

When I missed the ball, the instructor told me what I did wrong. He analyzed what he saw and gave me feedback. The information he gave was simply data, like the numbers on the scale. It wasn’t criticism nor a judgement. It didn’t mean I wasn’t trying, or that I’ll never be able to figure it out. Trust me, I wasn’t good, but if I allowed the experience to frustrate me, there’s much less chance that I will keep trying. My goal is to learn how to play golf, and I won’t get there if I berate myself.

Your health journey is the same. Learn the basics, learn how to interpret your results and what to change based on those results. Change your thoughts so they are working for you and not against you.

Here’s a thought spin that may change your belief about the numbers on the scale. Think of daily weighing as an opportunity to learn more about yourself. It’s an opportunity to teach you what foods work for you and give you energy. It’s an opportunity to understand what is going on in your mind. The more in control you are of your mind, the more in control you are of your life.

Weighing yourself is a wonderful opportunity for self-exploration as you learn to move your life in the direction you choose.

The degree to which the numbers on the scale impact you can be a good indicator of how much you allow other extraneous factors in your life to control you.

Learn to control your mind and you will learn to create your life instead of reacting to it. Remember, they are just numbers!

Are you tired of living in a body that doesn’t feel right? Summer is around the corner and I want to help you trim your body and transform your mind, so that you can thrive in a way that you deserve!

Join me for my very SUCCESSFUL 6-week weight loss program: Reset Renew Results.

You’ll be ready to proudly wear summer clothes and enjoy what you see in the mirror. I’ll show you how to eat, move and think for lasting results.

I WANT RESULTS

Find Out With This Exercise

Step 1

Write down what you want your top 5 outcomes in life to be. Take the time to do this as it has the potential to be a life-changing exercise.

It’s surprising how few people stop to think of what they want their life to represent.

The greater your health, the greater your life outcomes in every area of life, such as relationships and career. Most people have a health / self-care outcome on their list. Perhaps it’s to keep up with the grandkids. Or to have enough energy and vitality to travel and see the world. I’ve yet to meet a person who doesn’t agree that a fulfilled life includes health and vitality.

Step 2

Next, write down everything you did the day before and how you spent your time.

Your day may have looked like this:
Woke up and got myself and the kids ready for the day.
Made smoothies for breakfast
Made lunches for kids
Dropped the kids off at the bus stop.
Drove to work
Worked all day.
Picked the kids up and drove them to their activities.
Stopped at a fast-food establishment for takeout dinner.
Bedtime for kids
TV + a glass of wine.

Step 3

Now compare your list of top 5 outcomes to your daily activities. How much of your time was spent on any of the top 5 outcomes on your list?

If you’re like most people, the answer is very little.

Some outcomes people list as important to achieve before their time is up often include:
Close family relationships
Community contribution
Being an amazing parent, spouse, sibling, aunt, uncle, friend
Developing a close spiritual connection with God / Creator / Universe
Early retirement filled with purpose and passion
Travel / Adventure

Yet, when people review their time spent it’s a shock to see that very little, if any time was spent on any of the 5 outcomes on their list.

The days pass, the years pass, and dreams die.

Most people believe that they are too busy and just don’t have time for what is really important to them, but this is simply not true.

In believing this you’re denying yourself what you most want in life.

It is possible to have a busy schedule and create time for the outcomes you most want for yourself. Wanting certain outcomes does not make them happen. You have to make them happen.

If you say your spouse is the most important relationship in your life, then make time for that relationship. If your health is important to you, then make time for your health.

With each desired outcome on your list, create the time in your day to make sure your life is supporting what you want. It is a choice you can make.

The underlying foundation of a fulfilled life is health.

HAPPINESS EXERCISE

Another exercise you can do, is to write a list of 30 things that make you happy. Then, have a close look at your life and start to incorporate more of the things on this list. What brings you happiness are clues to what you’re all about and what makes you feel alive and fulfilled.

Your day will always be busy and filled, and it is up to you to take control of it and make time for your dreams.

Plan your life. It’s never too late.

Danielle lives in Spain and the growing season there is ahead of the western New York region which is where I live. The photo below shows you what she received in her most recent April CSA share.

CSA or community-supported agriculture or crop sharing is a system that connects the producer and consumers within the food system more closely by allowing the consumer to subscribe to the harvest of a certain farm or group of farms.

To find a farm in your area that offers a CSA program, use google and search for community-based agriculture in your area. Another option is to visit www.LocalHarvest.org. This is a website where farmers can list their farm and their CSA. You can also visit your local farmer’s market and ask the farmers if they offer a CSA program.

One summer day, a few years ago, I was at a local farmer’s market and it was there that I met a local farmer, Elizabeth Freck of Thyme’s.Right Farm and Natural Produce, LLC. Her farm offers a CSA program. The program has been curtailed during the pandemic, but her organic produce is still available at our local farmer’s market in Lewiston, New York.

Different farms have different offerings. Some farms offer fruits and vegetables as well as meat, eggs, honey, and flowers.

Last summer, during the pandemic, we weren’t traveling and with my extra time, I wanted to spend more time outside and learn a little more about organic farming. I spent a few hours most weeks at Thyme’s Right Farm and Natural Produce, LLC.. I learned a lot, and above all, I gained a much deeper appreciation and understanding of the hard work involved in farming.

* Elizabeth Freck and I at her farm a couple of years ago.

Danielle decided to create a kitchen sink soup recipe with her CSA vegetables. She promises it tastes better than it looks!

Here’s the list of Ingredients:

• Bunch of spinach washed and roughly chopped
• A bunch of beetroot leaves washed and roughly chopped
• A bunch of carrots washed and roughly chopped
• 5 potatoes, washed & cubed
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6-8 cups of homemade stock, or a bouillon cube.
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp Harissa
• Olive oil (or your 100% organic oil of choice)

*Note: Danielle didn’t peel the carrots or potatoes. The skin has a lot of nutrients that will make your body happy! Just be sure to thoroughly wash them.

Directions:

Danielle didn’t use exact measurements while creating this dish, so adapt this recipe as you see fit.

