Author Archive for Monika – Page 8

Do You Want To Be Lean Soon?

02/01/13 Monika Comments (0)

With such a successful Women’s Event this past Sunday it got me thinking about women’s struggle with weight and how we can change our perception.  

I often wonder – is there an urgent need to get it off or is it simply a fantasy?  Is “I need to lose some weight” something you’re suppose to say especially if your not donning a pair of Size #2 Skinny Jeans?  Are we women expected to be something we’re not and never will be, but yet to be politically correct, we must yell out “I’m fat!”

Well let’s slow down here – having curves may not be as popular as it once was but heck if you’ve got them be proud of them! If you’re one of the “other” kind of body types – you know the more popular and often envied kind with little or no curves – be proud, too (believe me some aren’t even in this category!).

Studies have shown 95% of a women’s self esteem is based on her body image.  Doing everything you can to appreciate your body today is crucial. If you are having less energy, digestive distress, hormonal imbalances appreciate your body, too and get these issues addressed – the sooner the better.  If you are feeling disassociated from your body; not feeling comfortable in your own skin – it may be time to deal with your emotional as well as physical health.

Having 5, 10, 50 lbs more than you desire requires a concerted effort to rid yourself of excess weight.  However, during this weight loss process it’sessential you treat yourself well both emotional and physically.  Stop berating yourself for losing only 1 lb. in 1 week or having a bigger serving than you actually needed or even that you found yourself being less than pleasant to someone perhaps surprisingly out of character for you – you’re always the demure and civilized one –right?  Stuffing your feelings with food is no longer an option.  Some of your responses may initially surprise or even scare you but just know it’s a natural part of the terrain.

When you are making behavioral changes during your weight loss process – it’s important to know that change takes time. Too fast – it won’t last!  You need to “grow into” your New Habits and into the NEW YOU.  I have often noticed that when there’s a rush to get the weight off and when it finally comes off the behavioral changes have not really been anchored long enough to become permanent. You start taking the focus off healthy eating habits, maintenance is disregarded and the lbs. come back on.

Try these to stay on track during maintenance: 

#1  Remember the Successes.  It’s a good idea to think about how far you’ve come in losing the weight you said you wanted to.  If you find yourself not being perfect one or two days tell yourself you’re doing a food experiment and laugh at yourself and then get back on track immediately.  You must work on healthy self talk and tell yourself you’ve been successful so far and you can continue to remain successful.

#2 Don’t be the Hare. Too fast – like the Hare – will never sustain your balanced weight and healthy habits.  You may find your habits going on vacation and your weight coming home to rest and stay.  Watch out for the signs – sugar every day, eating the same portion as your husband again, and evening snacking.

#3  You’re in it for the Long Haul. Know your weight loss is long term so get used to thinking of it as such.  If you think it’s just temporary – guess what that’s what it will be.  It’s vital you manage your thoughts about your new healthy lifestyle by confirming that you are worth it and staying healthy and lean is the most important thing in your universe. After all – as my mother always says: “Your health is everything!” Don’t be someone who misses having good health but be the person who embraces it.

#4   Starting and Stop.  It takes more energy to get a boulder up a hill but very little to get it down the hill.  Remember this – it’s so much easier to maintain a healthy weight once you’ve lost it then it is to gain it all back again and start over.  It erodes your self esteem and your determination.  It’s also very stressful and wearing on your body as well.

#5  Lean State of Mind  Once you take a step to starting a healthy eating plan or weight loss program something immediately begins to shift in your mind. You start to see weight come off and then you become more of a believer in the possibility that it’s doable for you.  You lose it and Voila you become a new person – a better, more self actualized version of you.  You Shine, you Radiate – YOU are more YOURSELF.  This empowering feeling becomes your new state of mind. No one can take it away from you – it’s yours to keep and to cherish. 

#6 Stick with Tried and True If you have worked with someone in the past – a professional stick with them – they helped you before they can help you again. The ongoing support is crucial if you want to stay lean & healthy long term.

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Want to Fit Into Those Skinny Jeans this Fall?

01/30/13 Monika Comments (0)

It can be done.  It’s seldom about what you are eating but more about what’s eating you.  Once you tackle and conquer this piece you will be well on your way to ultimate health, weight maintenance and happy days ahead.   Ok – I don’t want to convince you about life being perfect when you get to your ideal weight. It never is and never will be but you can get closer to feeling and being healthier if you get to the root of your hazardous eating habits.

