by Carol deLaski | Oct 13, 2017 | Casey Clark, Health, Nutrition
Mindful. A term that has become increasingly popular over the past few years and in its simplest form means being more aware. But what does being more aware mean? Is it noticing the sounds around you? Noticing the smells around you? Noticing the variety of colors as you pass by the trees? Regardless of what you are more aware of, the point of being mindful is to develop a closer relationship with your mind. So how does being mindful relate to eating?
Mindful Eating
Mindful eating is much more than noticing the smell of your food or the different colors on your plate. Mindful eating is about being present in the moment, in a non-judgmental way, so that you can pay closer attention to your body, habits, and triggers. It’s much deeper than developing a better relationship with your mind. When you mindfully eat, there are no rules, no calorie counting, no carb cutting, and there aren’t even recipes. Just a special sense of awareness every time that food is in your presence.
Why Doesn’t Everyone Eat Mindfully?
I’m sure you’re probably scratching your head wondering why everyone doesn’t eat mindfully since it seems like you can eat so freely. The fact of the matter is, not many people explore mindful eating because of our own harsh beliefs and because of the long look we’ll have to take in the mirror. We tell ourselves things like “You couldn’t even cut carbs for one day. What makes you think you can be mindful of your eating?” or “You’ve gained so much weight, you’ll need more than mindful eating to help you out.” Regardless of what that inner critic is saying, it’s taking on several roles that work against you: the fretter, the punisher, the judge, the name caller, or the partier. There’s a Buddhist saying that states “your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts,” which is so true! We can’t allow this voice in our head to hinder our progress in doing what’s best for our body.
Often, we are so hard on ourselves and we don’t seek help because we are afraid that people are going to confirm our own negative beliefs or help us stick our heads further in the sand. Therefore, we say nothing and appear as if life is great while under the surface we have a constant struggle stemming from the battle of the good and bad angels on our shoulders.
The Building Block of Mindful Eating
To eat mindfully, we have to address this inner critic with self-compassion. Compassion and empathy are the antidote for our inner critics. We can’t possibly be judgmental toward ourselves while being compassionate. The first part of being more compassionate is simply being aware of our thoughts. Acknowledging when they’re there but not putting any emphasis on them and just allowing them to pass by. When the name caller critic pops up, recognize it and say to yourself, “Oh my, that name caller is back again” and let it be at that. Don’t take a deeper look at it and try to rationalize why it’s there. Just let it go. Once we are aware of thoughts, we must move into being nonjudgmental about them.
Mindless thinkers tend to have more eating issues because they get sucked into this hole of negative thinking patterns and it subconsciously affects their eating habits. Most negative thinking is looked at as extreme thinking which is when something is all or nothing. For example, it’s extreme thinking if you promise yourself that you won’t eat after 7 and then you do, which results in you saying “The heck with it. I screwed it up once so I’m not going to worry about not eating after 7 anymore.” Extreme thinking can be self-sabotaging. We are being so judgmental of our one mistake that we prevent ourselves from trying again and succeeding. Self-sabotage is also a way to control our disappointment, which goes back to negative beliefs like thinking we can’t succeed.
When we self-sabotage, we must become aware and practice non-judgment so that we can look at why we feel a certain way. That’s when we have to take a long look in the mirror and be honest with ourselves in a gentle way, such as by asking ourselves, “Is this to avoid disappointment?” or “Am I afraid of failing?” Knowing the reason is half of the battle.
Judgments and negative self-talk are all a part of mindless eating. Just like we reduce our sugar or salt intake, we must clear our negative thoughts as well. Being self-compassionate allows us to begin this journey. As you move forward in the next few days, be aware of your thoughts toward yourself. Acknowledge your inner critic without putting emotion into it. Try describing things without using words like good or bad. Regardless of whether you want to begin or improve mindful eating or just want to be more mindful in general, be present and be kind to yourself!