1. Start by coating a large pot with fresh olive oil. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
2. Then, toss in the carrots, potatoes, thyme, salt, pepper, harissa. Coat the veggies in oil and seasoning.
3. Add in the bouillon cube and enough water to cover the vegetables completely. (If you don’t have a bouillon cube, then substitute the bouillon cube + water with vegetable stock.)
4. Cover and let simmer until the carrots and potatoes are soft. You can test this by using a fork.
5. Once the carrots and potatoes are cooked, toss in the spinach and beetroot leaves. Let this all simmer together for about 5 minutes.
6. Taste the broth. Harissa and carrots go together like salt & pepper. So good. The harissa brings out the sweetness of the carrots. If the broth lacks flavor, add some harissa and a pinch of salt.

Let us know how you like the recipe!

It’s not too late to join this program that WILL have you feeling and looking your best for summer.

Get all the details HERE. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the link to register.

Have questions? Reach out to me HERE.

Getting flat abs may seem impossible, but it is achievable when the right strategies are used. If you’re looking for a direct path with less frustration, join my weight loss program Reset, Renew, Results which starts April 6. You’ll learn the foundation and strategies that promote belly fat loss and overall weight loss. You can find all the details here.

When people want to lose weight, and specifically belly fat, they typically focus primarily on exercise, but this is an incomplete approach.

Your first step will be a focus on nutrition.

With a consistent focus on the right foods, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish. What you eat, when you eat, and how you cook your food all have a huge impact on inflammation, weight loss, and health. Here are a few top strategies for you to implement.

1.Eliminate sugar.

Eliminating added sugar from your diet will have an immediate impact on the scale and how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. People who remove added sugar from their diet are amazed to discover the degree to which their mood and energy were affected by sugar consumption. Eliminating sugar takes some effort, but it is actually simple to do. Start by reading food labels and not buying products with added sugar. This is not to say that you won’t ever eat sugar. There will be celebrations and birthday cakes, which you should enjoy, but these are exceptions and a good lifestyle with the occasional exception won’t ruin your health.

2. Replace sugar with healthy fats.

If you’re still struggling with the notion that eating fat is not healthy, I recommend that you read ‘The Big Fat Surprise’ by Nina Teicholz. This book lays out the scientific research explaining why our bodies are healthiest on a diet with ample amounts of fat. The book will help you understand why saturated fat is not your enemy and why you should include it in your diet. A diet high in good fats and low in carbohydrates helps to fight heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

3. Eliminate synthetic coloring dyes, additives, and flavorings.

Read the label and choose wisely. Instead of focusing on calories, focus on the quality of the nutrients in the foods you choose. The less ingredients on the food label, the better. More than 2,500 chemical substances are added to foods to modify flavor, color, stability, texture, or cost. In the United States, there isn’t a requirement to perform tests to determine the carcinogenic affect for most substances added to food . This applies to hundreds of flavoring agents and additives approved before the 1958 Food Additives Amendment (P.L. 85–929) to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (U.S. Congress, 1958), and additives used at levels considered low by the FDA, except for suspected carcinogens. (2)

Next, you’ll want to address visceral fat through high-intensity interval training (HIIT)

Remember to always consult with your physician before starting any exercise program.

People who interval train have far more fat loss compared with endurance trainers. High-intensity training involves a short burst of all-out effort with periods of lower intensity or rest. You want your heart rate to go above 80% of your personal maximum. I wear a heart rate monitor to make sure I am in the right heart rate zone.

The amount of time spent at a high intensity depends on your fitness and experience. If you’re new to HIIT training start with short periods of intensity. The research suggests you can start with as little as 6 seconds (2), but you do want to increase the duration as you become more fit. A stationary bicycle works well for HIIT training. There are so many other options and the ones I like best are the ones you can do from home, like body weight exercises and stair climbing.

A study by researchers at Liverpool John Moores University tested intervals of 1:1 and 1:3 (high:recover) times and found that intervals of 1:1 resulted in better fitness, while both intervals resulted in the same amount of fat loss. If you’re looking to improve fitness and fat loss, you may want to consider a 1:1 ratio for your intervals, meaning the high and recovery intervals are the same amount of time.

Make sure you warm up for 10 minutes then perform a hard effort of your chosen activity 4 to 6 times. Follow each hard effort with a recovery period. For example, if you enjoy being outside, you could jog /run for a minute followed by one minute of brisk walking. Repeat this 4 to 10 times.

You also want to stay strong with the right ab exercises.

Here are some examples I made for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75hxqI_8jes

Your core is everything from shoulders down to the hips. This includes all the muscles at the front, back, and sides of the torso. A strong core protects your back and allows you to go about your day and not be restricted in what you do.

It’s important to keep changing up your routine to help eliminate boredom and this will also have a greater impact on your results. When you do the same routine over and over again, you’ll notice diminishing results. You may even find your mind wandering and thinking about other things. Instead of just going through the motions keep variety in your routine so that you are more interested and focused which will give you better results.

Variety can be introduced in many ways. You can incorporate different exercises for a specific muscle group instead of doing the same exercises all the time. Or you can add more weight or more repetitions. You can change the type of equipment you’re using like bands, weights, TRX.

I love to use the TRX because no matter what body part I’m focusing on I’m still using my core. You can see in this video the strong involvement of my core even though I’m working on triceps.

A few of my favorites include:
Pushups
Side planks
Tabletop with arm and leg extension
‘Superman’ pose

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5739630/
2. 2.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK216714/

LOSE 10 + POUNDS. LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST BY SUMMER.

Get all the details here

MISTAKE #1
Using Exercise as a Punishment

People use exercise to punish themselves when they’ve overeaten. For example, Sally decides she needs to lose weight and she has promised herself to eat healthy food, avoid all junk food and not eat anything bad until she has lost 10 pounds.

Sally gets up Monday morning with the best of intentions. She decides to skip breakfast. At work, she has a beautiful salad with a little chicken for lunch. After work, she goes to the gym and has a great workout on the treadmill. Dinner is a small plate of vegetables and a little more chicken. She goes to bed feeling very proud of herself.

Sally maintains her routine for several days and she’s losing weight, but then one day at work she walks into the staff room and finds a big platter of homemade chocolate chip cookies. She resists the temptation all day, but at the end of the day she’s starved, she’s tired and she can’t resist the cookies any longer.