I must admit – I am not perfect!  There I’ve said it – I struggle with sugar cravings maybe as much as you do. I am not as consistent with my exercise as I’d like to be. I sometimes do not get 6-9 servings of fruits and vegetables into to my diet on a daily basis.  I do my utmost, however, to live a healthy life and make healthy choices as much as possible. I am not perfect nor do I want you to think you need to be either.  I do, however, want you to strive to make healthier habits – that is my mission – it’s my Skinny Jeans Mission.

To let you know when I last wrote about getting into your Skinny Jeans I didn’t own a pair of the “Skinnies” but since then I did purchase not one but 2 pairs of Skinny Jeans.  Even though the Skinny Jeans Weight Loss Programs™  have never been about “Skinny Jeans” but rather about YOU fitting into YOUR Jeans – you know the ones you wear when you feel thinner.  It just happened to coincide with the recent Skinny Jeans trend.  But let’s take it even a step further – this is not just about you fitting into your Jeans but more about YOU Fitting into Your Life.

I have been told by women who want to lose 50 or more lbs that the thought of wearing a pair Skinny Jeans is a joke – something they can’t fathom or imagine putting on.  I will say this loudly and proudly Women over 50 lbs or over 50 years old can and should feel beautiful in their body and find a pair of jeans they feel comfortable in and look good in.

Here Are 5 Skinny Jeans Truths To Consider:

Skinny Jean Truth #1 – Don’t Be afraid To Try them On:  As is everything in life – don’t be afraid to try something new. Stretch a little (and make sure your Skinnies have stretch, too!).  You will never know until you jump in.  I realized when I looked for my own Skinny Jeans I was curious as to how would look in them. Initially there was a bit of trepidation but I soon realized if I didn’t try them on I’d never really know.  So go ahead have fun with them.  The worst that can happen is they don’t fit.  Just like trying on a new habit – don’t be afraid to try it on for size.  And hopefully if it’s a healthy one it’ll stick with you for good.

Skinny Jean Truth #2 – Invite a Friend:  Playing with clothes can be fun if done with a friend.  Whether you are doing retail therapy or finding new ways to put together existing items in your closet.  Doing a Healthy Eating Weight Loss Program is also better with a buddy, too.  Or better yet with your spouse.  If your spouse is supporting you by joining you – your efforts will be much more easily rewarded and results will soon be visible for both of you.  You won’t need to battle with someone bringing tempting foods into the house – you’ll both be on the same page and your plates will reflect that.

Skinny Jean Truth #3 – YOUR Jeans may be another’s Nightmare:  Do not compare yourself to anyone else.   This will make you crazy and very unhappy.  Someone will always have less weight too lose, be a much smaller size, able to eat more or eat things you are not able to.  Or maybe your friend, sister or a co-worker doesn’t even need (or want) to lose weight. We are all different with different needs, wants and desires – respect your uniqueness.  Know that your timeline maybe different, or your genes, background, experience or whatever may be different – honor that about yourself!

Skinny Jean Truth #4 – All Jeans Can Lead YOU to Rome:  If you put one foot in front of the next – you will eventually get to where you want to go.  If you expect overnight success with your weight loss efforts or healthy eating regimen – you may be dissapointed.  You must do what it takes and You MUST take just one step, then the next – each step builds from the one previously.

And then before you know it – Voila – you are there – into your Skinny Jeans!  You have lost the weight, you now eating 5-9 fruits and vegetables per day and you’re going to the gym or exercising in some form every other day.  An important first sign that tells that you’ve arrived  is when you feel something’s missing in your life if you don’t eat right or miss out out on another healthy new lifestyle habit.  And who knows maybe you’ll be in Rome buying your New Jeans.  Well, maybe…

Skinny Jean Truth #5  Find a Transition Jean:  When losing weight – slowly but surely – don’t deprive yourself.  Please don’t think of eating healthfully with quality proteins, good fats and fruits and vegetables as deprivation.  This is the way you need to eat longterm for  optimal health.  As with eating, so too with buying yourself a few new things – like a pair of jeans. When you start to lose weight you’ll want to wear something that flatters you and makes you feel good as you lose your weight. For example: if you have 50 lbs to lose – buy a new pair at the 25 lbs weight loss mark.  I suggest treating yourself as you get to your half way mark to your goal.

