by Carol deLaski | Apr 22, 2013 | Confidence, Fitness, Health, Nutrition, Sandie Lynch
Enjoy these tips from Coach Sandie’s BYOB: Get the “Skinny” on a Sassy, Sexy Summer.
Sassy is defined as pert, boldly smart, and/or saucy. Looking deeper, one of the definitions for Pert is Lively; sprightly (full of energy): and in good health.
Isn’t being healthy, full of energy and lively what we all want? When we feel like this, confidence exudes from us and confidence is what the polls say is considered sexy! So when we are feeling “Sassy” we can’t help but be “Sexy!”
I know it is not everyone intention or desire to strive to be what our culture considers “sexy” but what would you say to being able to “turn heads” from both men and women? It is not about attracting a mate but radiating an energy people can’t help but notice!
When we are healthy, full of energy, lively and confident, people want to meet and get to know us better. They want to know our secret! So, what are some strategies to create this type of captivating energy?
The first step is belief. Believing that this is possible and then visualize and dress the part of already being there…feel it, and breathe your confidence; being full of energy, health and liveliness!
Second, create and say out loud daily what you want to create using an “I AM” statement such as, “I AM confident” or I AM strong!” Make it your own and assume the feeling of living life exuding this declaration!
And third, think of the things that will manifest health, fun, and joy in your life and then sow these habits into your life consistently! Replace the things that rob energy and the health you wish to create. Make sure the activities and habits you select create fun, and grow your energy. Our heart, mind, body and spirit want to keep doing things that feel good and bring happiness in life and will avoid things that bring pain. So by doing fun things that create health in your life will make it easy to live a lifestyle that will manifest the vision you want.
Therefore, find your joy and live it every day and you will have a “Sassy, Sexy Summer every year!
For more tips and strategies on creating a healthy body and spirit of joy, please feel free to contact me for more events and programs to start your ATP journey today! 240-439-9927.
ATP Consultants, LLC (Attain Top Performance)
Sandie Lynch, MS, RDN, LDN, CPT
Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and Certified Personal Fitness Trainer.
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by Carol deLaski | Mar 13, 2013 | Health, Nutrition, Sandie Lynch
Summer is fast approaching and as the weather warms, our clothes will cover less. Are you ready to uncover? Do you have weight loss goals for the summer? Will you be able to enjoy your summer if you don’t reach your weight goal? Does your body perspective impact your self-image and inner joy? A change in your perspective can help you find your joy and the body you enjoy!
I once believed that I had to get the body I wanted before I could enjoy life or feel good about myself, especially in public. I have found the opposite it true! I discovered that the only way I could get the body I wanted was to love the body I was in, and that joy and a healthy self-image start with understanding the true amazing unique qualities that lie within.
A popular motto is Live, Laugh, Love and I believe they are in the wrong order. Instead I believe Love, Laugh, Live is the journey to a healthy self-image and a life full of joy, and the journey begins with perspective. I know what you’re saying, “I don’t want to love the body I’m in, give me a different body I can love.” I too said this many times.
Let me share just a small segment of the shift that changed everything for me…
My sister use to say to me, “You’re just not normal!” I would just laugh because for most of my life my habit was to try and see things from a humorous side and just laugh off life’s challenges and mistakes (no matter how I truly felt about them). One of my favorite past times is to watch a truly “funny” comedian, who has the ability to do just that, and take everyday events we all have in common, and turn them into hilarious self-reflections. One of the best is Sinbad.
For a time, I lost this “laughing” perspective because life had not turned out the way I thought it should, and found myself in a “dark” dry place with no joy; literally having a “pity” party, with the attendance of one, for 7 years. Not only had a significant relationship ended and found myself completely alone, but I continued to struggle with yo-yo-ing weight most of my life even after becoming a Registered Dietitian and Personal Fitness Trainer. I constantly was berating myself for my lack of discipline to do what I said I wanted to do and accomplish! I considered myself a failure in many areas!