Four cookies later, Sally has consumed approximately 600 calories. She’s disgusted with herself and berates herself for her lack of willpower. At the gym, she doubles her usual time on the treadmill and runs 6 miles to make up for the 4 cookies she’s eaten.

Sally is using exercise to punish herself.

In doing so and without realizing it, she has created a negative association with exercise. Exercise should never be used to punish yourself. There is no reason to punish yourself in any way if you deviated from your plan. Get back on track as soon as you can. Analyze what went wrong and what you will do differently the next time.

Remember that the ability to move is a gift. Imagine life without the ability to move. My brother was paralyzed at the age of 23 and I know firsthand what life is like for someone who can’t move at will. I saw the look in his eyes when someone would run or bike by.

The fact that you can get off the couch and go for a walk at will is a GIFT. Be grateful every day that you have the choice. Celebrate the fact that you can move. We were born to move.

Movement is a way to connect with our bodies and the universe. It’s an act of self-care.

Find an activity that you LOVE. If you hate running, why run? Do what you enjoy.
Move because it makes you feel good and is good for you, not because you ate a cookie.

Never exercise after overeating. You deserve better.

Exercise when you feel good and this will help re-establish a positive association with movement.
If you currently don’t have an exercise routine, commit to 5 minutes a day of an activity that you love and slowly build from there.

Exercise because it’s an act of self-love and not a punishment.

Exercising to deal with overeating doesn’t address the issue of over-eating in the first place. You’re putting a bandaid on the issue. Rather, address your plan. Maybe you aren’t eating enough calories, or getting enough fat. Or maybe it’s your thoughts that are causing you to overeat.

MISTAKE #2
Snacking

Ghrelin and leptin are hormones that are important in balancing satiety and appetite. Ghrelin increases appetite and leptin suppresses appetite. Eating less frequently can result in greater satiety/appetite control.

Frequent snacking is not ideal for blood glucose levels.

When you constantly snack, you are constantly spiking blood glucose and insulin. Remember that the goal for weight loss is to keep insulin low and avoid spikes. What can you to do then when you get snack cravings? Before even reaching for food, ask yourself if you’re thirsty. Often thirst signals are interpreted as hunger, so drink a glass of water first and wait to see how you feel.

Thoughts can also make us think we’re hungry. For example, feelings of boredom or restlessness can prompt food cravings. Instead, try meditating or going for a walk.

The desire to snack may be a sign that you’re not eating enough healthy fats in your diet, or that you’re not eating enough at meals. If you do need to snack though, some healthy options include olives, avocado and dark chocolate made of 75% or more cacao powder. Avoid snacking whenever possible, and if you have to snack, nibble on healthy fat.

MISTAKE #3
Eating Instead of Feeling.

How often do you eat because you’re stressed, bored or overwhelmed? We all do at some point.

Processing emotions can feel hard, so instead we use food as a way to escape and not 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍. For some it’s food, but for others it can be alcohol, spending, gambling….

People become preoccupied with food as a distraction because it’s easier than focusing on the real issues – the hard issues.

Emotions come from thoughts in our brain and most of these thoughts are unconscious. That’s why we feel we have no control over them.

Your job is to understand if you want to eat because you’re really hungry or because you have emotions that you’re running from.

First, understand your hunger signals. What happens when you’re really hungry? Does your stomach growl? Do you get a headache? Is it hard to focus and concentrate? A lot of people don’t have an awareness of their physical symptoms, often because they’ve ignored their hunger signals for so long. A great exercise to help you tune in to your hunger signs is to use a journal and document how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally throughout the day. Your goal is to understand when your body needs fuel.

Hunger is a sensation that starts in the body and travels to the brain. A feeling is a vibration that travels from the brain to the body. Feelings are caused by what we think and for the most part, we aren’t even aware of what we’re thinking most of the time. The result is that we don’t feel we’re in control of our life. We feel emotions without understanding why.

If your thought of food is not triggered by physical hunger, then ask yourself what you’re feeling. Be curious and ask yourself why are you feeling that way? What is the thought behind the feeling? Instead of resisting, reacting and avoiding your emotions learn to be ok with them. After all, what’s the worse that can happen?

Once you learn how to identify the thoughts that create the feelings you are running from, you no longer need to use food to buffer.

If you’re interested in diving deeper then join me in my next 6-week program called Reset, Renew, Results. You can learn more HERE.

Fear is tragic. It’s tragic because it stops us from fully living.

I watched my first triathlon in my twenties. I was so excited by the event and the energy of the participants, that I decided I wanted to do one. I went out and spent $400 on my first triathlon bike. Back then that was a fortune.

I spent the next year training for the event which includes 3 sports – swimming, biking and running. Then the following year, I felt unready and afraid to do the full event on my own, so I put together a team. One friend would swim, another bike and I would run. Our swimmer had to bail at last minute, and since we were short a team member, we couldn’t participate.

Time marched on as it always does. I got married, had children, worked, moved to a different country and before I knew it, more than 20 years had passed and I still hadn’t participated in a triathlon.

What stopped me? FEAR – tragic, debilitating fear.

What made me so fearful? My thoughts….
I wasn’t a good swimmer
How would I find my bike in the transition area?
How do I train for 3 different sports?
How do I do well at something that I’ve never done before?
How would I find time given that I had a family, work and a home?
etc. etc. etc.

The ROOT CAUSE OF ANY PROBLEM IS OUR THINKING.

We are programmed to be fearful. Our primitive brain wants to keep us safe and it perceives any change, including new thoughts as potential danger.

This is why when you set a new goal for yourself like weight loss, it can be so hard. It’s not that you are weak, or unmotivated, or lack character. Not at all.

The fearful thoughts I had about participating in the triathlon was the problem. The root cause of feeling fear was my own thoughts. It wasn’t my behavior, but my fearful thoughts that resulted in inaction and 20 years of lost opportunity.

OUR THOUGHTS DIRECTLY CREATE THE EXPERIENCES IN OUR LIVES.