Today’s author: Casey Clark is an affiliate coach with Wholistic Woman and manages a health and wellness practice, Heaven On Earth, which focuses on self-care. Having been a student and working, both full-time, Casey has a deep understanding for the importance of self-care and is committed to helping those who lead busy lives, especially young professionals, accomplish prioritizing self-care so that they can live a holistically balanced, well and fulfilled life. She uses her own experiences as a motivator to help her clients achieve lasting, self-compassionate change that is aligned with their values. Find out more about Casey at her website: www.aheavenlyyou.com
by Carol deLaski | Oct 6, 2017 | Change, Health, Kim Wilson
If you’re like many people (including myself), the summer season was a busy one. Summer is filled with cookouts, vacations, time with friends and family, longer nights, and creating memories. It may have also included choices that didn’t serve you as well. You may feel like it was a busy time of the year and you’re missing some rest and relaxation. Are you feeling stressed or lacking balance? I know that I’ve been feeling the need for change as I move into the fall months.
The autumn season is one of the best times of the year for cleansing and taking authority in life. When I say “cleansing,” I am not referring to a plant-based, drink-only cleanse. The term cleansing (or detoxification) can refer to many things.
In my own personal life, I have taken a strong look, especially over the past year, at things, choices, and people that are not serving me well. I’ve considered food choices, toxic relationships, negative thoughts, choices I have made, goals I have set, and options for what I want to see in the future. Have you thought about what may or may not be serving you well and helping you thrive?
With the full moon in Aries just passed on October 5, Aries inspires us to strive and thrive despite any struggles we may be experiencing. The energy is about finding independence, trusting yourself as you move forward, and finding power. The energy from the full moon will help us to use our power from a place of heart rather than ego.
This is a great time to reflect on where you’ve been, what changes you want to make, and how you will choose to move forward.
I am a small-town girl and I love so much about the country. When I think of autumn, I often think of the harvest season. I think of planting seeds and new beginnings. Ways that those seeds can be nourished for growth. When you think about moving forward into the autumn season, I encourage you to think about seeds you can plant and how you can help them grow in your own life, whether they pertain to you personally or to others in your life.
As women, it’s very important to take care of ourselves but also to support and lift up those around us.
As your body prepares for a stressful holiday season and colder weather, it’s important to consider ways to nourish your body, ramp up self-love, and practice stress management. Allergies are higher and the immune system can become more susceptible to illness and exhaustion. Seasonal eating helps to not only nourish the body but also give it what it wants as the season transitions.
Pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, and pomegranates are all wonderful fall favorites. Not only are they delicious, but they also pack many health benefits, especially when paired with lean meats and healthy fats. Limiting processed foods, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol will help you thrive through the autumn season. Sufficient sleep and personal care will not only benefit your body and mind but also help you as we approach the holidays. One of my favorites is an Epsom salt bath with lavender oil drops. It’s important to figure out what works for your own unique beautiful self.
Toxicity comes in many forms. Consider the foods you are eating, the relationships in your life, stress, environmental factors, and negative thoughts. Look at the level of fulfillment in your career and things you’ve always wanted to do but never tried. This is your time to focus on the positive energy of change. It’s a great time to start fresh, feel empowered, and do what makes you feel healthy and happy.
As the leaves change colors and fall, look at ways you can shed some old and allow for new growth. What changes can you make in your own life to help you thrive?
Today’s author: Kim Wilson is a Certified Holistic Health Coach (CHC) and owns her own business, Kim Wilson, LLC, which specializes in empowering and educating women to get to the root of what’s going on with their own unique, individual body. She works with women one-on-one and coaches through online groups and programs. Learn more about Kim at her website www.kimwilson.me, from her Facebook page, or find her on Instagram.
by Carol deLaski | Aug 29, 2016 | Health, Nutrition, Sandie Lynch
It seems like every few months a new diet hits the press promising fast weight loss, increased energy, and maybe even to fix all our health problems. As a Registered Dietitian, I have seen diets come and go over the years and the question that always enters my mind is, how long will this one be around?