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Are YOU Sick and Tired of Trying to Squeeze into…?

01/28/13 Monika Comments (0)

Are you thinking that it may be time to give your jeans away because you’ll never fit into them?

Are you sick and tired of squeezing into our…?  Well you name it…

Panic no more, leave the depression behind, grab onto your leather belts and floral scarves… You really don’t have to give up.  You can fit into your clothes again — no fooling.  It does however, take some work.  Hopefully that’s not surprising.  But wait it doesn’t have to mean pushing a boulder up a steep hill – no, not at all.  Believe it or not this is not rocket science – sound nutritional and behavioral science – yes.

Here Are Your 5 Easy-to-Implement
Skinny Tips:

Skinny Tip #1  Believe You Can.  Guess what? We all think we can’t in some area of our lives.  Even the most successful have their doubts – but they still go ahead and feel the fear and you know the rest… yes, they do it anyway. So many things in life are hard but definitely worth it.  I had a client who detoxed her body as she began herSkinny Jeans Program-she felt unwell – tired, headachy, and unfocused.  This lasted a few days and now 2 weeks later she’s feeling more energetic and focused than she has in a long time. She hung in there, believed she could and she’s well on her way to her health and weight goals.

Skinny Tip #2   It’s Not Overnight. Your habits took a while to get comfortable in your body and mind and they kind of want to hang around for a while (like the rest of your life – maybe). But you need to tell those near, dear and unhealthy habits it’s time for a vacation perhaps a permanent one.  You need to boldly make up your mind to make some changes.  If you see you’re exercising habit is well established and you’re still not losing weight you may need to re-think your approach.  Know that even though exercise is essential for good health it is NOT A WEIGHT LOSS STRATEGY.  I need to make this very clear – 80% has to do with your diet – what and how you eat on a daily basis.  Exercise only accounts for 20% in contributing to weight loss.  Right from the get go you need to change your diet and your relationship with your food – absolutely no getting around this.

Skinny Tip#3  Forget about Will Power.  No such thing really.  Having sugar cravings may have originally started with you taking that first bite of cake.  But once you succumb to indulging you often find you just can’t stop.  Sound familiar?  Well science has shown time and again just how our cravings develop and how they effect blood sugar balance to causing the development of a yeast-like imbalance in our digestive system.  This yeast imbalance is called  Candida.  Candida live off sugar and the only way to stop the cycle is to starve the yeast from producing by abstaining from sugar and simple carbohydrates, as well as vinegars, mushrooms and other yeast or mold like food substances.  A good probiotic taken regularly will also stave off this imbalance once the culprit is removed. So again, once it’s out of control in your body, will power plays very little if any a role.

Skinny Tip#4   Make Preparation Nurturing.  So many feel like they don’t have time to prepare healthy meals and wish to hire an elusive healthy gourmet chef. I often counsel my clients about the nurturing and healing aspect of preparing your food.  Do you remember my saying“Let Your Food be Your Medicine and Your Kitchen Be Your Pharmacy”.  Believe it or not your kitchen can be your healing Sanctuary where you take good care of yourself by choosing healthy foods and presenting them in an appealing way.  Sure it takes a little time and some practice but once you get into the habit – you won’t want to go back.  Even if you are preparing your lunches – how satisfying is it to open up a fresh salad with chicken or fish – something you made with your loving hands – fresh and nutritious just waiting for you – don’t you just feel so pampered?  Yes, embrace this important healthy strategy – it’s good for you.

Skinny Tip #5   Say no to GMO.  Did you know Genetically Modified Organismsmay be the culprit in not only your weight gain but allergies and most of the health challenges you or your loved ones may be experiencing.  They can negatively alter your digestion, metabolism and you and your family’s overall health.  GMO’s are found in common foods like corn, cornmeal, soy, alfalfa, zucchini and yellow crook neck squash to name a few.

If you’d like to know more view this extraordinary film about Genetically Modified Organisms which you may, unknowingly, be ingesting on a regular based. Watch the film entitled: Genetic Roulette.

For a minimum donation of $2.99 going to the Institute for Responsible Technology you can watch this revealing film.

