Why a Wellness Coach

It’s either this question or “what is a wellness coach?” that I’m frequently asked. Most don’t really know what wellness coaching is all about because it is the newest addition to the Health & Lifestyle Industry. Although the concept of wellness coaching is new, it has dramatically helped individuals with achieving lifelong health goals vs meeting short term goals in lifestyle change. Many people re-lapse when attempting to make a transition to healthier living and it’s uncertain why if they are given the tools. It is this very reason that the wellness area of expertise came about. My post below will go over a few reasons why Wellness Coaching may be a better option for you or anyone if you are looking to live a healthier lifestyle.

Wellness Coaching,Fitness Trainer, Nutritionist… What’s the diff?
Fitness Training and Nutritional planning have helped a vast number of people looking to lose weight by instructing what exactly needs to be done. For some of you it is under specific instruction that you gain better results and perform however everyone is different. The goal behind wellness coaching is not to instruct you what to do but rather help you actualize why you should do these things and what will happen if you don’t. It also helps define if the answers to both are important enough to YOU. This helps asses the level of commitment and readiness before even stepping into the arena of diet change and fitness planning. Why? A great number of you usually lose motivation after awhile. Half the time it’s because you haven’t established the core reasons why you wanted to do this in the first place…. FAILLLLLL. There is usually a deeper reason why you lose motivation and once that motivation is lost you certainly will not be visiting neither the Fitness Trainer nor the Nutritionist. FAILLLL AGAIN! Getting to the core of why, what, when, where and how then vocalizing and expanding on it is key to harvest the motivation to stay on track. You can be given the tools and told what to do but if the foundation is not set in place by solidifying the answers to these questions than being told what to do is pointless once you are out of your Nutritionist’s or Personal Trainer’s site. We encourage and assist in assessing what detrimental behavioral trends contribute to the lack of achieving these goals for LIFE. There is a great deal of knowledge acquisition in the process as well. This sets you up to be able to continue your healthy living goals without having to be told what to do all the time. Great Success!

Customization
During sessions with a Wellness Coach there is much discussion about YOUR lifestyle, YOUR behaviors and YOUR actual day to day. We cannot stress enough that everyone is different, therefore everyone should be following a different program. Some of you are always on the go, some have a little more downtime to cater to a different diet, some of you don’t like certain workout plans therefore you probably won’t do them on your own. Wellness Coaches customize wellness programs with realistic expectations in mind. Why? Because realistic goal planning that caters to you is more likely to become actualized. I have seen greater results by consulting clients on healthier alternatives regarding fitness, nutrition and spiritual well being based around what they actually enjoy doing and eating. This type of planning programs the brain to associate healthier living with “I want to” as opposed to “I have to”.

Mind Body & Spirit
A Wellness Coach takes into consideration that all three : mind body and spirit are in balance. This is the only way you can experience overall wellness and more importantly the only way you can experience overall happiness. It is important that you not only look great but feel great as well. Wellness Coaches go as far as assessing stress, Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, work and sleep levels in addition to any conflicts you may be going through. So aside from the nutritional and fitness planning provided through wellness coaching we really hone in on whether you’re okay or not on the internal front. Your wellness coach doesn’t just hand you a list of instructions to follow but rather works with you to accomplish your defined wellness goals.

You Won’t Need Us For Long
The length of your Wellness Coaching program depends solely on you. I’ve had clients whom after 4 visits no longer needed me! Readiness levels vary in addition to commitment levels. These are the determining factors yourself and your coach will consider when deciding whether “it’s time to let go”. The good thing is you will work closely with your wellness coach on this plan because the intention of a wellness program is for it to evolve into a permanent change for healthier living. These programs can extend anywhere between 1-4 months.

These are just some not all of the reasons why Wellness Coaching is an alternative to consider. If you have any further questions or are interested in exploring this option please contact me!

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ROTW: Creamsicle Delight Drink

As a kid I was obsessed with the deliciousness of orange creamsicles. Unfortunately as I grew older I began to realize how horribly unhealthy this yummy delight was. I tried this recipe and oh my goodness it satisfied the craving of my favorite child hood treat!
First step you must Juice:
3 carrots, 2 oranges and 1 small beet with the stem

Step 2 add 1/4 cup of original (60 calorie) almond milk to the cup of juice.

Don’t be fooled by the redish color 🙂 and for a smoothie version just blend step two with 3 ice cubes.