We have over 40,000 thoughts a day and we’re not consciously aware of them all, but they are the reasons for every feeling we have.

Positive results come from positive thoughts.

WHAT RESULT DO YOU WANT TO CREATE IN YOUR LIFE?

I sucked at my first triathlon. I had a panic attack and desperately tried to get the attention of the rescue boat. They never saw me and I was forced to get to shore. I got there doing side stroke… not free style like all the other graceful swimmers.

But I continued to practice and within a few years I was invited to be on an Elite Triathlon Team. I found a sport that I LOVED. It allowed me to travel, train and meet so many wonderful people.

WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO SUCK AT?

You have the choice to believe the thoughts that aren’t serving you, or you can create thoughts that serve you much better.

Challenge these thoughts and tell your primitive brain “thanks for looking after me, but I’ve got this”.

This I know for sure – any goal you wish for yourself is within your reach.

Let me know what that wish is.

Is it losing weight, participating in a race, being an example of health for your children or grandchildren, having more energy, learning a new language, or perhasp reversing type 2 diabetes?

Fear is a natural response to life. Letting it stop you from living your best life though is tragic because there is a way to stop giving it control.

Are you ready to take control? I’m able to help.

Happy to serve .. You can always find me here

Even if you start with just 5 minutes twice a week and slowly build, over time, this will increase your metabolism, help you live longer and have a much better quality of life.

I just turned 62 and there’s a lot of things I wish I did differently when I was younger, but one thing I DON’T regret is the time I’ve dedicated to strength training. It’s not an activity I love, but the benefits are so worth it.

Strength training has helped me avoid surgeries, kept me strong and keeps my weight stable. Most importantly, even though I’m prone to osteoporosis, I’m still in the clear.

The older you get, the more critical strength training becomes, but so many people think that the older they get, the less reason there is for them to start. Whether you’re 5 or 75 you deserve to feel and look your best.

The research demonstrates that it is never too late to increase your resting metabolism and start reversing the effects of aging.

Studies conducted in nursing homes have shown that people in their 80s and 90s gained on average 2.42 pounds of lean muscle in just 8 weeks consisting of 2 strength training sessions a week (1).

This may not sound like much, but it is. These individuals had chronic diseases and limited mobility and in just 8 weeks gained muscle strength and mobility in both upper and lower limbs. (2) (3)

If elderly, compromised individuals can gain that much muscle mass in just 8 weeks, I’m confident you can too.

WHY STRENGTH TRAINING IS SO IMPORTANT

In your thirties, you start to lose muscle and bone mass. After the age of 50, both men and women may lose up to 10 pounds per decade. Less muscle means a slower metabolism.

This means your body needs less calories to carry out the same daily functions as it did when you were younger. Most people don’t eat less as they age and the result is increased weight gain, which is a further health risk. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even while you sleep.

Less muscle and bone mass also puts you at a much higher risk for falls. Studies show that people 70+ are three times as likely to die from low level falls than people under 70. (4)

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED TO SPEND TO GET BENEFITS?

You can gain muscle mass with 2 strength training sessions per week of 20 to 30 minutes, but you can start with 5 and slowly build up.

You’ll need 48 hours for your muscles to recover and it is during the time of recovery that your muscles get stronger. This means it’s better to space out your strength training sessions and not do them on consecutive days.

I am so passionate about the positive effects of strength training and I’ve created a workout to help you..

Not only will this routine address strength, but there’s also a cardio and core component to it. You can choose to incorporate strength, cardio and core or just focus on one priority.

If you are really short on time, then complete just one cycle which is 6 minutes. When you add the warm-up and cool-down, the total time you need is 12 minutes. If you can’t find 12 minutes to exercise then you have much bigger problems. If you do have more time, you can add more cycles, but you don’t need to go beyond 30 minutes to improve muscle strength and get a great calorie burn.

Keep mixing up the exercises for variety. Less boredom equals more commitment.

HOW MUCH WEIGHT SHOULD YOU USE?

Use weights when performing the strength exercises. To gage how much weight to use, figure out approximately your maximum resistance, or the most weight you can lift in one repetition.

Use about 75% of your maximum resistance. For example, if you can do a 20 pound bicep curl once then use 15 pounds of weight for your bicep curls.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3117172/#:~:text=Results,and%20increasing%20their%20firing%20rate.

Start with a 3 minute warm-up, followed by the number of cycles you have time for. Each cycle is 6 minutes. End with a 3 minute cool down.

Remember, the more muscles you use, the more calories you burn so pick full body movements whenever you can. Always think of safety first and choose exercises that are appropriate for your fitness level. I’ve given some examples of exercises, but you can substitute with your favorites.

Each exercise is performed for 30 seconds before you move on to the next exercise. Use a stopwatch and stay true to the time.

This means you are moving constantly. If you start to get tired, tell yourself, “I only have to do this for 30 seconds. I can do anything for 30 seconds.”

Keep up the intensity and you WILL see results.

THE DETAILS:

The only rest you take is the time it takes to set up for the next exercise.

Warm-up – 3 minutes

The idea with any warm-up is to get blood pumping to your muscles to prepare you for the work to come with less chance of injury. Don’t skip this step. If you are short on time, it’s better to take time away from the more intense part of your workout than the warm-up. Choose any activity that will help you warm up, like skipping, jumping jacks, incline walk on treadmill, walking up and down the stairs, marching in place. You can stick to the same activity for the 3 minutes or change it up.

CYCLE ONE

Strength – 3 minutes
Perform 3 strength exercises for 30 seconds each then repeat the circuit. Use weights when you can. If you don’t have weights, use soup cans or any other household product that is safe to use. Choose a level that is appropriate for your level of fitness. For example, a plank can be done from your knees or for an advanced person from your toes. Same with pushups.

exercise 1: 30 seconds forward lunge + bicep curl
exercise 2: 30 seconds push-up
exercise 3: 30 seconds squat with row

Repeat the same 3 exercises again for 30 seconds each, then move right into cardio.

Cardio – 2 minutes
2 exercises performed for 30 seconds each then repeat the circuit. These can either be done at low or high impact.

exercise 1: 30 seconds high knee lifts
exercise 2: 30 seconds jumping jacks

Repeat the same 2 exercises again for 30 seconds each, then move right in to core.