Click here www.geneticroulettemovie.com

So you see, it’s not that hard to stop squeezing into those clothes and saying hello to a slimmer, leaner you.  The next time you look in the mirror tell yourself -“I can and I will”. And then take your 1st step and stick with it.

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Is it Play Time Yet?

01/25/13 Monika Comments (0)

The fall is often a time for getting down to business and along with that comes serious responsibilities with a lot of stress attached to it.  So you don’t end up relaxing very much and your stress mounts.  Stress is a killer – not only in that it creates all sorts of conditions in the body, but it’s also nearly impossible to lose weight under ongoing stress.  And if you do – you’re probably not losing the weight in the right way – as in you tend to lose lean muscle mass versus losing true body fat.  Today I’d like to give you some pointers on how to manage and overcome the on-going daily ravages of stress.

Your 5 Stress Reducers:

Stress Reducer #1  Take Your Targeted Supplements. Unfortunately, taking a Multiple Vitamin may not be enough.  You need additional support.  There are several effective supplements I’d like to recommend they are: Rhodiola, Phosphatidylserine, extra Vitamin C and Vitamin B6.  These particular supplements are meant to help you reduce the negative effects of stress on your body and mind.  You may think you don’t need anything extra but I’d like to ask you – would you rather take herbs and vitamins that will heal and support you or wait until you need prescription drugs or surgery to fix a stress induced issue? Yes, of course you want to be preventative.

Let’s look at these supplements a little closer – Rhodiola helps calm your mind and enhance mood, Phosphatidylserine is known to help with memory and attention, and additional Vitamin C helps restore depleted stores in your body caused by too much stress. And finally Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine is a vital nutrient which helps build red blood cells in your body and, similar to Vitamin C, is depleted quickly during periods of stress.               

Stress Reducer #2  Get Checked. Have your physician take a Cortisol Level (blood test). Usually when under a good amount of stress you will be secreting an overabundance of cortisol which is hard on you body and hard on your waistline.  In fact, you may be asking “Waistline – what waistline – I can’t find it anymore!”  That is often the result of too much cortisol – you lose your waist and that one “oh-so-nice flat belly” – remember the days?

Cortisol is an Adrenal Hormone and is one of the 3 major hormones in your body –Adrenaline and Insulin being the other 2.  Adrenal hormones or stress hormones are responsible for your flight or fight response.  If you are constantly under pressure, meeting deadlines, over-scheduled you will find that your cortisol levels may initially be quite high but if this scenario lasts for an extended period of time your levels will go down.  Both high and low cortisol are undesirable.  You want balance in life and with your cortisol.

Stress Reducer #3  Enjoy Nature.  With autumn now in full “bloom’” it’s time to enjoy the beauty of the season.  Beautiful, changing colored leaves have a way of calming you down. When experiencing nature you may find that all of a sudden you really aren’t as concerned about getting that project done in record time anymore.  You are feeling more relaxed and centered. And you know what else is happening?  You’ve given yourself some time to unwind and slow down. The result of that is often discovering better and more creative ideas for tackling a problem. Your creative juices are engaged again and your have become more productive just by drinking in nature and appreciating your environment and the beauty of the natural world.

Stress Reducer #4  Detox.  Taking addictive, stimulating foods out of your diet for a period of time, or altogether can have tremendous healing power for you. Your system is no longer a battle ground trying to handle the less-than-healthy foods you are putting into it. Once you do this you’ll find your mind clearer and your body more energetic.  Those addictive foods are: sugar, caffeine, breads, sodas and foods you may not even know you are sensitive to and have issues with.  So taking a cleansing break would help you get back to feeling good again. I had a client who has done so well on her Skinny Jeans Quick Fix Program ™  that just last week she declared “I think I feel better than I have ever felt in my life or as far as I can remember”. Yes, she’s lost about 20 lbs. but she continues to abstain from foods that are not good for her.

Stress Reducer #5  Get Involved.  In my community there seems to be something going on all the time – classes, festivals, fairs, wine tasting events, exhibits you name it!  This month I’ll be a volunteer for the Annual Calabasas Pumpkin Festival.  If you live nearby try and make it – it’s a fun event or better yet volunteer – you won’t regret it.  There are so many things you can do just by taking a break and enjoying your own neighborhood.  These events are geographically close, they usually fit within your budget and you get to go out and meet new people and have new experiences. Getting involved is so vital for your brain function.  Learning new things helps develop and refine your brain’s ability to integrate and utilize information. It stays“plastic” a good thing in brain chemistry terms.  Your brain is malleable and, again, able to process new information readily.