Desperate, I cried out to God to change me; to create His beauty within me and transform my body from the inside out… lo and behold, HE ANSWERED MY PRAYER! The biggest impact was noticed in how I related to my body; my perspective and respect for my body was transforming. Instead of seeing my body for everything that was wrong with it, I began to pay attention to everything that was good and right with my body. This small shift in perspective made living a consistent wellness lifestyle easier until it became who I was, and not what I needed to do. I was no longer tempted by the foods and habits that would always throw me off course; instead I started honoring the “good” parts which in turn created more “good” parts. I was free, my joy and ability to laugh at challenges and mistakes slowly returned but this time with a genuine feeling of grace instead of condemnation.
The second place of impact was the blessing of attracting genuine encouraging women into my life; some lovingly known as the Wholistic Woman Coaches, along with others in the Wholistic Woman Community. Meeting and sharing time with these wonderful supportive women inspired me be me, all of me, for I don’t serve the world by playing small but by giving fully to the areas that call me to serve! What I realized was being connected with a positive community has a synergistic impact on everyone involved; all contribute and all receive!
Turning 50 this past year and a corner into a new season of life made me realize I am revisiting some joyful seasons previously traveled, but with a new sense of “sassiness” or boldness I have never experienced before. I even shared recently with a few friends of my belief I will be considered eccentric as I grow older. Saying this out loud liberated me knowing I was marching to my own personal drummer playing the rhythm of my choice. This is allowing me to love more deeply, laugh more often, and Live more fully! Something I want for every woman in my life.
In my travels, I have met many women who are also trapped in a “small, dry” place for various reasons, but one that speaks deep to my heart is how our body perspective can rob our joy, and leave us living a life that is not ours to live, and sometimes causes us to put “living” on hold until we reach where we feel we should be. It is my passion to share tips and/or strategies I have learned to help others find their way and free the person trapped inside an outer image that fails to reflect the beautiful woman inside. The old saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Let’s all be the “beholder” of the beauty within and allow it to transform from the inside out!
I hope you will join me at the next BYOB March 27th 2013 as we discuss how to embrace a new perspective and find your own drummer to a healthier life inside and out…
BYOB Session Topic: Get the “skinny” with 10 tips to have a “sassy, sexy summer no matter what you weigh! Session held at Ayse Meze in Frederick, Maryland. Click here to register today!
Today’s author: Sandie Lynch a Registered Dietitian and Personal Fitness Trainer, owner of ATP Consultants, LLC, teaches 5 Key Principles to create beauty from the inside out. Contact Sandie at [email protected] to learn more about these 5 Key Principles through; ATP 16-8-2 Fitness™ Classes, upcoming workshops, and/or private consulting.
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by Carol deLaski | Jun 26, 2012 | Fitness, Health, Nutrition, Sandie Lynch
Have you or heard a friend say, “I just can’t lose weight!” Most likely a more accurate statement may be “I just can’t keep off the weight I’ve lost.” Almost everyone who tries to lose weight can, but after the diet and/or exercise program they were following ends, the weight creeps back on twice as fast as they lost it. How do some people lose it and keep it off? Here are a few tips if applied consistently helps keep the weight off for good.
- Starting your day with a balanced breakfast. When we sleep our metabolism slows way down. If you tend to go most of the day without eating, you are losing precious hours that your metabolism could be much higher. Those who eat a balanced breakfast within an hour of rising burn more fat in the hours that follow then those who don’t eat or eat just starch alone. A balanced breakfast may include; some whole grain cereal, low fat milk, maybe some walnuts on the cereal and a little protein like an egg or peanut butter toast So eat up and burn more fat!
- Eating extra snacks may help you stick to the plan. Avoiding the hunger gremlin is one of the best ways to prevent sabotaging your efforts. Often individuals are “too good;” not snacking all day. So when they finally eat, being starved, they over do it; overloading the system and creating a fat building situation. The very last thing we want! Eating small frequent meals and snacks helps the body and mind stay in control!
