Challenger Spotlight: Tina Kociolek (#3 in Series)

Hello!  Welcome to my blog!  My name is Jeanette Paradis and I am a Diamond Coach with Team Beachbody.  A key part of what I do involves running "Challenge Groups" which are secret FB groups where individuals come together to work on our fitness and nutrition.  Today I would like to feature one of my challengers who first contacted me last spring about making some changes with her own health.  I met Tina Kociolek years ago.  She and I share a history of being MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) moms at First Alliance Church.  Tina's time there was just before mine.  As I was entering the group with my firstborn, Tina was just getting ready to "graduate" as her youngest went off to school.  Next I knew Tina through her role at the Experience Erie Children's Museum.  I always appreciated her warm smile and capable approach as our MOPS group planned outings to her place.  Fast forward a few years and I knew Tina through her role as the marketing director at Chick-fil-A.  Again we interacted as I was the MOPS Coordinator and many MOPS moms utilize Chick-fil-A!  Long story short, I have known Tina for a while and she is someone that I have always looked up to as being one-stage-ahead-of-me in motherhood and life.  I like her attitude and approach to things.  

We kept messaging one another this past spring and summer, following that first time when Tina had asked me about challenge groups back in March.  In July, she was ready to begin!  She has been an asset in several of my groups ever since.  Tina began with our 3-Day Refresh program when it was brand-new.  Then she moved on to PiYo as her workout and I had to smile when she posted the following in our "FALL Challenge" group earlier today: "I must profess my love for PiYo.... When I started weeks ago I was jog/ walking and felt reasonably strong cardiowise however my arms, wrists, upper body were SO weak. The first few weeks seemed to be strengthening those areas for me. I think it's so cool that as you get stronger your body adapts to the workouts and then new areas get the chance to tone. Right now for me I can feel my upper back, sides and glutes getting more defined. Love it!" 

I asked Tina a few questions and I really enjoyed hearing her heart on these topics.  THIS is one of my favorite things about being a coach!  These lifestyle changes are about SO much more than losing a few pounds or inches.   

Tell us about yourself... I work part-time as a Marketing Director, happily married with two teenage boys. I was a cheerleader in high school and taught aerobics in college too. After moving to Erie from New Hampshire I stayed at home with our boys and enjoyed working out every day by bringing them to the child watch area; it was a break for me! Fast forward a few years.... Both boys were in school and I was working part-time. Exercise became less of a priority and I gained 20 lbs without really even noticing it. (I seriously think I was wearing my clothes way too lose back then!) 

What prompted you to get started with this lifestyle change? I was struggling with a lack of energy and struggling again with depression. Our boys are older and they don't need my help with everything. I could sleep 10 hours, get them to school, work, and then take a nap every day if I needed to. When summer came and they were home all day I realized just how little energy I had left. 

What has been the biggest surprise so far? Using PiYo has changed my vision of exercise. I used to think of exercising (even while teaching aerobics) only as a means to lose or maintain weight. I'm finally realizing that I really need this to improve my quality of life. 

What have you found to be most rewarding about making these changes? Having more energy makes me a better mom, wife, employee and friend too. I can accomplish so much more when I'm eating clean AND exercising too. 

Any suggestions for those who are on the fence about jumping in themselves? Great question, honestly I think sharing the real struggles that we each have every day helps. I truly believe that you have to be ready and willing to finally do this for yourself. It's hard to convince someone to take that leap of faith. Your posts on Facebook encouraged me and for that I will be forever grateful!

Goals Need Plans and Plans Need ---?

  

 

Today we are going to talk about goals.  I know, I know.  This is perhaps an overly-discussed topic.  We all know that we *should* be setting goals in various areas of life.  Some of us thrive when goals are set.  Others flounder and genuinely do better without them!  Why is this?  Of course we are all wired differently.  Our circumstances are going to vary, even within our own lives from the time when a goal was set and the date on which we had been hoping to achieve it!  

