Archive for Wellness – Page 7

5 Royal Tips for a Healthier YOU!

04/29/13 Monika Comments (0)

Here are 5 Royal Tips you can incorporate into your life today to keep you Healthy, Strong and Happy for many years to come!

Tip #1  Treat Yourself Royally.  What I mean by that is Treat Yourself Special.  Appreciate and respect your gifts, talents and skills.  Be proud of who you are.  Sure you aren’t perfect – nobody is.  We are all exquisitely unique and wonderful.  Take the time to praise and adore yourself  – yes, that’s right Adore!  Even if you make “mistakes” (no such thing really as mistakes) that’s actually great.  We learn so much about ourselves from our seeming “mistakes”  – we move forward and become better and better.

Tip #2  Eat Like a Queen or King.  Eat well, in moderation and with enjoyment.  The Royals always eat their 3 meals a day without being in a hurry.  Let’s learn from them.  We tend to, more often than not, feel as though we have NO time to relax and eat calmly savoring each flavorful bite. Time to relax while we enjoy our meals is essential for good digestion, helping us make better food choices and certainly eating less.

Tip #3  Sleep in Your Royal Chamber.  Keep your bedroom quiet, peaceful and “sleep friendly”.  Eliminate all TVs, computers, messes or clutter.  Your place of slumber should encourage dreaming not scheming or planning.  A peaceful environment will aid in your having a deep and nourishing rest all night long.

Tip #4  Take the Hounds for a Stroll.  Get out and move, move, move – in the fresh air.  If you have a dog great – if not find a friend and get your exercise in that way or you can always go it alone.  I just took an invigorating walk with my friend. As she pushed her little 4 month old in the stroller, we chatted away making the hour go by so quickly.  No matter what – Strolling, Dancing at the Royal Court or Fencing – it’s so very vital to move your body every day.

Tip #5  Let the Help handle things.  “The help” refers to your family, friends, co-workers or whoever – let them help you!  You are not an island, you are not imposing, you are not a weakling – we all need help.  The more help you allow into your life the less stress you will have.  On my recent trip to visit my family – it was so lovely we all helped each other.  It was easy, relaxing and enjoyable because not one person found themselves doing too much or too little and ending up feeling resentful, exhausted or guilty.  You do not need to do everything yourself – just ask for help. I can’t tell you how often I need to remind my clients of this strategy … we often forget don’t we?

To keep up with the Royal Pace you need to give yourself the best treatment – whether you are a Mother, a Queen, a Princess or a King or simply YOU.

Until next time – Feel Blessed!

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Discovering Your Gifts

04/26/13 Monika Comments (0)

I grew up in a robust and lively household.  There was NEVER a dull moment!  With a family of 10 (8 siblings and my parents) there was a lot going on all the time.  Recently I have been reviewing my childhood and finding out what talents I accrued from my early days.  Even though peace and quiet was not something I had in my childhood home, I certainly developed abilities necessary to thrive in a hectic environment.  First my ability to handle many people and things at once was clearly established.  My ability to tap into others needs and concerns helped me be more adaptable and sensitive to others.  Also, considering I was the youngest in the brood, I learned how to stand up for myself and fight for wrongs incurred against myself and others.  I suppose speaking up for myself has given me my ability to feel somewhat at ease with public speaking (known to be the number one fear most people have).  I could also say that being the youngest almost forced me to make my voice bigger and more unique.

Have you found your voice?  What are the unique gifts you have developed or even forgotten from your childhood?

Here are 3 Tips on Discovering (or Re-discovering) Your Gifts:

Tip #1  Your Environment.  What was your environment like?  Was it chaotic, peaceful and serene, or was it active, exciting and never a dull moment just like mine?  Whatever it was like you may gain some clues about the type of environment you thrive best in.  However, you may find yourself choosing something exactly opposite of what you’re used to.   Having a busy childhood – now you’ve chosen not to have children or you were an only child and now you’ve chosen a house full of offspring.  Whatever the choice I wonder if you find yourself anxious or unable to relax?  Regardless of your environment – an inability to really relax is a common phenomenon of our culture.  We are so conditioned to be craving an adrenaline rush whether it’s by having a jam packed schedule, using food for excitement and entertainment, becoming addicted to Facebook – you fill in the blanks.