- Cleanse the body naturally without the need to “detox” it. The body is extremely efficient in removing waste and eliminating it. Eating foods that are naturally high in water and fiber assists the body be more effective in the natural cleansing it does every day without the need to go on a diet that eliminates healthy foods to “detox” it. Eating high fat and processed foods slow you down and are slower to move through the digestive system making you feel heavier and slow. Therefore, eat high fiber and water content foods for normal and regular elimination, this will help you feel lighter and more energized to live an active life which will help keep the weight off
Today’s author: Sandie Lynch MS, RD, LDN, PFT, Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer, and Wellness Life Coach. For more tips to maximize your metabolism and burn more fat for good, attend Wellness Workshops in the area by ATP Consultants, LLC with Sandie Lynch. Don’t miss Sandie’s next workshop sponsored by KRB Customized Training Solution’s BYOB at the Wine Kitchen in Frederick, Maryland June 27that 5:00 pm.
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by Carol deLaski | Mar 7, 2012 | Fitness, Health, Nutrition, Sandie Lynch
Do you struggle to wake up in the morning, hitting the snooze button “way” too many times? Then drag yourself out of bed, rush out of the house, just to run back in because you forgot something. You either take a large coffee with you or swing by your favorite coffee shop for a large energizing drink to get your day rolling. You sit down at your desk and pound through the morning, not even thinking about food until your stomach is screaming loud enough for everyone around you to get the message you need to eat. You rush out to grab something quick and scarf it down while working through email because you tell yourself there is no time to stop. Before you know it, the meal that was in front of you is gone and you don’t even remember how it tasted except the very first bite. The only thing you are aware of is your stomach is now feeling over full and bloated and the only word that comes to mind is ….”ugh!”
You notice your pace is now a little slower and your concentration is waning. Then it hits you about 2 hours later…BAM…you can hardly keep your eyes open and all you want to do is take a nap. But because you can’t, you are at work, you run down the hall for more coffee to get you through the rest of the day. Well, you made it home, barely as you drag yourself through the door. Because you feel you over ate at lunch you pass on dinner and sit down with a cocktail or glass of wine to unwind. You settle in with the news and again….BAM…lights out! You wake up 2 hours later and you’re starving. You head to the fridge looking for something light to fill the nagging hole that has reappeared in your stomach. But as you open the door you think, “ice cream would really feel good right about now or maybe that left over piece of lasagna from last night’s dinner. Yum!” You munch it down, one or the other or both and you head to bed, just to toss and turn because your stomach is again feeling uncomfortable. And the next day continues with the same pattern.
Does this sound familiar? If it does, it is not uncommon…so don’t feel you are alone. In my practice as a Registered Dietitian I hear this often and actually, the story I shared with you is the pattern a dear friend of mine who states she wants to do things differently, always seems to return to the same pattern. If you are where my friend is, I want to share with you a few tips to help energize your body and brain for the entire day and create the structure for success.
First, you need to understand the activities you do and your brain require energy to function properly. You get energy from the food you eat and the body metabolizes it for the energy you need. The foods that provide you with energy include carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol. Yes, alcohol, it is metabolized much like fat in your body and provides limited nutrient value, although red wine which processes the antioxidant; Resveratrol has shown to help prevent damage to blood vessels, reduce “bad” cholesterol and prevent blood clots. Please, don’t misunderstand me, I am not encouraging you to start drinking if you don’t. Below are some tips on how to empower your body and mind with the food you eat and ensure your day is energized and productive.
1. Start with breakfast. Studies show that breakfast eaters have a healthier weight, and perform better on tests that require concentration. The foods you want to include are whole grain cereals, low fat milk, some fruit, a little protein such as an egg or peanut butter on toast. By including the whole grains and protein mixture the glucose response is lower (low glycemic) proving better sustained energy throughout the morning. Studies have shown, individuals who eat a low glycemic breakfast burn more fat in the hours following breakfast. You should try to eat breakfast within 30 to 60 minutes of rising to help kick-start your metabolism for the day.