Those who are successful make plans.  Some do this in conjunction with their goals.  Others make a plan and have a "goal" of sticking to the plan.  That works!  Oftentimes at the beginning of a challenge group, I will ask the participants to describe their 30 and 60 day goals?  Then we break it down to a weekly goal.  I have lots of respect for those who say that they are not going to set a traditional goal because it usually backfires on them once they have the inevitable day that is "off track".  An all-or-nothing personality can become needlessly frustrated and will feel tempted to give up on that goal because they have already "blown it".  Rather than setting a big picture goal, some individuals commit to a daily plan.  I am 100% okay with this!  It is far and away better than having a lofty goal of running a half-marathon with no idea of how you are going to make that happen! 

Let's say for example that your goal is to lose 10 pounds by Thanksgiving.  Your plan is to workout 6 times per week and eat clean.  Okay, sounding good.  So now what??  The missing piece here is "habits".  Habits are what make plans succeed or fail.  Plans and habits are what get us to our goals.  So if our habits are not an area of close focus, we very likely are not going to reach our goals!   

It is in changing our daily (hourly!) habits that we are going to wind up with the big transformation.  Looking back we see how it was the compound effect of 100's of little decisions that got us to where we want to be.  Goals certainly have their places.  Plans are important.  But habits are what will make or break us.  Plus as we manage to change some of our habits, we have less of that old inner struggle that exists over choosing A or B.  We have made a new habit and our old ways are just not part of our everyday life. 

So, do you have habits that are keeping you from reaching the place you would like to be?  We are not going to wind up with a new destination until we change the things that we do daily.  I believe that this is our biggest key to success!  Not that it is the easiest!  Habits can be hard to change.  So this is where if you are a goal-oriented person, keeping that bigger picture goal in mind will help you to push through the process of making new habits.  If setting those big goals proves to be detrimental for you, go with the focus of your goal being an action rather than a result.  This may very well serve you better in the long run anyways!

The Windfall Era: How Ev and Jo Shea Shaped My Life

Have you ever known the sort of people where just being in proximity to them is bound to have an impact on your life? My first visit to Windfall Arabians took place in 1987. Our 4-H group was holding a meeting at this beautiful farm.  I was nine years old at the time and remember thinking that I had never seen anything quite like this place.  It was not that everything was breathtakingly fancy.  Rather it was impeccably maintained, yet homey.  The place felt highly functional, yet as pristine as any horse property can be.  Fast forward to the spring of 1993. This was when I first got to know Ev and Jo Shea. I was just about to celebrate my 15th birthday. Windfall Arabians was looking for a show groom. Through my 4-H connections, I was thought of for this role.  The farm had a new trainer named Bobby Lerner. Little did I know at that point that we would become lifelong friends. I was a hard worker and was eager to learn. I think that both Ev and Joe saw something in me and took me under their wing.

I did have a most fantastic upbringing. When I was 10 years old, my parents had purchased a 40 acre horse farm. We had also purchased our first horses that same year. We were happy backyard horse people up until this point in time. I had spent five years competing in the local 4-H and open horse shows. Windfall Arabians was operating on a completely different plane. The Sheas traveled to the "A" circuit Arabian shows throughout late spring, all summer and early autumn. This meant that we would be gone anywhere between three and five days at a time while traveling to compete at a show. 