Many times the diets are just too hard to follow or stick with over time, so individuals lose weight but eventually go off the diet and gain it all back with more. Earlier this year, U.S News & World Report published the “Best Diets” (http://health.usnews.com/best-diet ) as rated by a team of impressive experts (http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/experts) including physicians, nutritionists, and psychologists. These experts looked at the following criteria: how easy it is to follow, its ability to produce short-term and long-term weight loss, its nutritional completeness, its safety and its potential for preventing and managing diabetes and heart disease. From this report it appears most diets don’t work, at least long term. If you are considering following a popular diet, I recommend reviewing this report before you choose one.
The discouraging part of many of these diets is they do produce results, short term, but are very restrictive, and as individuals lose weight, they also lose lean body mass (muscle) – the very thing that maintains our metabolism, gives our body shape, and provides energy and power. As the individuals regain the weight, it’s all fat and the muscle is long gone… unless they are planning to rebuild it through regular a strength training program.
This “yo-yo” process is especially problematic as we grow older because it speeds up the natural loss of lean body mass that occurs with aging, leading us to feel weaker and older than we really are. So, how can we stop the weight loss, fat gain cycle? Below are 6 tried and true strategies that have worked for me and many of my clients to increase energy, keep the muscle, lose fat and keep it off.
- Say “No” to Diets: Many diets are restrictive or eliminate foods that are considered healthy with supporting studies that show these foods contribute to healthy outcomes and decreased chronic disease. Some of these foods include whole grains, dairy, and fruits. Of course if you have allergies it is best practice to avoid them.
- Eat a Balanced Diet: The best strategy is to eat a variety of foods in all food groups including lean meats, plant proteins such as peanut or almond butter, low fat dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts and seeds. Avoid or at least limit processed foods that contain added salt, sugar, and fat.
- Eat smaller portions: Bottom line, most individuals gain weight because they eat is more than they burn. Just cutting back is a great first step. I learned a valuable strategy from one of my clients called the “80-20” rule – eat to feel 80% full by decreasing your portion by 20%. Don’t even put it on your plate to avoid the temptation to eat it.
- Avoid the Hunger Beast: The Hunger Beast is stronger than any will power. When we allow ourselves to get too hungry, no will power can stand. Eating a substantial snack between meals will help stand strong against temptation. Examples may be a mini bagel with natural peanut or almond butter, Greek yogurt with nuts, or garbanzo beans with Italian dressing, these snacks work great to take the hunger away until the next meal, making it possible to be in control of your choices.
- Eat Carbs to Spare Muscle: So many diets want us to believe carbohydrates are the enemy, when they are actually what helps spare our muscle when dieting. Typically, when losing weight, we lose fat, water, and muscle. When we eat low carbs, our body uses our protein for energy instead of using it to rebuild and spare our muscle. Best strategy is to eat a minimum of 125 to 150 gms of carbohydrates per day. Carbs don’t make us fat, over eating does. Most extremely lean body builders’ diets consist of 50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fat. There are also studies showing no significant differences in weight loss when macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) percentages are adjusted between high protein/low carb to low fat/high carb. Overall studies show the primary contributing factor to weight loss is a calorie deficit.
- Pick a diet plan you can follow for life: No matter what diet you follow if you don’t like it or it is too hard to follow, it won’t work for you! Our brain needs to attach change with a positive to adhere to a diet. Otherwise, struggling will cause the brain to revert back to old habits. Therefore, gradually modify food choices and behaviors using the strategies above and move frequently to stay strong, energized, and healthy.
I would love to help you reach your goals and save you the frustration of following a diet to lose weight just to regain fat. ATP Fitness starting in September 2016 is focusing on “Eating for Energy” for the education theme. The group coaching following the exercise will review various diets, foods, and eating habits and their impact on weight, energy, and health. Learn more by contacting me at [email protected].