How You Can Stay Motivated to Lose Weight

They say that the hardest part about losing weight is to make eating clean and working out a habit. Perhaps that’s true but staying motivated to lose weight is very challenging for many of you. After meeting with so many wonderful people and assisting them in expanding their knowledge about healthy living I’ve come across the same question: How can you stay motivated to lose weight? I’m not going to write about how it’s easy to stay motivated to lose weight but there are some perspectives and choices to consider that may help.

A Lapse doesn’t have to be a Re-Lapse
We can agree that when you get started on any weight loss plan the motivation is in full force. Then after some time you may cheat or tend to fall off your plan. You had a slice of pizza and you didn’t work out when you were supposed to. It happens! Its ok and no offense but get over it! No need to self-destruct because of it and turn that small lapse into a complete relapse of continuous detrimental behaviors and poor choices. In fact you may need to cheat here and there (not often) to continue having a good relationship with food and fitness. One way my clients avoid this is through continuous journaling and planning ahead. Creating self awareness through journaling and planning meals and workouts ahead are two forms of how you can stay motivated to lose weight. Engaging in the two organizes your schedule and mind to accommodate your healthy lifestyle. So if you lapse and have that banana split its fine just don’t do it often, enjoy in good portions and make a better choice next time!

Form a Healthy Relationship with Healthy Living
If you dread your workout and hate what you are eating how can you stay motivated to lose weight? You can’t so change both if you have to. If a salad just doesn’t cut it then eat something else! And if the reason you didn’t work out today is because you are dreading that one hour of gut wrenching sweat and pain then do a different workout! Some may disagree but in my opinion the only way you will continue doing both is if you associate the two as something you enjoy doing not something you dread. I’d rather you ate clean and did some form of physical activity versus none at all. Also some of you just don’t have enough knowledge: “I don’t know what to eat” or “I’m not sure what I’m doing at the gym”. A sure way to stay motivated to lose weight is to engage in on-going learning. Thank goodness social media allows this to be super duper easy. If you spend lots of time on Instagram, Facebook blogs or YouTube begin following people, groups, videos or posts that encompass healthy living. If you enjoy reading a book or listening to audio CDs then do so! This is where you will find out about recipes, tips and fitness ideas you may have never heard of or thought to try. Knowledge is power so surround yourself with on-going learning. That is a sure answer for how you can stay motivated to lose weight.

Remember Your Reasons
What were your reasons for starting this change in lifestyle? Was it your kids? Energy levels? Health? Those and more are all valid reasons to stay motivated to lose weight. Ask yourself what will happen if you don’t stick to your plan? What will become of all those reasons you stated? Where will you be five, ten, fifteen years from now if you don’t stay motivated to continue making healthier choices? Assess the real reasons you want to do this and why they are important to you. Eating clean and engaging in physical activity are the cheapest and easiest forms of practicing preventative health. Do you really want to be up in your neck in medical bills when retirement funding and health coverage costs aren’t exactly on our side? I don’t think so. Aren’t you tired of feeling ill and out of breath even for the slightest activity? That’s not fun! Hone in on what your reasons are and it will contribute a great deal to how you can stay motivated to lose weight.

Get Cha’ Mind Right
I’ll leave you all with this. Our mind plays a big role in not only helping us feel motivated but to sustain this feeling of empowerment. It all begins with a choice and your mind will be on board if you program it so. Your mind will never be your enemy. You can compare it to that friend (we all have one of these) that co-signs everything you do as long as you explain why it’s “ok” to do it… even if it’s wrong!! If you tell yourself “it’s okay to rob this bank. I have a family to feed” then your mind will be an agreeing friend rather than your foe. Program your mind to aid you in a healthy way. It’s very easy to get into the habit of making constant excuses for your detrimental behaviors but you can always make another choice. Make another choice and your mind will follow along. Both your mind and body it will appreciate the healthier choice and initiative you’ve taken on.

I hope this post has shed some light on how you can stay motivated to lose weight. Contact me if you need any further assistance on how you can stay motivated to lose weight.

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Rotw: Tofu w/ Mushrooms : Brown Sauce

Recipe of the week: Tofu w/ Mushrooms in brown sauce

This is one of my all time favorite recipes!! Serves 3-4 people, is kid friendly and warms the soul 🙂 This is also a great recipe for all my “tofu starters”. Enjoy!

Need:
1 pack of firm Tofu chop in cubes
1 cup of Low sodium beef stock
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp Ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
Pack of sliced mushrooms
1/4 tbsp Aji Amarillo ( peruvian yellow spice)
1/4 tbsp black pepper
1/4 cup of White wine
Himalayan salt to taste

Directions:

In pan: high fire for bmedium fire for smaller PREHEAT
Let 1 bar of unsalted butter melt.
Once melted add mushrooms, Chopped Garlic, Ground cumin, Paprika, Chili powder, black pepper and aji Amarillo.
Let cook- 2 minutes
Add tofu chopped, cup of beef stock, 1/4 cup of white wine and himalayan salt to taste.
Let cook for 10 minutes.