2. Eat small frequent meals. The brain cells require twice as much energy as any other cell in your body, so when you are asking them to function you need to give them their energy of choice; carbohydrates. Both the brain and muscles prefer carbs. So don’t be afraid to include some carbs throughout the day. Snack on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy, all of which are carbohydrates sources. Keep the serving size limited to about 3 carbs sources or servings at each snack or meal. Carbohydrates increase our blood sugar, and help release serotonin in the brain, a neurotransmitter that gives a calm and relaxing feeling. Too much blood sugar slows the blood and makes you feel tired, and too much serotonin released will make you feel the need for a nap “coming on” within 90 minutes. The two together will have you doing the “head bob” for sure.
3. Eat low fat, low sodium foods. Low fat foods empty quicker from the stomach getting us our energy faster. Also, when our stomach is occupied with digestion it makes us feel sluggish until it can divert it back to the areas of activity such as our brain and muscles. When we eat sodium it increases the thickness of the blood and increases blood pressure. Not only can this be dangerous if you have cardiovascular disease but slows down the blood and oxygen to the brain so our ability to concentration decreases.
4. Exercise consistently. Consistent exercise not only helps your body create more energy but it makes it more efficient at metabolizing the foods you eat for energy. Studies show that individuals who do at least 15 minutes of aerobic activity; such as running, walking briskly, biking, dancing, etc… have higher scores on IQ and performance tests, this is also seen when testing the same individuals; they score better when tested after exercise. Thus, consistent exercise makes you smarter, more productive, and energizes your day. Include about 15-30 minutes at least 5 days a week to reap the benefits.
5. Get adequate sleep. The body needs between 6 to 8 hours of sleep to perform its best. The body’s hormones that regulate metabolism and hunger become dysfunctional when we get inadequate sleep. Also, our body goes through numerous cycles of sleep during the night and the last cycle between 6 to 8 hours is the cycle that performs the majority of memory storage and reorganization of thoughts of learning new projects or remembering the day’s events. When we don’t’ get adequate sleep we have more difficulty learning things and remembering past activities. “Where did I put those keys….?”
6. Create a schedule structure for success. If you don’t schedule things in, it is more likely the new things won’t happen. We are creatures of habit, and it takes time to create new ones. Our brain requires consistent activity to change our brain maps to patterns we want in life and push out old ones that no longer serve us. The old saying it takes 21 days to make a habit. So schedule it until it is second nature.
Feel the difference as you empower your body and brain for your day, your life, and the things and people you love!
If you would like to learn more about fueling your body for more energy, productivity, and finding the energy balance for the body you want; by losing weight, gaining muscle, running a marathon, or just making it through the day with enough energy to play with your kids, I invite you to come to my workshop series, “Eat More, Weigh Less, Feel Great!” at PIOMA Performance Fitness, www.piomafitness.com, the next session on March 24th. Come, bring a friend and learn how to eat for the body you want and the energy that will change your world.
Eat More, Weigh Less, Feel Great Series:
1. February 25th: Choose the Foods that Make You Burn More Fat
2. March 24th: Find the Energy Balance for the Body You Want
3. April 21st: Energize Your Body and Mind with Food and Activity
For more information, contact either PIOMA Performance Fitness in Middletown or email coach and Registered Dietitian Sandie Lynch, [email protected].
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by Carol deLaski | Feb 21, 2012 | Fitness, Health, Nutrition, Sandie Lynch
Could it be true, that we could eat more, weigh less and feel great? Most of the time when we think about trying to lose weight, we envision restricting our calories, eating smaller portions, having to drum up extra willpower to avoid those sweets at the office or around the house, and avoiding our favorite foods. Everything spells deprivation and so… needless to say, the so-called “diet” will probably not last too long because who really wants to feel deprived in the land of plenty?