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What I Learned from Cats

01/23/13 Monika Comments (0)

I start this article telling you about my cat Pushkin – how she was such an integral part of my husband Dennis’s and my life. She aged and became frail. I did everything I could to sustain her life. She decided to leave when I was on my way home from an out of town trip. She died in my husband’s arms at the age of 16. I was shaken to my core – although I’ve lost my father, brother and many others close to me – it was different with Pushkin – she was the closest thing I had to having my own child.

Pushkin

The next day after she passed away hummingbird flew into our home – we also lovingly call these creatures “Joy Birds”.  When I saw the Joy Bird I knew Pushkin was going to be fine.

Our Hummingbird Visitor

It took us up to 1 ½ years to open our home again to 2 new pets – Brian and Mitzi Juniper – very loving, sweet and different from each other.  They continue to delight and surprise us every day.

Brian & Mitizi Juniper

Why I bring up our sweet pets is to demonstrate my interest in healing – or some would say “fixing”.  As I said I tried everything to help Pushkin – so much so that she decided to go before I got back from my trip.  She was ready – I wasn’t.  Not ready to let her go.

Just as I am in my life and my work – I am always trying to find a better way.  How this or that can benefit my husband, my clients, my readers, my family friends and my community.  Inspired solutions come to me often – I am  a seeker, no doubt.  I look for and provide solutions to people’s struggles, pain and confusion.

For me the greatest gift I offer women and my men clients, too is a chance to be free from worry about how they look.  I help them look and feel the best they can or want to.

There may be limits to how far you can reach at one time.  We all face resistance especially when making important and sometimes necessary changes in our lives.

Questions and doubts come up:

Is it worth it?

Maybe I really don’t want this.

This is too hard

and on and on the questioning goes.

So as you begin a New and Wonderful Year know that your course and your choices are exactly as they should be at this time.  You can quit the second guessing and just start to take some baby steps.

The first baby step has to be a chance to check in with yourself without all the noise in your environment and in your head.

What are 3 – only 3 – things you really want to see happen in your life this year?  Imagine it’s January 5th 2014 as you look at your 2013 Goals List – which ones are you checking off as accomplished?

I wish you a wonderful journey this year.

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From Your Eyes to Your Thighs

11/22/12 Monika Comments (0)

Several years ago my friend and colleague Dr. Christopher Vogelmann – a chiropractor from the DC area – and I were jokingly (as we often do) discussingHoliday indulging. We were specifically speaking about Eggnog and agreed that this beverage’s key result is that the more you drink the more it will go “from your eyes to your thighs”.

Yes, no getting around it – this festive drink is highly caloric and potentially “dangerous” for any efforts of getting and staying in your Skinny Jeans. Which led me to think what else causes this during the soon to be Holiday Season?

Well most of the foods and drinks offered at this time of year fall in the same bottomless pit of regret and January redemption. So to avoid the possibly inevitable – this article will offer you some solution.

Here Are Your 5 Tips for Keeping It Off Your Thighs:

Tip #1  Eliminate the Temptation: Don’t start, be honest with yourself and remove the temptations from the premises.  It’s not only the candy bar or pumpkin pie, if nuts or cheese is your downfall avoid them, as well.  Keep them out of your house.  If a family member happens to love their crackers or ice cream enroll them in a healthier way of eating even if they don’t struggle with their weight.  Staying off these low nutrients types of foods is really good idea for everyone.

pizza

Tip #2  Keep Your Friends Close: Those friends I am referring to are the people in your life who support you in all and any of your efforts to stay lean and healthy. However, I am including in this friend category the actual foods that should be your best friends as well. These food friends are specifically vegetables, lean protein and quality fats. These friends are trustworthy, reliable and will always help you keep your thighs, tummy and everything trim on your body.