Most of us don’t know how to relax. Learning this skill, regardless of how you were raised, is essential if you want to have a healthy and balanced life.  The 1st step is to allow yourself to do nothing – yes, you read that right!  Stay quiet – no TV, no books, no knitting – just close your eyes fo 5-10 minutes and let your thoughts just drift from one thought to the next.  The longer you do this the more you’ll find your thoughts begin to disappear leaving you feeling calmer and more rejuvenated.  After your “Mind Relaxation” exercise, you might want to journal about any discoveries or clarity you may found during this process.

Tip #2  Getting Along. How did your Parents behave with each other and with your siblings?  Was it the same for everyone?  Did they have time for you?  It’s funny, I often hear that only children got a lot of attention and yet spent a lot of time alone – a possible contradiction.  It’s really hard to have much time on your own with siblings around, but an ability to create quiet time – a time to re-center –  can be developed.  I have found that when you spend all your time making sure everyone else is taken care of and always busying ourselves with others concerns – we usually forget what we really need.

It’s vital that you cultivate “quiet time” in your day or at the very least sometime in your week.  Rushing around here and there only increases your stress hormones, creates unhealthy habits, bad food choices and disturbed sleep among other things.  You end up “feeling ragged and worn-out” – not the desirable results when you would rather be feeling productive and  focused.  It’s difficult to do anything when exhausted and stressed out. So getting along with yourself first is optimal, and the only way to do that is by taking the time to get to know yourself better.  What makes you tick, what are your likes and dislikes, what are you drawn to?  The more you get along with and know yourself – the better you are at getting along with others.  Doing things for the right reasons – not to people please by continuously compromising on your goals or even your values is not the best way to live.

Tip #3  Did you feel nurtured?  This may not be easy to assess now that we are adults.  Our perceptions of feeling nurtured in our childhood may be a little skewed.  I find, in general, one of the most difficult skills to develop is self nurturing.  Most of us don’t really know how to do this successfully. Although pleasant experiences like going to the spa, going shopping, going out for lunch with a friend is really not what I’m talking about here. I have often seen frantic women rush to their spa destination as if it’s just another thing to do – another job.  They are thinking – “Let’s get this done and take it off our list – it’s supposed to help me relax – right?” This attitude kind of defeats the purpose – doesn’t it?

My mission here is to help you learn how to slow down a little and maybe sacrifice the spa and opt for creating a spa-like sanctuary right where you are – in your very own home without noise, brain clutter, distractions or other people’s agendas. In doing so – you’ll choose better foods to enjoy and eat in a more relaxed and digestively supportive way.  Giving your body not only the nutrients – healthy foods – it needs, but also helping those nutrients go to the right places in your body, giving you the most bang for your buck is the key. You see eating isn’t just about the food, it’s about the atmosphere and state you are in before, during and after eating.  It’s an art really.  The Art of Eating is one of the Arts of Feeling Nurtured so relax and enjoy…

Book to read:  The Solution by Lucinda Bassett will help you dig further.

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What is a WICO Score Anyway?

04/24/13 Monika Comments (0)

So many of you have been asking what a WICO Score actually is.  I’ve determined that if you have a high WICO score there is a good likelihood you will have a high FICO Score – what everyone wants right?  If you’re healthy and taking good care of yourself, you are likely to be more productive and successful, hence a high FICO Score.

Your WICO Score is determined by assessing specific health markers and underlying factors that make up your Wellness Index.  By taking an online test you will know how your digestion, thyroid, blood sugar or cardio vascular system, among other things, is scoring.  There are 15 areas of wellness that can be evaluated.  There’s a saying “you can’t change what you can’t measure.”  So taking stock, just as you would your credit reports and FICO scores, will give you a clue as to how you’re doing.