The Windfall horses were world class and the Sheas themselves were world class. Going to the shows was nothing short of a gala event each time we traveled.  We would go to a show and our "stall set up" was extensive and lovely.  Looking back, I know that Ev and Jo were serious supporters of the Arabian shows that we attended.  Yet he never had the attitude that he "owned" the show or was owed anything because of his standing in the Arabian horse community.  We had some amazing horses and because of that we won many championships.  But some days we did not and Ev was a good sportsman.  He did not fuss or complain to us or offer excuses for why his horse did not win that day.  Bobby was not only training the Windfall horses but was also running a business at the farm and we oftentimes had clients and their horses along with us.  The entire thing was an experience that is hard to put into words.  It was certainly a neat time in my young life!  Ev always picked up special patron passes and seating for me and Bobby.  We were treated as family.  Jo was famous for her egg-salad sandwiches.  Before each show, she would pack a cooler full of goodies plus plenty of other items.  It would be sitting out near the front door and this meant that it was ready to be loaded up along with all of our other barn gear.  One thing that we quickly learned about Ev is that if he said we were leaving at 7 AM, this meant that we were ideally a couple of miles down the road and approaching the "Diamond" in St. Marys by 7 AM.  This did NOT mean that we were going to begin loading horses at 7 AM.  He was not unkind about how he did things.  He was just a person of excellence who had a plan and stuck with it.  We learned to adjust accordingly.

The Sheas did things with style but without a hint of "snobbery".  Ev was an executive at Keystone, a powdered-metal company based in St. Marys.  Jo was the consummate homemaker.  The first time that I had ever heard of a Lexus was when Ev brought one home to replace a former vehicle.  But my favorite ever farm vehicle was the year that he bought the brand-new Ford diesel dually.  The truck was cream-colored and had leather interior with all sorts of extra touches.  I remember how pretty the running lights were!  It had custom Windfall insignia along with the nicest "Windfall Green" accents.  To this day, whenever I catch a hint of diesel (sound or scent!), I am transported back to the many times we loaded the last horse onto the trailer and prepared to hit the road.  Ev or Bobby would drive the truck and the three of us would ride together.  Jo would drive the other vehicle (an Eddie Bauer Explorer for many years!) and she would bring along the dogs and household items.  We were a caravan and would always make a stop somewhere along the way.  We would check on the horses and would typically eat a full meal before arriving at the showgrounds.  If headed southeast, it was Stop 35 on Route 322.  If headed west it was the truck stop restaurant in Emlenton.  Ev especially enjoyed the apple dumplings at Stop 35 and the pie at Emlenton.  The ladies working in the restaurants remembered him, as he was the sort of man to make an impression wherever he went in everyday life.  At this point in time he was in his early to mid-60's and he and Jo had been married for 40+ years and were still just delightful together.  

Through my times at Windfall and out at the shows, my eyes were suddenly opened to all sorts of new possibilities within horse world and life in general. I was amazed! The Sheas were certainly amongst the upper echelon within the small town of St. Marys, Pennsylvania.  Windfall Arabians was the showplace of the town. The best part was that as I got to know Ev and Jo, it was easy to see that they were incredible people.  Ev was a true horseman and spent many years as a President, Officer and Trustee of various International and Regional branches that related to the Arabian Horse.  Jo is a most gracious and beautiful woman.  They would have us over to their place for lunch every now and then.  Jo would usually ask me to come over from the barn a bit early so that she could show me some things in the kitchen.  I learned so much from her.  I had picked up the goodness and warmth of down-home farm cooking in the home where I was raised.  With Jo, I learned all about how to properly set a table.  How to make anything look "nice for lunch".  She would talk to me with such kindness and interest.  Jo was known for the scent "Opium" and to this day I can catch a whiff of that aroma and my heart just aches for those times that are now 20 years past.  Their lovely home was quite different from the farm house of my youth.  My parents' home has since been refinished in a way that is high quality and quite lovely.  They have remodeled extensively over the past 26 years!  But when I was 15, 16, 17 years old, the main house at Windfall was indescribably grand to me.  It was just the feel of the people and the entire place.  

Here is a key factor that I believe greatly shaped my self-confidence, self-perception and self-presentation throughout my life: Ev and Jo treated me so well.  There was never a hint of "putting on airs".  Yet from them I became much more refined, well-spoken and more comfortable with certain things than I would have been otherwise.  Throughout different times in my life I have held positions where I have worked for some powerful, high-profile people.  I think that spending my formative years with the Sheas laid much of the groundwork for this.  When I was in 10th grade, I read "If" by Rudyard Kipling.  One particular section there made me think of the example that I was seeing in how the Sheas lived life.  See the entire work here. 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son! 