Tip#3  Beware of those EXTRA Non-Nutritious Calories: They add up oh so easily.  Think of a bank account – you spend a few dollars on this, $20 on that and $76 on something else and all of sudden you’ve blown your budget for the week.  Your food choices are kind of like that, too.  These little noshes here and there – at the family get together, while driving, while passing the candy dish at work. They all add up and can be astonishing if you were to calculate your nibbles. Or how about the chips and salsa – don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ll ONLY have one – you know where that will lead you? With holiday eating save yourself for the best indulgence – real, wholesome, nutritious food. These foods will give you more bang for buck and keep you healthy throughout the good and hectic times ahead.

dipandchips

Tip#4 Keep Your Cool: Maintain control.  You do in other parts of your life don’t you why not with your food?  If you are normally a pretty balanced person, however find yourself being stretched emotionally at work or in your personal life by some challenge. Taking a cooling off period versus engaging, which may take you in the direction you don’t want to be going, is a healthy thing to do. Give yourself a time out for a couple of hours a few days before making a decision and definitely don’t berate yourself – ever! Keep your cool, your control and your commitment to yourself to be good to yourself.

lady_meditating

Tip #5 Small Bites, Please: If you must try the “forbidden” food – go ahead and simply do it and then move on.  You might want to change the thought that you “can’t” have something because it’s “not on your diet”.  This type of restrictive thinking will only make you want it more, it’ll make you feel joyless and you’ll probably go over the edge and have a lot more of it!  Better to allow yourself a “food experiment” every once in awhile – trying the food will help you to satisfy your curiosity. So go ahead and have it. Feeling deprived and rebellious will make you overdo the forbidden food filling you with regret and a few extra lbs. Just take a few small bites and then be done with it.

If unhealthy foods are not around you won’t see them and you’ll be more likely keep your  thighs and belly healthy and lean all year long.

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Healthy Tips for a Wonderful Thanksgiving Meal

11/20/12 Monika Comments (0)

Thanksgiving is all about abundance—or, often, overabundance. Everyone wants to bring their favorite dish, or feel they must have both pumpkin and apple pie (with whipped cream on top, please). With all the rich, heavy choices, there’s a distinct chance that Thanksgiving will turn out to be about overindulgence rather than balance. You’ll be staggering away from the table, barely able to move. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With reasonable portion sizes and healthier dishes that don’t sacrifice flavor, Thanksgiving dinner can still be joyful, delicious and healthy.

Turkey1

Here are some healthy tips to help you manage your Festivities and Eating Pleasure!

1. Many recipes suggest rubbing the bird with butter before roasting. If you roast a turkey without overcooking, it won’t dry out—there’s no need to rub it with butter beforehand. Skip it and avoid adding extra saturated fat. Try chopped fresh herbs and garlic mixed with a little heart-healthy olive oil instead.

2. We’ve found that conventional turkeys (with added salt solution) do stay moister but if you’re watching your sodium intake, avoid them.

3. Skip the skin: a 3-ounce portion of light meat without skin has only 132 calories and 3 grams of fat. With the skin, that jumps to 168 calories and 6 grams of fat. (Dark meat has more calories but also more iron: three ounces of dark meat supplies 15% of the recommended daily intake of iron; white meat has only 8%.)

4. Many traditional stuffing recipes call for butter. Use a bit of chicken broth instead to keep it moist without the added fat or calories.

5. Sweet potatoes are already sweet, so why load them up with brown sugar and marshmallows when just a touch of maple syrup or honey accentuates their great flavor?

6. The key to tasty gravy is using all the drippings from the roasting pan(with the fat skimmed off). This gives plenty of flavor without the added fat or calories. Forgo added butter, which really bumps up the calories and fat.

This article comes compliments of www.eatingwell.com

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your Family!

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Categories : Diet

5 Tips on Managing this Year’s Holiday Season

11/19/09 Monika Comments (0)

You know the holidays are coming up on us just like snowstorm. We look out the window and there it is snow. We can’t see our way out of the garage. We are unable to maneuver on the streets. You may wonder, how Monika would know about this, she lives in Southern California. Believe me, I know. I grew up in Winnipeg, Canada—cold, windy, and long. For six months of the year cold is the norm. This is the very reason I live where I live now. Not saying that I might never live again in a climate as challenging as what I grew up with; however, for now I’ll bask (not too long, of course) in the rays of the Southern California sun.

Now back to the holidays coming upon us so quickly. Weeks away from Thanksgiving, our thoughts can’t help going towards the inevitable, preparation and all the subsequent stress attached. Always the rule of the day, isn’t it?