Core – 1 minute
1 exercise performed for 30 seconds, slight pause then again for 30 seconds.

exercise 1: 30 seconds basic plank

If you choose to end here be sure to include a cool-down.

CYCLE TWO

Strength – 3 minutes
Perform 3 strength exercises for 30 seconds each then repeat the circuit.

exercise 1: 30 seconds forward lunge + bicep curl
exercise 2: 30 seconds push-up
exercise 3: 30 seconds squat with row

Cardio – 2 minutes
2 exercises performed for 30 seconds each then repeat the circuit.

exercise 1: 30 seconds mountain climbers
exercise 2: 30 seconds run on the spot

Core – 1 minute
exercise 1: 30 seconds each side side plank

CYCLE THREE

Strength – 3 minutes
Perform 3 strength exercises for 30 seconds each then repeat the circuit.

exercise 1: 30 seconds step-ups (use stairs, a bench)
exercise 2: 30 seconds bowler lunge
exercice 3: 30 seconds squat jumps

Cardio – 2 minutes
2 exercises performed for 30 seconds each then repeat the circuit.

exercise 1: 30 seconds invisible jump rope
exercise 2: 30 seconds burpees

Core – 1 minute
1 exercise performed for 30 seconds, slight pause then again for 30 seconds.

exercise 1: 30 seconds glute bridge march

CYCLE FOUR

Strength – 3 minutes
Perform 3 strength exercises for 30 seconds each then repeat the circuit.

exercise 1: 30 seconds deadlift
exercise 2: 30 seconds bowler lunge
exercise 3: 30 seconds plyometric squat

Cardio – 2 minutes
2 exercises performed for 30 seconds each then repeat the circuit.

exercise 1: 30 seconds stairs (run or walk)
exercise 2: 30 seconds lateral shuffle

Core – 1 minute
1 exercise performed for 30 seconds, slight pause then again for 30 seconds.

exercise 1: 30 seconds superman pose

Cool-down – 3 minutes

With a cool-down, you want to gradually lower your heart rate. Don’t use static stretching. You want to be sure you are moving your body. Examples include walking and yoga sequences.

Remember that exercise isn’t always comfortable but you need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable to get the results you want.

Here’s another option for a full body strength workout:

We can’t get faster as we age, but we can certainly get stronger.

What you eat and how you combine foods have a huge impact on how you will feel throughout the day. It will also determine how hungry you’ll feel the rest of the day.

By focusing on your first meal of the day, you can control sugar cravings, mid afternoon slumps, and weight gain.

You’ll notice that when you eat in a way that balances your blood glucose you’ll have much more energy, focus, clarity and less brain fog. You’ll also experience fewer physical issues, like gastrointestinal problems.

In North America we are accustomed to starting our day with refined carbohydrates like cereals, toast with jam, or maybe even a donut with coffee. This is NOT how you want to start your day. Refined carbohydrates create a glucose and insulin spike and the rest of your day will be a downward spiral.
Control your glucose and you will control your day.

If you’re someone who can’t imagine starting your day without a refined carb like bread, here’s a hack. Combine fiber, protein and fat with a processed carb and this will help balance your blood glucose. You’ll have more energy and feel better throughout the day In the photo above, egg provides protein, pea shoots provide fiber and avocado provides healthy fat.

If you’re someone who is never hungry in the morning then by all means don’t eat till lunch. Remember though to stay hydrated with plenty of water. Also, remember with a shorter eating window that you have to really focus on food quality to make sure you’re consuming the nutrients and minerals you need to stay healthy.

WHAT NOT TO EAT AT BREAKFAST:

breakfast cereals, granola, pastries, toast, juice, dried fruit, energy drinks

EAT THIS INSTEAD:

eggs
healthy fats like nut butters, avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, C8 MCT oil, sesame oil, grass fed butter,
vegetables
protein: full fat dairy like plain yogurt, meat, wild caught fish
full fat and not fat free products.
when you’re in a rush, try a full fat yogurt with berries or a glucose friendly smoothie (see below)
oatmeal (steel cut oats)

When you just can’t imagine starting your day without refined carbohydrates,
here are 4 hacks to help balance your blood glucose and not create a huge spike:

1️. Eat vegetables, fat, protein before a carbohydrate like bread or cereal. Food order has a significant impact on glucose and insulin levels.. You can apply this principal at any meal. For example, when you eat processed carbs after eating a salad at dinner, you will have a lower glucose response.
https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/38/7/e98?sid=ea6d4bd4-98f6-4347-9238-15e2a4c019db

2️. When eating a fruit, spread a nut butter on it. There are so many different ones to try like almond, pecan, cashew, peanut. Always buy organic and make sure there are no other ingredients added.

3. If you enjoy a smoothie in the morning, it’s best to add fat (avocado, nut butter, coconut oil. C8 MCT oil, greek yogurt) and protein along with just enough fruit to taste.

4️. Another hack is to have a glass of water before eating a processed carbohydrate with 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of vinegar (some vinegars are more tasty than others. I prefer apple vinegar). Drink it with a straw to protect your teeth before having your toast and jam. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28292654/⠀⠀

GIVE ANY ONE OF THE ABOVE HACKS A TRY AND THEN LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH BETTER YOU FEEL !

P.S. My current weight loss group is wrapping up next week and their results have been phenomenal! The next group will run in April. More details here.

If you’re concerned about your weight, healthy aging and overall health, counting calories is not the best strategy for you to focus on.

Yes, consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain, but research is showing that what comprises those calories is even more important. Those components of the food you eat every day that contribute to weight gain and disease need to be identified and minimized.

Counting calories used to be popular because we didn’t understand that not all calories were equal. Counting calories doesn’t take into account the impact the particular type of calorie has on your blood glucose. Controlling blood glucose is far more important for weight loss, overall health and aging than simply just counting calories.

Investing your time and energy counting calories will NOT give you a good return on your investment, meaning it won’t do much to move you toward what you are seeking; weight loss and improved health.

A calorie is not just a calorie.