 

Ev Shea passed on September 19th.  He was 84 years old, and he and Jo had been married for 63 years.  When I heard this news the next day, my heart was so heavy for Jo and the family.  During my Windfall days, their four children and 10 grandchildren spent quite a bit of time coming to the horse shows and to the farm itself.  Jo and I have kept in touch over the years and our last correspondence was a couple of months ago.  For the past several days, I have been been preoccupied with the Windfall years and the people and experiences which did much to shape the woman that I would become.  The Sheas were exceptional people.  I have never met anyone else who is quite like them.  Looking back, I learned the most about horses during the years that I spent working at Windfall.  I learned much about life and myself during this time.  I went on to have some pretty neat experiences in the equine world and I owe much of this to Ev and Jo Shea, plus their incredible horses who taught me more than I can say.

 

 

Windfall farm was bought by another family when the Sheas made the full-time move to their home in Hilton Head, South Carolina.  It meant the world to me when Ev and Jo traveled back north for my wedding during the summer of 2005.  The people who bought Windfall have since ceased to utilize the place as a working farm and it has sat vacant for years.  Whenever we travel down to St. Marys, we take a drive out that way on N. St Marys Road.  The property sits in a little valley and is on the most beautiful piece of land. At first, I am awash in all that was and then I begin to ponder ... what will be next for that place?  At times, we have pulled in the driveway and before my eyes, my mind and heart transform the place back to the grand days of the Windfall era.  I can hear the laughter, I can see my favorite horses, I can smell the freshly crimped oats and the hay from the fields across the road.  I picture Ev and Jo Shea as they were in those days and my heart is full.  I am challenged myself to do things today that will have a positive and long-lasting impact on those in my own life.  It is not so much about what you do.  It is more about who you are.  I thank the Lord that I had the opportunity to know the Sheas.

   

Results: Day 370

Hello!  Thank you for visiting my blog!  My name is Jeanette Paradis and I am writing this entry as an update on my progress over this past year.  Today is my own "Day 370" since I began to change my life.  The photo on the left was taken in September of 2012, as my daughter needed a family photo to share with her kindergarten class.  But I was the same size and wearing those same clothes when I began with my "Day One" on September 16, 2013.  The changes that I made that day include eating clean, daily workouts and daily Shakeology.  I had wanted to create a blog entry on Day 365 or 366... but this week has been BUSY!  I did put together a "video journal" to capture my perspective on the day of my 1 Year Anniversary.  That was a full day for me and the kids and I was "hiding out" in our lower level bathroom to quickly record that one!  Rather than me repeating everything here via blog entry, check out Day 366 with 54 Pounds Gone - How???

 

My husband has been great about everything, including helping me to track my photos and measurements.  We do this whenever I am about to begin a new program and sometimes at the half-way mark of a program.  * Don't mind my photo-shopped shorts in my Day 1 photo above!  I didn't have any shorts that fit at that point and so these were "added" as an overlay to that photo.  My journey began 1 year ago with ChaLEAN Extreme which I did for 5 months before moving on to 4 months of the 21 Day Fix.  Next was 3 months of PiYo with a "Doubles Week of the Fix" when I jumped in with a challenge group to do that a couple of weeks ago.  I have to admit that I was a bit reluctant to record my stats and photos yesterday...  The last time that we had checked my measurements was about two months ago, as I reached my 30 Day mark with PiYo.  Since then I have lost just another two inches total and additional pound or two and I know that this is due to my less-than-stellar nutrition and life habits this past month!  I have not been 100% where I would like to be with my nutrition!  I have been a bit "soft" on myself in this area over the past month and in turn I have literally become "softer" than I was 30 days ago.  Not a good feeling.  Good thing that I have a plan to implement on Monday!  This past month of my life has been overflowing with stuff and has been stressful too much of the time.  As a result, there were different days where I would reach for some of the kids' "bunny crackers" as part of my coping mechanism.  Once in a while, I would be down a serving of protein within a day and would reach for a couple of extra handfuls of a "healthy fat" (such as nuts and seeds) instead of my protein.  This is NOT optimum for me!  Now, in the past I would have been all about some ice cream and cookies as my "comfort foods".  That just is not the case these days.  I make pretty good choices much of the time.  We do not keep "danger" foods here in the house.  It is as simple as that if you are looking to give yourself a boost in making right choices!  But we are going to have days where we do not do as well as we would like.  The key is to NOT GIVE UP!  This is a lifelong kind of thing... not some quick fix where you throw in the towel after a couple of not so great days! 
   