As a Registered Dietitian, it saddens me how so much misinformation is in our culture. Sometimes it is a twist from the truth to get us to buy the newest diet book and/or the media may report on one research study and alter our view of what is “good” for us. The confusion on what to eat and what to avoid is rampant. This is the very reason I am passionate about sharing the reality of how the body is designed and what it truly needs to be its best. For example, one of the common misunderstanding encountered, is that carbohydrates are something to avoid.
When I hear this I always ask, “So what type of weight do you want to lose?” This usually perplexes the individual and she asks, “What types are there?” I explain that usually when we lose weight, we lose three types of weight; water, fat and lean body mass, and when we lose water and/or lean body mass we harm our body and LOWER our metabolism. So far, I have not met anyone who purposely wants to LOWER her metabolism. To explain how this happens; our body has no extra protein stores (lean body mass), so when we lose protein it is at the cost of our health, usually initially in immunity or cell repair, setting us up for a lowered stress threshold and increased susceptibility to illness. With lower protein stores, not only are we medically compromised, but now we must continue to cut calories to continue losing weight. NOT what we want!! It is a vicious cycle no one wants to be on, I know because this is the very cycle I was on for 12 years before I learned the truth.
So what is the truth? The truth is, the body needs certain types of energy and nutrients to be its best and without them, our body struggles to retain a healthy weight, and maintain health. If your goal is to grow leaner and healthier, you must give your body what it needs! The great news is that when it gets what it needs, it naturally resets the broken processes that we caused by robbing it of essential nutrients, and it grows efficient in burning fat, making energy, and maintaining health. Unfortunately, for some, there are certain diseases that may compound the problem, but there is always hope because the body always responds positively when given the right things.
Most everyone knows some of what these “right things” are but continue to try the empty promises that so many fad diets offer. I can empathize, because I was there! What changed for me was finally “hearing” that all these empty promises, although giving me temporary weight loss, was actually making me fatter each time I lost weight. In the book, Fit or Fat by Covert Bailey, he called this “skinny fat!” Skinny fat is when you lose weight but your fat ratio increases to an unhealthy level still making you susceptible to chronic disease. What can you do to avoid becoming “Skinny fat?” Include plenty of foods that maintain your lean body mass and make your metabolism more efficient! Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, starchy vegetables; such as potatoes and corn, whole grains; such as wheat, barley, oats, quinoa, rice, and healthy fats; like nuts and seeds. I know a few foods in the list may have surprised you, but when you learn how the body uses these essential foods to optimize your metabolism, you will be not be afraid to include them in the future!
I invite you to come to my workshop series, “Eat More, Weigh Less, Feel Great!” at PIOMA Performance Fitness, www.piomafitness.com, starting on February 25th. Come, bring a friend and start correcting your metabolism deficiencies and growing healthier with each new day!
Eat More, Weigh Less, Feel Great Series:
- February 25th: Choose the Foods that Make You Burn More Fat
- March 24th: Find the Energy Balance for the Body You Want
- April 21st: Energize Your Body and Mind with Food and Activity
For more information, contact either PIOMA Performance Fitness in Middletown or email coach and Registered Dietitian, Sandie Ropp.
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by Carol deLaski | Jan 25, 2012 | Fitness, Health, Nutrition, Sandie Lynch
Well, we are in the 4th week of January 2012 and by next week the majority of individuals who have set New Year’s Resolutions will have gone back to old familiar habits. Now if you have set a new resolution I am not trying to be the voice in your head to say, “Oh, you might as well give up now because by next week you will have anyway.” Believe me, I want you to succeed more than anyone because I was on the same track year after year when it came to trying to lose weight and getting fit. I was very successful at losing weight and especially successful and speedy about putting the weight back on. Yes, I was a very successful yo-yo dieter. This up and down journey led me to whom I am today, a Registered Dietitian and Personal Fitness Trainer. I was so tired of the pain of failure year after year and finally dedicated my life to a pursuit for answers…answers that I now love to share with others to help them find success.