Serve over brown rice or quinoa and enjoy!

Eating Clean 101

Being told “just eat clean” is all the craze nowadays. We are pulled in a thousand different directions without a clear definition of what “eating clean” really means. The good news is that most of us are eagerly and desperately trying to accomplish that but how can it be done if you are not exactly sure what it means? I’ve noticed with most clients that there is some confusion between eating dietary foods that may assist in weight-loss versus incorporating eating clean into their every-day diet. I’d like to provide you with a brief post with my take on what it means.

Pick up any 100 calorie products lately? If you have, then you are considering that since you are staying within your daily caloric intake you are eating healthy right? Wrong! I say this to my clients all the time: I would rather you ate a snack or meal that may be higher in calories but has all natural and clean ingredients. For example: I would rather any of you ate a 200 calorie granola bar that is made of non-processed ingredients, such as unsalted almonds, raisins, brown sugar, whole oats and grains versus a 100 calorie granola bar that has preservatives , artificial flavoring/sugar and ingredients I can’t even pronounce! Why you ask? Because your body knows what to do with REAL food versus dietary low caloric food. Your body will digest the two differently. Dietary foods may be low in calories but they don’t hold much nutritional value because it is not eating clean. It only contributes to losing weight and half the time consists of preservatives, substances and additives that are genetically modified or made up, and artificial ingredients. This holds the most truth for my artificial sweetener lovers! What’s better good ol’ Sweet N Low or Brown Sugar? Brown sugar may be higher in calories but at least your body will know what to do with it and how to digest it because it is an all natural and non-processed ingredient. Artificial/Dietary sugars contain substances such as saccharin and aspartame that our bodies aren’t too sure what to do with. This post would not be brief if I went into all the long-term detrimental effects these 2 ingredients have on our vital organs. Our bodies are the physical vehicles that carry our vital energy and spirit so let’s do it a solid and stay away from such substances because that is not the fuel it asks of us.

When in doubt ask yourself these simple questions to begin your familiarity with eating clean:

1. What is the makeup of what I am about to eat?
a. What’s in it?
b. Are there any chemicals/substances detrimental to my health found in this item?
2.Is there anything artificial in this product?
a.Flavoring
b.Sugar?
c.Color?
3.What is the sodium and refined sugar content?
a.Too much sodium or refined sugar is unnecessary, unhealthy and will keep you retaining water.
4.How much did this product go through from when it grew, was picked and made into what it is now? (Processing and Refining)
a.The more processing the more the product becomes unreal aka not clean.
5.Lastly what will this do for my body? What is the nutritional value?

Again let’s remember eating clean and dieting are two different things! Eating clean is a lifestyle choice where you ingest foods that are whole, non-processed and high in nutritional value. Eating clean provides your body with the proper nutrition, works as preventative medicine to avoid illnesses of any form and assists in weight loss. I want to leave you with this last thought: how good can dietary UNREAL food make you feel at the end of the day? Eating clean whole foods contribute to your overall wellness and this includes your emotional well being. So if you are eating dietary foods but feel miserable this may be the culprit. Let’s reconsider why it is essential to eat clean versus being on a diet.

Recipe of the Week: Ezekial French Toast

For my French toast lovers. Here is another inspired clean delightful alternative to your regular French toast recipe !

Need:

4 slices of Ezekial cinnamon raisin bread
1/4 cup of organic fat free milk
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
4 egg whites
Cinnamon
Organic maple syrup
1 banana

1. Mix 4 egg whites, vanilla and milk in a bowl. Dip both sides of the slices of bread and fry on pan. Sprinkle cinnamon on side that is not cooking. Allow 2-3 minutes per side

2. Drizzle with maple syrup and slice banana. Use 1/2 banana for each 2 slices .

Recipe of the Week: DIY Mango Sherbert

What’s more refreshing that some ice cold sherbert made by YOU. I found this easy and deelish recipe on IG wish I could take the credit! It’s great for yourself and the kiddos. None of the unhealthy additives and artificial flavoring or artificial sugars found in the frozen sections!! Blend and enjoy on a nice hit summer day

2 cups of frozen mango
1 squeezed lemon
2 tbsp of maple syrup

Throw ingredients in and blend in a food processor for about 5 minutes. I used my ninja. May need more lemon just eyeball it.