Oh, and yesterday was an odd hair day.  I like my curly hair the majority of the time.  But some days it is just doing weird things! (See photo above)  This was another reason that I was a bit reluctant to get some new photos done yesterday while we were also getting my updated measurements!  But it had to be done!  I look back on my beginning with ChaLEAN Extreme and I think of how strong and capable I became during those first five months.  Next was the 21 Day Fix (see 21 Day Fix Review and Results) and this was life-altering for nutrition!  Plus I really enjoyed the variety of workouts included in that program.  PiYo (see this entry) was my most recent and my body has felt the best it has ever felt in my entire life!  I have experienced some nice sculpting and toning during PiYo.  Plus I have become so much more flexible and my balance has become better than ever.  For someone who previously fell under the "klutzy/uncoordinated" category, this is huge!  The main thing is that there are a variety of workouts out there.  Find one that you enjoy and then JUST DO IT!  

   

So, what is next??  On Monday I will be getting back to Day 1 with ChaLEAN Extreme!  I am so excited to enter back into this 90 Day program being an entire year stronger and more fit!  I became a Team Beachbody coach back in March of 2014.  I so enjoy helping others to make their own healthy changes!  I am joining in with my challengers for our 60 Day Fall Challenge group.  We will have our "Day One" there on Monday the 22nd.  YOU are invited!  We will have a variety of workout programs represented in this group, including the 21 Day Fix, PiYo, ChaLEAN Extreme, T-25, Brazil Butt Lift and Slim in 6.  The group will focus on clean eating, encouraging one another and how to make all of this work in real life.  Being in a challenge group can be the boost that you need to really make this happen.  I would love to be your coach!  I oftentimes think of how things would be so different today if I had not taken the leap to make my first steps forward.  If you are interested in improving your health through better fitness and nutrition, please think of me!  I also meet many of my new customers through referrals.  Let's talk soon!

     
 

PB Banana Pumpkin Cookies

Hello!  We have had a couple of chilly days here in Erie, PA and this has us thinking about baking here in my home.  It is hard to believe that we were at the beach (in our swimming suits!) just three days ago!  It was in the 80's on Wednesday.  The past couple of days have dropped to the 50's!  

The kids have been asking for cookies.  I myself have been in the mood for some chocolate.  We put this recipe together this evening and I have to say that these cookies are GOOD!  They are poofy but still chewy.  They are dense rather than cake-like.  These cookies involve a little bit of everything!  I didn't include Oatmeal and Chocolate Chunk in the title as that would have been a bit much.  I did write down this one as we went and I am glad that I did.  We will be making these again!!  No adjustments needed here.  :)

PB Banana Pumpkin Cookies

1 Ripe Banana - Mashed

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree

3/4 Cup All-Natural PB

1 Egg

1/4 Cup Raw Honey

1/3 Cup Coconut Palm Sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Dash of Cinnamon

2/3 Cup Quick Oats

1 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

Dark Chocolate Chunks (I used part of a 72% Cacao Bar)

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream banana, pumpkin and PB.  Add in your egg, honey, sugar and vanilla.  Mix until combined.  Fold in your dry ingredients: salt, baking powder, cinnamon, oats and flour.  Mixture will be thick and sticky!  