I know you want to be as healthy as possible, that’s why you are a valued reader of the Coaching For Health Ezine.  By taking steps now you can enhance your WICO Score and your wellbeing.

So how can you get the best WICO Score?

Here are 3 Secrets:

Secret #1  Keep Checking:  Just because you once were healthy doesn’t necessarily mean you still are today.  Check in with your body.  I often say when working with a client – “we are building a communication partnership between you, me and your body’s inherent wisdom”.  Learning to hear what your body is actually saying requires patience, practice and stillness.  Give yourself the time – evenings, weekends or mornings where you can check in with your inner voice and your body’s wisdom.

Secret # 2  Forget Perfection:  Give up the idea of perfection when it comes to your health and your life.  Perfection is a near impossible state to attempt striving for.  You can’t get there.  What’s ironic is that the more you try to be perfect the less “perfect” you become.  Perfection is often tied to people pleasing – a no win situation by all accounts.  Ultimately the only one you need to please is yourself – which could mean spending a day on the weekend in your pajamas. Unheard of you say?

Try it some time – you might like it.  Let’s face it, you most likely spend the entire week giving of yourself endlessly.  Why not give yourself the sweet gift of R&R on the weekend?  So maybe staying in your pj’s all day won’t be your thing but maybe something else will be.  Try something you actually would like to do – and remember to suspend all judgment or guilt while doing it.  Enjoy the quiet for a change.

Secret #3  Studies Show…  Nearly everyone knows that being who you are and feeling comfortable in your own skin is essential for your overall health.  Countless studies have shown the more integrated you are and tuned into your true self the healthier you will be.

In her awe-inspiring novel “Dying to Be Me” Anita Moorjani had to nearly pass on to finally get in touch with her true nature.  Ridden with end stage Lymphoma, Anita went through a

death defying and life altering miraculous recovery and came to know that unconditional love for ourself and others is the MOST necessary medicine for life.

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What’s Your Inner Size?

04/22/13 Monika Comments (0)

When my friends were visiting a few weeks ago we found ourselves perusing shops at L.A. and California Fashion Marts (we went twice it was so much fun!) I wondered what size we all were?  What size was I before and what size do I want to be?  I got to thinking, isn’t your outer size usually a reflection of what’s going on inside of you?  If you’re calm, feel supported and taking good care of yourself then you ought to be the right size – right?

You are often so consumed with your size aren’t you? Aren’t we as a culture? Do things fit or not?  You are often aghast when you try on that pair of pants you bought only last year and suddenly they are now feeling r-e-a-l-l-y   s-n-u-g!  Yikes – what happened?  Where did you go wrong?  Are your only fooling yourself with your disbelief ? Certainly you know what you did or didn’t do to get this result – don’t you?  OK – well maybe you forgot to exercise (a few times), oh and yes you completely forgot to have smaller servings, you perhaps doubted that too much wheat, in the form of pasta and bread could actually be a culprit…after all didn’t all of your ancestors perpetually eat this food and never gain an inch!  Quick note here – the grains of our forefathers were actually much better for you – they were filled with more nutrients from the rich, fertile non-ravaged soil, they were not highly processed, they didn’t need to be shipped from as far away as China (just kidding not sure if we import wheat – more like rice I think) and finally, we didn’t eat as much of it as we do today – it’s in everything.

But hold on, before you drown yourself in a bowl of cheerios, let’s get back to the title of this article “What your Inner Size?” Yes, that’s right – your outer size is dictated by your Inner size – or rather your Inner Life.  Your thoughts, your emotions, your feelings, your beliefs and your fears – everything that’s going on inside of you is affecting your weight, your wellness and how you view your world.  If you are suffering from too much stress – it will most likely be affecting your food choices, amounts and regularity of meals.  You may even forget to eat and that can be worse than eating too often – it will negatively affect your blood sugar and cause other hormone fluctuations.  Even if you’re vacationing and throwing caution to the wind – remember even on vacation you can use some restraint and make good healthy choices.