It’s much more important for you to understand how the food you’re eating affects your blood glucose. You want to eat in a way that flattens your blood glucose curve. In other words, you want to avoid blood glucose spikes. Avoiding flour and sugar will help tremendously in avoiding glucose spikes.

The healthiest thing for your organs, your brain, and your heart is to keep your blood glucose as stable as possible.

Why is lowering blood glucose so important:

Immediate benefits:
reduced cravings
increased energy
steadier mood
more restful sleep
less brain fog
clearer skin
less weight gain
stronger immune system
re-balanced hormones
healthier gut
Long-term benefits:
prevent insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
prevent heart disease
reduce Alzheimer’s risk
reduce cancer risk

These results are impressive and you will experience many of these benefits when you focus on eating foods that keep your blood glucose balanced.

For example, eating a cookie that has 100 calories will create a very different glucose response in your body than eating an apple that has 100 calories. When you eat food that results in elevating your blood glucose, like a cookie, your body releases insulin. The role of this hormone is to help take glucose out of the blood and into your muscles, fat and liver.

The problem is that, when insulin is around, it prevents your body from using up old energy stores (i.e. it can’t burn fat). If you want to lose weight, it’s in your best interest to avoid glucose spikes so that your body can burn fat.

Another important consideration for you is to understand the nutritional contribution of the food you are eating.

I strongly urge you to stop counting calories and instead focus on the nutritional value of the foods you’re putting into your bodies. Focus on eating a wide assortment of colorful vegetables, root vegetables, green vegetables, peas, beans, mushrooms, onions, nuts, seeds, and some intact whole grains.

Eating a cheeseburger and regular sized fries from Five Guys will put you at 1,790 calories for the day. That’s probably the limit (or past the limit!) for most of us. So you eat your cheeseburger + fries then feel guilty , so you “make up for it” by not eating the rest of that day, or by trying to eat super healthy the following day. Problem solved, right? Think again! We need to do more work than simply counting the number of calories we are eating and drinking each day. We need to take into account the TYPE of calories we ingest.

How much nutritional value do you really think a cheeseburger and fries has? Let’s look a little closer at those fries, shall we? One serving of regular fries contains a whopping 41g of fat, 962mg of sodium, 131g of carbs, 15g of fiber, and 15g of protein. According to the FDA, the recommended daily fat intake (based on a 2,000 calorie diet, which means many of us need to adjust) is 65g. Meaning one serving of French fries uses 63% of our allotted fat intake (again, 63% of a 2000 calorie limit). Add that cheeseburger that you’re very likely getting with those fries and that puts you at 74g, or 114% recommended fat intake. Just because we remained within our caloric intake limit does NOT mean we have not gone way over in those sub categories of nutrition.

Fat is an important macronutrient, but the fat you’ll find in fast food and processed food is not considered healthy fat and is linked with heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, and weight gain. Instead of counting fat calories, it’s important to focus on replacing bad fats with good fats. Some good sources of healthy fats include: avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, olive oil, sesame oil. You’ll find unhealthy fats in take out food, packaged foods, vegetable shortening, fried foods, commercially baked pastries, donuts,

If you’re someone who counts calories as a strategy to lose weight, try these strategies instead:

• Simply cut out drink calories in soda, juices and alcohol. Drink water instead. This alone will significantly reduce junk calories.
• Try intermittent fasting. Once you finish dinner don’t eat till approximately 11 am -noon the next day. There’s a lot more to learn about intermittent fasting in order for it to be effective. If you want to learn more about intermittent fasting for health and weight loss join the next round of Reset Renew Results.
• Cut out fast food and limit restaurant food.
• Use doTERRA’s Slim and Sassy metabolic blend which is designed to help balance blood glucose, boost metabolism and manage hunger cravings. Put one to three drops in your water bottle and sip throughout the day.
• You can also get it in capsule form here.
• The easiest and best tip I can give you to counter-balance foods that contribute to a high glucose response is to have enough fat, fiber, or protein with that food. Learn how to eat during the day to manage blood glucose in my next 6 weeks weight loss group.
• Here’s a recipe to help curb a glucose spike. Apple cider vinegar, or any vinegar, helps curb our glucose spikes. It’s pretty amazing. Recipe: 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of vinegar (any kind, but apple is more tasty), in a tall glass of water. Drink it with a straw (to protect your teeth) before you eat a sweet snack. You can read more about the impact of vinegar on blood glucose here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28292654/

Learning how to keep your blood glucose in normal ranges is critical for weight loss, to improve health markers and promote healthy aging. It’s the healthiest thing you can do for your organs, your brain and your heart.

Another word for motivation is perseverance. The more you practice it, the better you get at sticking with something even when it gets uncomfortable and life gets unpredictable.

Do you create goals for yourself? If you don’t, you’re not alone.

Why People Don’t Create Goals

There is a natural tendency to avoid setting goals. As humans we FEAR failure so much that we don’t go after what we most want in life. Yet as humans we are programmed to change and grow. This can leave us stuck in limbo, wanting change yet fearing it at the same time.

Research suggests that less than 3% of people write their goals down even though it is through goal setting that people stop re-creating the past and move toward a more fulfilled future.

If you’re tired of re-creating the past and have dreams that you would love to turn into reality, then effective goal setting is your golden ticket.

If you knew you could not fail, what would you dream for yourself?

Imagine if you could believe in yourself enough to know that you could achieve your goal, whatever it is (lose 30 pounds for good, or have a loving relationship, get off medication, or own a second home in your paradise) would you go for it?

It’s exhausting when we spend our life fighting our natural tendency to improve because we fear what that change may bring.

Imagine what you could accomplish if you had enough belief in yourself to move forward despite your fear?

Goal setting helps you create belief in yourself and momentum in your life.

The Power of Goals

Goals are powerful because they provide direction and supervision for your brain. If you don’t give your brain directives it will continue to filter information based on your past and not on where you want to go. The brain likes to maintain the status quo. It’s job is to keep you safe and it interprets change as danger.

Helping people create and implement goal plans is an important part of my coaching. Time and time again I’ve witnessed the power of goal setting in helping people make changes that they never believed could be possible.