Today’s Author: Sandie Lynch MS, RDN, LDN, Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer, and Wholistic Wellbeing Coach. Owner and CEO of ATP Consultants, LLC. Sharing 5 Key Principles to Attain Top Performance in living your best life at any age!
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by Carol deLaski | Nov 5, 2014 | Health, Sandie Lynch
We all age and depending on how we live we can either speed it up or slow it down! I plan to slow it down, therefore, I am constantly looking for natural ways to do just that.
I can remember my mom saying, “I never feel old until I look in the mirror.” I too feel young, but when I look in the mirror I see the signs of aging. The habits I held in my early adult years have taken their toll; sunbathing, poor diet, and inadequate sleep.
Until a few years ago, I continued to rob myself of sleep because there were just not enough hours in the day to get everything done – at least I thought. Then I started to review the research on the design of sleep and discovered I was accelerating my aging and decreasing my productivity by living sleep deprived. Needless to say, I now make every effort to get adequate rest!
Free Anti-aging Solution!
Do you invest in creams, lotions, and supplements, and/or other anti-aging products to stay feeling and looking younger? You may find your best solution may be between the sheets.
Sleep is the body’s mechanism to repair, replace and reboot our cells, tissues, and memories. We all have probably felt and seen the ill effects of a poor nights sleep in our performance and in the mirror, but it also throws the body into stress mode and instead of using our food to optimize health and productiveness it begins to breakdown and alter metabolic processes just to survive.
Benefits of Sleep and How it “Slows the Aging Process:”
- Sharper Mind: Dementia or memory loss is a common sign of aging. In 2009, researchers determined that brain events, called “sharp wave ripples”, are responsible for consolidating memory. These “ripples” also transfer learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex of the brain, where long-term memories are stored. Sharp wave ripples occur mostly during the deepest levels of sleep, therefore, lack of sleep disrupts this process and contributes to impaired cognitive processes; decreased focus, alertness, ability to reason, problem solve, use good judgment, remember the days activities, as well as what was learned. No wonder I couldn’t get things done!
- Fewer Health Problems: Many chronic diseases are the result of inflammation in the body. Lack of sleep increases inflammation and our risk for developing heart disease possibly resulting in heart attack, heart failure, heart arrhythmias, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes. Studies have shown getting at least 6 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep provides optimal health, lowers risk of chronic disease, and increases our likeliness of living our longest and best quality life. Alternatively, our risk of dying by a serious accident increases when sleep deprived, as well as our risk of dying by a chronic disease. Dying of Cardiovascular disease increases by 50% when we get less than 6 hours consistently a night. By all means let’s get our rest!
- Younger Looking Skin: As we age, our skin becomes thinner and lackluster; showing more fine-lines, dark circles, and puffiness around the eyes. It also loses its ability to hold moisture and protect us from environmental allergens. Lack of sleep accelerates these results by two processes; first, it increases the stress hormone Cortisol, which breaks down collagen, the protein that keeps our skin firm, second, it lowers the release of Human Growth Hormone (HGH), the hormone responsible for keeping our skin thick, supple, and impermeable to toxins. Technically, when Cortisol is elevated it breaks down all proteins in the body; it is not choosy, even breaking down muscle tissue including our heart muscle. Cortisol reroutes our energy from rebuilding for optimal health, strength and stamina for survival only. The primary role of HGH is stimulating tissue for building, repair, and replacement, thus with the decreased levels in sleep deprivation, all cell turnover declines, making our skin look dull, and lackluster.
- Healthier Weight: Studies show lack of sleep increases hunger and appetite, and is possibly related to obesity. Individuals who get less than 6 hours of sleep eat about 500 extra calories a day, this is enough to add 1 pound a week. In a 2004 study, Siebern demonstrated those who sleep less than six hours a day were almost 30 percent more likely to become obese than those who slept seven to nine hours. Siebern says, “Ghrelin stimulates hunger and leptin signals satiety to the brain and suppresses appetite, shortened sleep time is associated with decreases in leptin and elevations in ghrelin.”