I invite you to add these tips to your holiday arsenal for managing the stress of this yearly ritual.

Tip #1: Don’t go to a social event starving. You are bound to overeat and will usually do so by eating the wrong things. Have a healthy and nourishing snack beforehand comprising of a little bit of protein (1/2-1 oz) and a healthy carbohydrate like carrots, apples, or a whole grain cracker. This will help stave off any drop in blood sugar you may experience, which is really the cause of your overeating in this situation. You may start eating anything and everything in site if you don’t manage your destined blood sugar fluctuations in advance.

Tip #2: Don’t over-schedule. It’s not a race. Try and choose only one or two events per week, no more. You will only get exhausted, drained, and may end up doing a lot of stress eating and drinking. We are so trained in our society to say, “Yes,” to everything during the holidays. Go there, come over, drop by, even if it’s “just a short visit.” The ongoing activity can seriously drain your adrenals and nervous systems. Even though it may be fun, being over-obligated is a strain. Just choose carefully and try to pace yourself.

Tip #3: Take a break. You don’t have to be Ebenezer Scrooge and work right through the holidays. Ebenezer, prior to his transformation, was not a generous man, not with his money nor his with his spirit. He was unable to give of himself. I want you to start being generous and give yourself the gift of time—time to recoup, assess, regenerate, and R-E-L-A-X. Don’t let relaxation be a nice concept and throw up your hands and say, “It’s literally impossible for ME!” Make a choice and dedicate a certain amount of time to yourself every day. You will be better able to handle what comes up during the rest of the day if you do this one small thing for yourself.

Tip #4: Don’t overspend. During the holidays, we end up feeling obligated to spend, spend, and spend. Half the time we don’t even know what to buy and why we are buying something, anything, just for the sake of having something to give. There’s no need to be extravagant. Giving something small, something you put some thought into, is worth more than giving or getting just anything.

The other day, my husband and I were celebrating our 11th Wedding Anniversary. I was picking out photos from a magazine to put on my new dream board someday. I looked at a few of the photos and became inspired to create an anniversary card from scratch. Sure, I could have purchased a card, but the act of putting in a few minutes and putting some creativity and heart into this card made it even more special for both of us. This is just an example of doing something small yet meaningful for those in your life. Make sure you focus your spending on the important things like your health, beauty, and joy for you and your family.

Tip #5: Stay home. Yes, that’s right. You do not need to travel every year. Have friends and family visit you this year. You can actually have more control of your environment, food, and time when you do this, especially with your diet. You can have a little more control over what does come into your house.

Regarding your environment, add something different to your home this year, making it special, comforting, and festive. Extravagance is not necessarily the order of the day. Remember, you can do something special with your surroundings not just during the holidays, but also all year round. Think Martha Stewart—every day is festive when she’s around.

So plan for an extraordinary heart felt time this year. Keep trimness, harmony, and pacing in mind, while maintaining your stamina and you will easily experience joy. You won’t be sorry.

(c) Monika Klein, B.S., C.N. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the “Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.” Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika’s services and programs, visit www.coachingforhealth.com.

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Taming the Home Based Business Stress Eating Monster

10/29/09 Monika Comments (0)

A colleague of mine suggested a Skinny Jeans Program for home based business owners. This sounded like an excellent idea. When you work at home, the fridge can be WAY too close for comfort. Here are some ways to dampen the ghoulish “Fridge and Cupboard Raider” within. It escapes so easily, especially when no one is watching—no one except you that is.

Here are 5 Tips to Tame This Monster:

  1. What to do when you’ve lost energy and concentration. When you are working at home, it’s easy to not get started and procrastinate. Then once you get started, you can’t stop working. You go into hyper-drive and may even forget to eat for hours. Then you realize you are unable to think any longer. You think, “Hey I’m hungry, maybe eating something will help get my brain working again.” Often, because your blood sugar has dipped too far, you may reach for some stimulating sugary item just to keep you going. Better not to miss meals, so you can keep steady energy all throughout you work day.
  2. Feeling frustrated by some delay or a client not responding the way you had hoped. You automatically let your frustration take you to that box of cookies your son has stored nicely in the cupboard. You can’t help yourself and before you know it, you’ve eaten the whole box (and it was not even open before you came along). Not only is this one of the worse ways to gain weight quickly, you will also face a sugar dive in an hour or so after eating this box of cookies. To alleviate frustration, try leaving your office for awhile, go for a walk, go to the gym and avoid making a bee-line for nearest grocery store, fast-food restaurant, or to your fridge.
  3. You find yourself disorganized and can’t find what you are looking for all day long, you wish you had help, and you wish this was easier. You want to quit thinking that this is harder than you expected. You are being hard on yourself and feeling hopeless. You ask, “Why don’t I get a job? What made me think I could be successful?” You’re at the end of your rope. Sound familiar? Well that’s when those cravings happen, attacks of anything carbohydrate—chocolate, candy, cakes, the potato chips—all of the forbidden foods. So remember, try to organize your day the night before. That always helps. You have a game plan as you go to bed at night and then you can start fresh in the morning by looking at this plan.
  4. You’ve done a great job and sealed the deal. In celebration of your victory, you feel you should reward yourself with ice cream or a couple of drinks with friends. What you might do is reward yourself with a massage, a movie that you’ve been wanting to see, or for a really big win, perhaps an extended weekend getaway. The latter is somewhat of a delayed gratification; however, just knowing you will be doing something special like this for yourself may help you prevent overdoing it with food and alcohol.
  5. Can’t get the creative ideas you are looking for, you may even feel uninspired, or even bored. You start frequenting the kitchen often. Any excuse will do. Even if you think that might not be the case. I would suggest, especially while working on intense and demanding projects and deadlines, to keep a food log or journal. You might be surprised. More often than not you end up snacking all day long. Worse, you have your snacks on your desk. Please avoid that temptation. Keep everything out of sight and out of mind as much as possible.

(c) Monika Klein, B.S., C.N. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the “Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.” Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika’s services and programs, visit www.coachingforhealth.com.

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Skin Care—Skin Deep?

10/23/09 Monika Comments (0)

Beauty from within is a very ancient concept. The cosmetic, health, and beauty industries have been focusing on this for decades. Scientifically tested ingredients and nutrients are taking the beauty field by storm. With our reluctantly aging population, the market for anti-aging products is seeing a growth spurt—from functional foods and beverages to therapeutic supplements and body care. The variety of emerging beauty products—think ingredients that target stress relief, anti-aging, ultraviolet protection, overall wellness, skin hydration and hormonal balance—makes it hard to deny the field of anti-aging is here to stay.

Market analysis firms like Datamonitor expects this industry to grow over the next year to $3.6 billion here in the United States and $4.4 billion in Europe. Amazing isn’t it. We baby boomers absolutely care about how we age and we are not going down without a fight. That fight is a gentle fight—right? I hope so. Using natural approaches to our inner and outer health and beauty is essential.

Industry experts say we are readily making the connection between what we put inside our bodies and our appearance. In general, most of us understand how our diets can have an effect upon things other than our weight and health. We know if a person is eating junk food and is overweight, her skin won’t be as healthy as it should be. We now understand as well, more than ever, that health does indeed equal beauty.

We are seeing beauty and cosmetic companies adding healthy fish oil, green tea, and resveratrol to their products. These additions are known to contribute to healthier aging. Even the NEEM plant used readily in ancient Indian Medicine called Ayurveda is being introduced into products as well. Topical use of this plant can help with fungal or yeast types of skin conditions. Also, skin care ingredients that help with the immune function of the skin are also being added and are becoming popular. These products address skin irritations such as itching, flaking, or scaling.

With this growing focus on beauty from within, adding nourishing nutrients from food and skin formulations that help with hydration are essential to maintain inner and outer beauty, and radiant health. Feeding yourself inside and out will increase protection from oxidative stress, which is the culprit for accelerated aging. Foods, beverages, and skin care products with powerful anti-oxidants called carotenoids and powerful vitamins are vital for health and beauty.

My favorite anti-aging ingredient is something called AgeLoc, which locks or stops the free radical damage of the skin. It literally stops the AR NOX enzymes, which are responsible for aging.

The scientific community and beauty industry will announce next week a new scientific discovery in anti-aging. It will have something to do with resetting your genes. Imagine changing the genetic code of your skin and resetting your genes so you can start looking much younger. Imagine that. Well I’m all for it. How about you?

(c) Monika Klein, B.S., C.N. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the “Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.” Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika’s services and programs, visit www.coachingforhealth.com.

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