HERE’S MY PROCESS

Step 1 – Think Long-term

Look into the far future and ask yourself where you would like to be at that point in your life. Your vision can focus on relationships, health, finances, activities, hobbies – in other words everything and anything you want.

It’s easier for people to think far in the future. A longer time frame feels less threatening because the commitment is not in the immediate future. Go ahead and dream about where you want to be, say 25 or 10 or 5 years from now.

Step 2 – Start With One Goal

You may have a list of goals you would like to achieve, which is great. But the best advice I can give you is to pick one goal to start. Research shows that your success rate is much lower with too many goals at once.

Step 3: Make It Measurable

Examples:
How much weight do you want to lose and by when?
What size of clothes will you be wearing?
How much money will you make? By when?
Where will you live? When?

Step 4: Write it down

Use a cue card, or anything else you fancy.
Write it in the present, as if it already exists.

This next step is critical. I’m sharing a strategy with you that I call the secret sauce. Very few people know about this and it is a game changer.

Step 5: Jot down all the reasons why it will be hard

Brainstorm what you think your obstacles will be.
What skill set are you missing? What do you need to learn to reach that goal?
Get it all down on paper and don’t omit any idea that comes to your mind.
Keep working through your reasons and eventually you’ll get to the deep stuff, like:
people will laugh at me if I fail
people will judge me
I’m going to have so much anxiety
I’m too busy to take on more
I may lose my friends if I change
WHAT STANDS between you and your goal are your obstacles. People tell you to ignore your obstacles but that is the WRONG advice. Overcome your obstacles.

The purpose of this exercise is to show you that it is your thoughts about the goal and not the actual goal that are limiting you.

Each obstacle then becomes a strategy in your plan.

For example:
If one of your obstacles is that you are too busy, then a possible sub goal may be how to organize your life to create more time. Or, another possibility may be what can you remove from your life to create more time?
If one of your obstacles for weight loss is that you don’t know what to eat, then a possible sub-goal becomes how to create a food protocol that works for you.
Next, you want to prioritize all your sub-goals and focus on one sub-goal at a time.

STEP 6: Get It Done

This is a process that helps you break the long range goal down from 25 years to the current week and day.

The little things you do everyday will bring you to the big goal.

You do it at your pace. If you need to, then extend the time frame of your goal, rather than changing your goal.

STEP 7: Accountability

Quitting doesn’t get you there faster. Quitting is temporary relief. Instead, think of the lasting, permanent relief you will feel when you accomplish your goal.

Accountability is super powerful. Get an accountability partner, like a friend or spouse. It doesn’t matter who, as long as that person is truly rooting for your success.

Do you need an accountability partner? Contact me! I’m happy to root for you.

I have a simple, short and effective strength training routine for you this week.

The crazier life gets, as it has been with this pandemic and the political unrest, the more I lean on what helps me feel grounded, like walking, running, hiking, and strength training.

How about you? What helps you feel normal even when life around you is not?

My husband and I drove to Florida for the month of January. Since we are both working from home due to the pandemic, we thought a change in scenery would be nice. We landed right on the beach. It’s much colder than normal but check out the beach. There’s no one on it which means we can walk / run without worries.

And check out my workout area – the balcony! In this newsletter, I want to show you some exercises you can do without much space or equipment.

20 Minute Strength Training Routine

1.Squats – 15 reps here’s a video showing proper technique.
2.Push Ups – 15 reps technique video for beginner to advanced
3.Core – 10 reps each side technique video

Repeat this sequence 2 to 3 times.

4. Lunges – 10 to 15 repetitions each side. technique video
5. Tricep Dips – 15 repetitions use a chair. technique video
6. Side planks – 10-15 repetitions each side. technique video

Repeat this sequence 2 to 3 times.

If you’re frustrated with not being able to lose weight, then join us for this program. Learn how to change your physiology, balance your hormones and become better fat adapted. What you did when you were younger will NOT work now, but it doesn’t mean you CAN’T change it and I’ll show you HOW.

What I teach is what I implement in my own life.

I don’t struggle with weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc because I walk my talk. The larger implication of what I teach is that these principles improve all areas of health and encourage healthy aging.

I see it happen time and time again. People wait till there’s a health crisis before investing time and money into their health. Don’t let this be you.

But you have to want it for yourself. Ask yourself why aren’t your making your health a priority? Whatever your thought, it’s probably is an excuse. It’s your brain’s way to protect you from potential failure.

People DON’T take action because they FEAR failure and your brain will come up with every excuse in the book to keep you safe. But what if you knew you wouldn’t fail?

You deserve to feel your best and live your fullest life.

Join me and we’ll make it happen. This is the most cost effective way to work with me and during this lonely time you’ll meet some great new friends who will support and cheer you on. There’s nothing like a community to encourage you.

We will believe in you until you believe in yourself.

Yes, I want this for myself!

Create Goals For Your Life

Most people don’t create goals for their life, which is interesting given that we typically plan for most of the endeavors we take on. We don’t go on a road trip without planning the route, deciding where to stay and what to pack. We recently finished renovating our bathroom which required major planning from beginning to end. I don’t believe anyone would start a major renovation without having a plan.

Write your goals down daily

Despite the power of goal setting only 3% of the population set goals for themselves and only 1% write their goals down. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University of California, found that a person is 42% more likely to achieve their goals and dreams simply by writing them down on a daily basis.

I know how much we are all looking forward to saying goodbye to 2020 and welcoming in a new year and new possibilities. Before this year ends though, I would like to tell you about my goal setting ritual and I invite you to join me in doing the same. It’s a process to help you set smart goals and get the most from the new year. Not only will you learn a lot about yourself, but following these 3 simple steps will help you create long-term goals that won’t have you giving up when the going gets tough.

I started consistently strength training in my early 30’s and I’m happy I did. Over the years, I’ve found that the secret to staying consistent is to keep it simple. Strength train 2 times a week. Complete one exercise for each major body part. Start with a 5 to 10 minute warm-up and finish with a 5 minute cool-down.

45 minutes total is all you need, including your warm-up and cool-down. Click here and here for a couple of full body workout videos with instruction. As I age, my focus has changed. If you’re trying to figure out how YOU can stay lean and strong, and maintain your fitness as you age I would love to help you. Contact me HERE and together we’ll reach your fitness goals!