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a baking stone.  No need to prepare this type of surface.  After dropping by tablespoons, flatten slightly.  Take a piece of dark chocolate and press it into the top of the cookie.  Bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes.  DO NOT over-bake!  Cookies are "poofy" but will cook through quite well.  

Challenger Spotlight: Pam Nagle (#2 in Series)

I am so excited to feature my friend Pam in today's Challenger Spotlight!  I first met Pam through MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers).  We have since both become homeschooling moms!  I remember that Pam had first contacted me last spring and was interested in doing the 21 Day Fix.  But the timing was not quite right for her.  Fast forward a few months and Pam was ready to jump in when PiYo was released.  Pam was in my very first PiYo Challenge Group and she has had some great results!  I remember back to the very first week of that group.  Pam was getting ready to spend a day taking her youngest son to a medical appointment that was outside of our hometown.  She mentioned within the group that she had grabbed some Greek yogurt and hard-boiled eggs rather than a donut and a muffin.  She was feeling so much better just with making that sort of change in her nutrition.  Pam came home that evening and still made a point to fit in her workout.  I knew from that day that this mom was going to be successful in reaching her goals!  Pam is petite and lost 8% of her body weight while following the PiYo program!  She also said good-bye to 14.5 inches!!  Guess what Pam is planning to do next??  The 21 Day Fix.  I look forward to continuing to work together as we improve our health and the health of our families.  

I asked Pam to share a bit of her story for this blog entry.  Here it is!   

"My name is Pamela Nagle I am 40 years old with three children. I am a stay at home mom also. I started this program cause I was tired of being overweight. I would do diets and lose a little and just gain it back plus some. I wasn't eating healthy either. I was very surprised at how easy this has been. I am never hungry and usually have too much to eat at one sitting. I love the way I can fit comfortably into my clothes now and how good I feel after I exercise! I love that I am learning what is healthy and what not to eat and how I can tell the difference when I do eat something bad by the way my body feels. I was very hesitant about starting this program but am very glad that I did. If you are thinking about doing something this is the program to do it is very healthy and doesn't take much of your time to do the workouts."

 

10 Popular Diet Tips to Ignore

 

This image makes me laugh!  A cookie diet??  Sign me up, right?  But what about the idea that if it is too good to be true, it probably is?  As we are all getting back into the fall routine, some of us are catching a moment to pause and take a look at our own nutrition habits and routines.  How are things going for you in this area?  

I was reading the following article while checking out the Team Beachbody blog and I thought that it was definitely worth sharing here on my own "Kitchen Window" blog.  

I know that I have made a few of these errors in the past!  How about you?  #3 and #8 were two of the areas where I would most easily get off track.     

This following article was written by Kara Wahlgren and I have pasted in that content below.  You can also view the direct link here.  http://www.teambeachbody.com/teambeachbodyblog/nutrition/10-popular-diet-tips-ignore

"If you’ve ever tried to lose a few pounds, you’ve probably been inundated with diet tips. But take them all with a grain of salt—some advice may sound legit but can actually derail your diet. Here are 10 tips you don’t want to follow.

1) BAD ADVICE: Choose fat-free or sugar-free foods BETTER ADVICE: Don’t believe the hype. “They usually use fat and sodium to replace sugar, and sugar to replace fat—or chemicals to replace both,” says Denis Faye, Beachbody’s nutrition expert. And Rania Batayneh, MPH, a nutritionist and author of the upcoming book, The 1:1:1 Diet, adds, “Removing fat from a food makes it less satiating, so you ultimately may end up eating more.” Stick with the original versions, and watch your portions or better yet, eat more unprocessed foods.