Sleep is the best way to ensure the body keeps all metabolic processes in optimal working condition for health.
So are you getting enough sleep?
Signs of sleep deprivation include sleepiness throughout the day especially after a meal, needing stimulants such a coffee or tea to stay alert, noticing decreased energy, ability focus, and memory recall, resulting in lowered productivity and living a full active life.
Set Yourself Up for Adequate Beauty Rest:
- Plan! Determine how many hours you need to feel rested and stay on a schedule. Go to bed each night at the same time.
- Wind down and relax: 30 minutes prior to bed turn lights down and electronics off. Electronics: TV, computer, and cell phones use “blue light” which simulates “Day” keeping you awake longer and prevents the increase of melatonin, which induces sleep.
- Keep it Dark and Quiet: Any light or noise interruptions during the night may trigger you to awaken. Use a sleeping mask or room darkening curtains or blinds. Use white noise to keep sound consistent throughout the night.
- Avoid Beverages and Large Meals before bed: To stay asleep keep beverages and meals to earlier in the evening, at least 3-4 hours for meals and 1-2 hours for beverages before bedtime. Eating and drinking too close to bedtime hinders the body’s ability to enter into deep sleep cycles and may easily awaken you to go relieve yourself.
Have you ever thought how old you want to be and what your life will look like as you age?
What are you doing to ensure your vision becomes a reality?
I don’t profess to foretell the future, but I’m planning to live to be 105 years old. God may have different plans and that’s ok, but if this is His plan too, all I can do is make the days I have left on this earth my best! I invite you to join me.
My philosophy in my “Wholistic Wellbeing” coaching business; ATP Consultants, LLC is to share 5 Key Principles to “ATP.” The ATP stands for Attain Top Performance in Life. Once I learned in college, “ATP,” adenosine triphosphate, is the body’s source of energy; I wanted to have a business by the same name. I love positive, joyful energy and plan to have plenty of supply throughout my life. My journey is live to “ATP” in life! Therefore, I love to learn and share the amazing qualities of the body in helping us do just that when we honor it with what it needs to perform its “TOP”…especially as we grow older. Get your beauty rest to feel and live your best!
What will you do differently to ensure that you “ATP”(Attain Top Performance) in life?
Written by Sandie Lynch MS, RDN, LDN, Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer, and Well-being Coach. Owner and CEO of ATP Consultants, LLC. Sharing 5 Key Principles to Attain Top Performance in living your best life at any age!
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by Carol deLaski | Oct 31, 2014 | Health, Kelye Rouse-Brown, Retreats
My mom, an Oklahoma native, was a cowgirl at heart. She believed in “putting on your brave girl boots” and pushing through. So, as you can probably imagine, I was very excited about this years Dress for a Cure Fashion Show theme of Give Cancer the Boot.
This event was created to honor my mom as she battled ovarian cancer. Dress for a Cure became even nearer and dearer to my heart when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, and my mother and I faced our health challenges together.
Recently, I have learned of an organization called FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered), a nonprofit group that fights hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Their focus is a good ‘fit’ with our personal experience of cancer and I wanted to support them. Truly, my mom was the force inside me. First she encouraged me to be proactive with genetic testing in 2001 which showed that I was BRCA1 positive. Then when I was diagnosed in 2011 she helped me to give cancer the boot!
My mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer over 13 years ago and passed away on April 3, 2013. Dress for a Cure is a way for me to remember our journey, and to educate others while having fashion fun. This event embodies so much of what my mom represents….the heart, bravery, and “cowgirl” spirit to stay alive during difficult times and to plan ahead.