2. WATER

Drink at least 2 liters of water a day. I tacked this habit 20 years ago and it took me 6 months before I was able to consistently drink 2 liters a day. It may take you time as well, but it doesn’t matter. A year from now you’ll be happy you started.

3. EAT REAL FOOD

Eliminate the white stuff- sugar and wheat. Focus on foods with ingredients from the earth (without man made chemicals / ingredients) 80% of the time. This means that 20% of the time you can have foods that aren’t so healthy. The all or nothing way of thinking doesn’t work. It’s ok to enjoy unhealthy foods occasionally, as long as most of the time you focus on eating lots of vegetables, fruits and lean protein.

4. AEROBIC ACTIVITY

Participate in aerobic activities that you love – be in nature, outside, dance, hike, ski. Think of movement activities that brought you joy as a child. These are the activities that will keep you moving.

5. LIMIT TOXINS GOING IN YOUR BODY AND INTO YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Toxins are everywhere – in the foods we eat, in our skin care, and home cleaning products. Eat organic whenever possible. I use natural products for my skin and our home. I don’t use over the counter products, like anti-inflammatories, digestive aids or cough suppressants. Instead, I use plant based products (like turmeric) and allow nature’s power to help heal my body.

6. FOAM ROLLING

Foam rolling has added years to my endurance training. My knees used to hurt so much from osteo- arthritis and I resorted to knee injections to help with the pain. Now that I foam roll, I am able to run and bike pain free and no longer need to get injections. I can’t say enough about the benefits of foam rolling. I suggest you foam roll everyday, either first thing in the morning, before bed, before exercise or after exercise.

If you’re new to foam rolling, here’s a video I created to help you get started.

I would love to hear from you! Please share with us the habits that have made you healthier and happier.

A 14 year study showed that people who get 2.5 hours (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week (for adults ages 18 to 65) lowered their risk of death by 31%. Those who exercised, but less than the recommendation, lowered their risk of premature death by 20%. Those who did not exercise at all had the highest risk of premature death.

The Bottom Line – any amount of physical activity is better than none!

Your Action Plan

1. First, figure out how much movement you are getting daily. Use a Fitbit, a watch, a log book, or any tool that will give you this information. Monitor and log your movement for a week. You need to understand where you are now in order to know where you need to be.

2. Now that you know where you are, choose some kind of movement that you enjoy. If you’re the type of person who needs variety, be sure to have a few options to choose from. What activities are on your list?

3. Commit to getting 10% more movement every week. For example, if your tracking shows that you are getting a total of 50 minutes a week, then your goal for the following week would be 55 minutes.

4. Continue tracking and increasing your weekly movement by 10% for a total of 4 weeks.

5. The amount of time you spend exercising doesn’t have to be all in one session. You can do 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there until it adds up to your goal time.

6. Recognize and celebrate your accomplishments every week.

7. Share your goal with a friend or loved one to stay committed or even better, have them participate with you.

Do you work and already have a lot to juggle? It’s hard enough to figure out how to fit everything into your day, yet alone find time for physical activity.

Here’s a short video that Jeannine Brown Miller, JBM HR Consulting Inc. and I put together with some simple suggestions on how to fit in more exercise during your work day.

I would love to be your virtual partner.

Let me know that you’re committing to more physical activity in the next 30 days and I will be your best cheerleader! Together we CAN do this!

SCIENCE SUPPORTS THAT THE SECRET TO HEALTH IS ALL IN YOUR MIND!

I bet when you think of areas that most affect your health, these are 4 areas you’ve been told to focus on: 1- Sleep 2- Exercise 3- Nutrition 4- Avoiding toxins

We’ve all heard that these are pillars of overall health, but they actually aren’t what have the MOST impact on health.

Do you know what does? The most important way to improve health is to minimize negative messages and maximize positive messages to your brain. Positive self-talk has the most impact on your health.

But the reality is that it is incredibly hard to control our thoughts since so many of them are unconscious and automatic. Most of the time we aren’t even aware of the messages we are sending to our brain. For example, you can really do a lot of harm with messages like ”I’m such a loser”, “I stink at this”, “I’m a fraud”.

A really common theme is using movement as a form of punishment for eating too much. In actual fact movement is a celebration of what your body can do.

There are many similar examples. Maybe you were the last one to be picked for sport teams and now you avoid physical activity because you learned to associate it with isolation or humiliation (did that bring you back to high school gym class?). It’s not easy, but start to pay attention to your internal language. Once you take the time to understand the messages you send yourself around food and exercise, you will then be able to develop harmony and balance between body and mind.

When I was younger, I really focused on exercise and nutrition. Then, when I was introduced to doTERRA, I realized the importance of eliminating environmental toxins from my life.

I continue to focus on these foundational pillars of health, but with age comes wisdom and I now realize that what most influences our health are the messages we tell ourselves.

This is how science says it works:

1. Based on how we interpret what’s happening around us, the brain and central nervous system respond by sending our cells a constant stream of messages that directly impact our physical state.
2. Positive messages draw healthy responses from our bodies.
3. This results in the form of stronger immune systems and healthier sleep patterns, among many other benefits that can last a lifetime.

How we speak to our bodies plays a vital role in our health and well-being.

I was brought up to really focus on productivity. This was so ingrained that over the years it felt natural for me to sacrifice my health in the name of productivity. Sound familiar?

What messages did you hear growing up? Were meal times happy? Did your family participate in sports together? Was your Mom always stepping on the bathroom scale? Most of these messages are subconscious and we don’t even realize how much they control our mindset and life.

Bodies naturally tend to attain equilibrium, and we can enhance our physical state simply by listening to the clues our bodies give us. Incorporate exercise and foods that bring you long term joy and energy.

We become what we believe, and remaining positive sends our bodies loving messages that are crucial to maintaining good health.

My challenge to you for the next few days is to really focus on your internal dialogue. What messages do you hear? Are they supporting your well – being? Would you share these messages with someone you love? If not, it’s time to start re-programming them with kinder, more nurturing language. I would love to know what you learned from the challenge. Be sure to share your feedback in the comments below.