2) BAD ADVICE: No cheating ever! BETTER ADVICE: Relax your diet rules, and you’ll be more likely to stick it out long-term. “If 80% of your diet is tight, then 20% can be a party,” Faye says. “It keeps you from getting stressed—and stress is a huge obstacle in weight loss.” Just plan your splurges ahead of time so you’re not giving in to every temptation that crosses your plate.

3) BAD ADVICE: Stop snacking. BETTER ADVICE: Choose snacks that offer a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats—like apples with peanut butter, or carrots with hummus. “A healthy snack can help maintain steady blood sugar levels, which keeps your appetite in check and your energy stable,” Batayneh says. Skipping a snack can cause your blood sugar to dip, leaving you moody and famished—and more likely to overeat at mealtime.

4) BAD ADVICE: Don’t eat fruit—it’s full of sugar. BETTER ADVICE: Let fruit satisfy your sweet tooth. “Yes, fresh produce is full of sugar and carbs,” Faye says. “But sugar itself is not the enemy. Fruit is packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals; it’s also rich in fiber, which slows the absorption of sugar. I’ve never met a human being who got fat because of bananas.” When you’re craving sugar, there’s no debate that a handful of grapes is healthier than a hot fudge sundae.

5) BAD ADVICE: If it’s organic, it’s good for you. BETTER ADVICE: According to the USDA, organic food is produced without antibiotics, growth hormones, conventional pesticides, and synthetic ingredients.1 The problem is that many people assume organic foods are all low in calories, too, which isn’t necessarily true. Don’t get us wrong—we’d rather eat food that doesn’t resemble a science experiment. But, Faye cautions, “You need to use common sense. If it’s bad for you with conventional ingredients, it’s still bad for you when it’s organic.” A cookie is a cookie, no matter how all-natural it is.

6) BAD ADVICE: Calories in, calories out—it doesn’t matter what you eat. BETTER ADVICE: What you’re eating matters. Compare a 100-calorie candy bar to 100 calories of avocado—the latter is packed with nutrients and has healthy fats and fiber to keep you full. Or compare 50 calories of spinach (about seven cups) to 50 calories of ice cream (about two tablespoons). To feel full when you’re cutting calories, look for foods loaded with water and fiber, like veggies or broth-based soups. Plus, “Hormones have a huge impact on our health. Junk food can trigger bad hormonal responses that, over time, can lead to all kinds of problems, including weight gain,” Faye says. Occasionally, someone will pop up in the news claiming they lost a ton of weight while eating nothing but Subway, Starbucks, or Snickers bars—but don’t put too much stock in those success stories. “When you go that route, you’re not educating yourself,” Faye says. “It’s like the teach-a-man-to-fish adage. If you give someone a gimmicky diet, they might lose weight for now; but provide them with knowledge, and they can be healthy for life.”

7) BAD ADVICE: Try XYZ Extreme Diet—it works for everyone! BETTER ADVICE: Find a plan that works for you. Gender, age, genetics, metabolism, and lifestyle can all play a role in weight loss—so even if a fad diet has worked for others, that doesn’t mean you’ll get the same results. “There’s no single diet that works for everyone; our biochemical needs are different,” Faye says. Talk to a dietitian or nutrition consultant to find a long-term eating strategy that is tailor-fit to you.

8) BAD ADVICE: When in doubt, order the salad. BETTER ADVICE: Choose your greens wisely. Leafy greens and vegetables may be virtuous, but not if they’re slathered in creamy dressing and topped with bacon, candied nuts, croutons, deli meats, or cheese. “Fatty fixings can add hundreds of calories to your meal, and sometimes contain more calories than that juicy burger!” Batayneh says. Salad can be a healthy choice, but order dressing on the side and limit the add-ons.

9) BAD ADVICE: Don’t exercise—it’ll only make you hungrier. BETTER ADVICE: Get moving—an hour-long workout isn’t going to make you suck down calories like Michael Phelps. “Exercise isn’t just for losing weight—it improves your cardiovascular health and strengthens your bones,” Faye says. You might feel hungrier while recovering from a grueling workout, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to pack on pounds. “As long as you’re eating clean, your body is amazing at self-regulating,” Faye adds. “It should crave the calories you need to fuel your workouts, not to get fat.”