This year was my 4th annual Dress for a Cure Fashion Show. I am excited to report that the event tripled in size this year and we raised over $1,000 for FORCE. This is an event that my mother and I saw as an opportunity to get the word out for a great cause. Thanks to my friends at Aspire Women’s Clothing Boutique and Whidden Hill who helped host the event. Aspire provided the clothing worn by our beautiful models (as they have the past three years) and for the first time this year Whidden Hill helped us give cancer the boot by providing the models with western boots to compliment their outfits.
Speaking of boots, I wear my cowgirl boots all the time as I too, am a cowgirl at heart. Wearing my western boots reminds me to be brave, to push through and to help others give cancer the boot!
Today’s author: Kelye Rouse Brown is an executive coach, conference speaker, HR expert, and seminar leader on employee and management training. Through her company, KRB Customized Training Solutions, she specializes in communications and leadership, career coaching, and result driven solutions for hospitality, healthcare and service oriented clients. You can reach Kelye at [email protected] or visit her website www.krbcustomizedtrainingsolutions.com
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by Carol deLaski | Aug 21, 2014 | Health, Laura Hall
Tomorrow, Friday, August 22nd, 2014 is the first day of Farm-to-Fork Frederick. This is an 11 day event where restaurants in Frederick County Maryland and local farmers enter into a supportive partnership to create a special menu where at least 70% of the ingredients are grown and raised from farms in Frederick County. This event is special to Wholistic Woman Retreats because one of our members, Miriam Nasuti, is the founder of Farm-to-Fork Frederick and we are proud to be a sponsor of this event.
Really, this event is about forging healthy relationships between food suppliers, local food establishments and the community. It’s about creating a win-win in both the personal and professional relationships of all involved. It’s about making connections and opening up opportunities for growth. Miriam is walking the talk of what it means to be a Wholistic Woman. In my opinion, she is nurturing wholistic relationships. Hmm…I think I just made up a new term…Wholistic Relationships!
On our Wholistic Woman website, we define wholistic as “intentionally growing each aspect of your unique self – body, heart, mind and spirit – in order to achieve greater confidence in expressing yourself authentically, both personally and professionally”. Using this as a guide, I’d like to suggest that the definition of a wholistic relationship would be a relationship in which both parties willfully and intentionally connect for the purpose of growth as well as to practice authentic expression of their unique self.
What are the components of a healthy, wholistic relationship?
Here is the list I’ve come up with: (so far)
- They support the growth of both parties
- Both parties are willing to practice the 60/40 rule which simply states that you strive to give 60% and take 40%
- Each person feels seen, heard and knows they matter
- Communication is authentic even when its uncomfortable
- Active listening is practiced
Now I know this community is full of people who are practicing being in healthy, constructive relationships both personally and professionally and we’d like to hear from you! What do you think needs to be added to the list? Let’s keep this dialog going! Please give us your thought to the question in the comments section.
Oprah Winfrey says, “Every single person you will ever meet shares a common desire. They want to know: Do you see me? Do you hear me? Does what I say mean anything to you?” I use this quote on a daily basis. I strive to see, hear, and acknowledge and validate every person I come into contact with…from the cashier behind the counter to those I love dearly. I’ve also let go of relationships where I am not getting this in return. For me, relationships are a 2-way street and I know I deserve to be seen, heard and acknowledged. I am no longer willing to give less or to settle for less.
Next week, I will be supporting Farm to Fork Frederick by dining out with my wholistic friends. I encourage you to consider doing the same. Spending time with the people who are special to us is important and I can’t think of a better way than over a meal at one of the Farm to Fork restaurants. You can get more information by clicking here.
In the mean time, don’t forget to give us your input on what makes up a wholistic relationship. Thanks!
Today’s author: Laura Hall is an iPEC certified life coach whose business, Hall Coaching, was established in 2009 with the vision of waking women up from the nightmares of “How did I get here?” and, “Is this as good as it gets?”, so that they can begin creating and living the life of their real dreams, hopes and desires. She offers both one on one as well as group coaching services. She can be reached at [email protected] or check out her website at www.hallcoaching.com
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