Because I am what I am, many friends and acquaintances feel compelled to share with me their wellness goals even though they are not my clients. I often laugh when I walk into a room and others make excuses about what they are eating, like I am the food police, ugh! Not a role I like or want. Being a Registered Dietitian can be a blessing and sometimes a curse as I see individuals feel the need to hide from their food or activity choices when they see me. So eat up and enjoy, I am not here to judge, just help when asked.
As you know, every year tons of new inventions, fitness programs, diets, and/or household appliances promise weight loss or fitness success. So why so many and why don’t they seem to work? Which one really has the answers? “Will this one work for me?” The simple truth…they all work! Beware, not all are created equal and some can even be harmful so I encourage you to be careful and always seek the advice of a Registered Dietitian and/or Licensed Nutritionist for sound nutritional and wellness advice. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics will often provide book reviews of the newest diet plans, so check them out at Eatright.org.
So, back to our topic of “Weight Loss Resolution Success Tips.” To be successful, the better question is how can you have the “right” one work for you? First select one that has good reviews and apply these simple tips:
1. Know specifically what you want. Many times resolutions are vague statements like, “I want to lose weight or get healthy.” Set a specific goal like “I want to lose 10# in 3 months.” This is realistic and measureable. Many times individuals set the bar way too high and starve to reach it. Any time we are in “starvation mode” we set ourselves up for failure.
2. Why is the reason you want it? I encourage you to search your heart on this one because this will be your new mantra as you talk yourself through resisting the temptation of old unhealthy habits that have led you to where you are today. If this reason is not tied to your deep emotions and desire, that chocolate delicacy will win out every time!
3. Make a realistic plan and stick to it. Your plan should be focused on changing the environments and schedules that have created your current situation. Evaluate your pantry and the foods you have around you. Create easy access to healthy foods and difficult for indulging on your weakness foods. We all have them. What are yours? Just for a while go “cold turkey” on these, eventually you will have the control to eat them again, but initially it is too easy to fall into old habits. Create a schedule that will set you up for success, include at least 16 minutes of exercise and grow this to 32 minutes daily. ATP Fitness™, shows you how to include exercise in your day no matter your schedule or location and how to maximize your results, more on this later.
4. Have Fun and look for the positives in your changes. Our brain will easily adapt to changes, this is called neuroplasticity, but our brain will resist making these changes permanent if we associate them with negative emotions or thoughts such as “I hate to exercise” or “I am depriving myself of my favorite foods.” Instead, associate the changes you are trying to make to something positive. A client of mine decided she would change her thoughts from “I hate to exercise” to “I love the way I feel after I exercise” which is helping her stay on course and make moving her body joyfully a part of her life. Find the words that will link positive emotions to the changes you are making. What we enjoy, we always want to do more!
5. Seek support, encouragement, and an accountability partner. Working primarily with women has made me realize we are creatures that are more likely to do things for others than ourselves. Our health and self care are often neglected because of this. Embrace the idea it is not selfish to take care of yourself but actually a requirement to be a better caregiver, friend, spouse, and to be more productive. Remember on the airplane they state to put the oxygen on yourself first before helping those around you. Same goes for everything in life. Find the friends and acquaintances that will support your goals and be an active part in helping you succeed.
6. Believe in your success! Anytime you change your behaviors, thoughts, perspectives, and activities your body and brain respond. It cannot help it, it is the way it was designed. Trust that as you make small but consistent changes that embrace a healthy lifestyle, the result WILL BE a healthier, leaner, more energized body. Don’t give up when you don’t SEE the results, you are changing from the inside out.
Today’s author: Sandie Lynch. ATP Consultants, LLC provides services that help educate, coach, support, and encourage you on your journey to Attain Top Performance (ATP) in living the life you want. Join Sandie in her ATP Fitness sessions on Monday evenings as she teaches 5 key principles to honor the body and how to create permanent change and maximize your results. Find out more at http://home/wholisu6/dev.wholisticwomanretreats.com.atphealthandfitness.com and contact Sandie today on how to start your journey to wellness and life of success!
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