10) BAD ADVICE: Treat yourself for a job well done! BETTER ADVICE: Rethink your reward system. After an intense workout, you may feel like you’ve earned a cocktail or cupcake. But splurging after every workout can quickly undo all your hard work. If you’ve been good all week, go ahead and grab a guilt-free beer on Friday. But, Faye says, “Don’t let every workout become a Pavlovian thing where you need to eat cake afterwards.” After all, the best reward for a killer workout is getting one step closer to the body you want."

If you are interested in learning more about how to make lasting changes with your nutrition, my top recommendation is our 21 Day Fix program.  This Fix is on special during the month of September!  

There is no magic pill and you will still have to do the work.  But I am here to help you as you begin a new chapter.  My "Fall Challenge" group begins on September 15th and you are invited to join me there!

  

Back to School Adjustments

Good morning!  Here we are on the first Wednesday of September and this means back to school time for many of us.  "Back to school" stirs a variety of feelings within us!  Many of my friends are sending a child off to kindergarten for the first time this year.  I remember how that felt two years ago.  Others have a child who has just headed off to begin their college years.  I can't even imagine that day!  Many are somewhere in between.  My friends represent many options... home school, cyber schools, charter schools, private schools, city schools, township schools and county schools.  We all have something in common.  We want to see the best for our kids.  We want to BE the best for our kids.  Many of their needs are frequently changing.  I think of our neighborhood kids.  We have lived here for the past 4+ years.  Kids who were beginning 2nd grade (the age that my daughter is now!) just a few years ago saw a change in their bus times as they began MIDDLE SCHOOL yesterday.  People used to tell me when the kids were little that I should "hold on to every moment because it goes too fast".  Umm..... that was a time in life when it is so hard to see beyond the momentary, never-ending needs of your kids.  That "advice" is easily overwhelming, guilt-inducing, and once in a while helpful.  You know what is different now?  I am telling myself to "hold on to the moments because it all goes so fast".  See, just writing that makes me teary!  

Today marks three weeks since we began our school year here.  This is our first year of homeschooling Nathan and he is in kindergarten.  It is our second year with Kyle and she is in 2nd grade.  I am the one who has had the biggest adjustment these past few weeks!  The first few days it was all a novelty.  Going into that 2nd week I was feeling ready but by the end of that week my 5 year old son's "difficult phase" had pushed me to the edge of my capacity for anything.  We received some startling but "now it all makes sense" news about my 7 year old daughter and some of her OT/Vision Therapy needs. This statement was tied to a pretty sizable impact on our daily routine and the way we would be approaching this year of school.  That Friday I went down to switch the laundry while catching a breather from it all.  I wound up leaning over the dryer sobbing and then had that landmark moment where I surrendered myself to God and said "I can't do this".  I was as overwhelmed as I can remember feeling.  Then this reminder came and I have thought of these words from 2 Corinthians many times these past 10 days.  

Last week I began to settle into the new school year myself.  We were just coming off of what was my best summer ever in the past 7 years of motherhood... back to school was a tough transition for me personally! Each new year involves a level of change and an adjusting of the sails to work with the wind.  This is true no matter how you approach schooling in your family!  Sometimes it takes us moms a little while to find our way during a new season.  Go easy on yourself.  Lean into God and his GRACE.  Allow this grace to fill you and overflow to others.  When I saw the image that is included at the top of this blog entry, it stopped me in my tracks.  I am SO EASILY caught in a state of "perpetual distraction".  I am determined to change this.  Just like anything, it happens moment by moment and the battle is won or lost in the little decisions that are made within the hours of the day.  I can only wonder what this school year will hold but it is my goal to be fully present to experience it.  This will come through a frequent check of my own daily focus.   I wish you all the best during this back to school season!