Your inner size requires a deeper look at not only what you are eating but what’s eating you and how you are coping with the demands of your every day life.  Your inner size actually reflects what your body will look and feel like.  If you are not treating it well because you don’t have the time and feel overwhelmed by making everything else a priority then eventually (sooner than later) – your body may start showing signs of your lack of attention with weight gain, cellulite, lack of muscle tone and heavens … dare we mention sagging.  But what about the things that are not visible as in high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure or digestive distress.  Your overall metabolism, energy level and how well your body functions will be affected if you don’t take care of it every day.

The good news is just by doing a little every day you will have a compound effect.  Try 10 minutes on the treadmill instead of 30 or 60.  You need to build in a habit of success. You will be pleasantly surprised when you start seeing the effects of all your efforts.  You may start seeing results as soon as 30 or 60 days into your new habits.  Don’t quit – keep at it.  Cutting back on the extra servings (even if the food is considered “healthy”), a little exercise daily as I mentioned, getting up 20 minutes earlier or going to bed 30 minutes earlier will all benefit you.  Taking your supplements on a regular basis is a very important part of self care. An easy way to remember to take them is by keeping them on your nightstand, kitchen counter or office drawer.  Keep them in a convenient place so you won’t have any excuses about forgetting.  Mine are on my desk both at home and in my office.  My Calcium/Magnesium, which I take at night, sits on my nightstand, it’s a real simple way for me to remember.  After awhile you feel something’s missing if you miss out on one of your new routines – that’s how you know for sure a good habit has been formed.

Your inner size is a reflection of how you take care of yourself and how you manage your life.  You are worth it – so begin now…

Stay well…

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Let Food Be Your Medicine

04/19/13 Monika Comments (0)

Hippocrates, the father of Modern Day Medicine, said “Let Food Be Your Medicine”. I go a little further and add “Let Your Kitchen Be Your Pharmacy”.  We can’t deny the powerful effects of a healthy diet from reversing aging and the potential for disease, helping you think better, move better and ultimately feel better.  Drugs are not nourishing to the body, however healthy nutrients found in REAL foods and bio-available supplements are.  I am not saying that medicine isn’t necessary – surely they are in emergency situations and for those who are already suffering from a debilitating health condition.  But choosing a healthy diet is the key to a long and healthy life.

Here are 4 Simple Steps to Reversing Aging in your Body & Mind using Food:

1)    Choose fresh, whole foods – Stay away from cans, bags and boxes.  Foods closer to their Natural Form – those closest to Mother Nature are the real deal!  They have all the vital nutrients your body needs on a day to day basis.  Skip all the processed food today – they will only give you the  minimal amounts your body needs and more likely will rob you of what benefits you may have received, if any.

2)    A Calorie is Not a Calorie: OK – there is some confusion about this.  For years popular media, diets and general information has been overly focused on calories.  Calories are only a fraction of what comprises healthy eating and being overly focused on them can get in the way of choosing the right foods.  For example: a piece chocolate cake may have the same calories as say a piece of chicken, but they are completely opposite in their effects on your body.  The chicken is a great protein source giving your body necessary “information” to help you stay healthy and strong.  The chocolate cake on the other hand has very little “information” your body can use. It provides empty and/or negative calories, robbing you of your health and vitality.

3)    Vegetables are your Friends:  Yes, your Mom was right!  Even though when most of us grew up they didn’t taste as good as they do today – why because today they don’t need to be overcooked or come out of a can.  We have farmer’s markets, organic food stores, and we can even grow our own.  A dear friend told me the other week she happened to have a volunteer cherry tomato plant growing outside her apartment – she’s on the 2nd floor!  It’s a new version of Jack in the Bean Stock!  Good food can grow almost anywhere – take advantage.

4)   Don’t be shy about using Spices and Herbs.   Herbs and spices not only enhance the flavor of whole foods but many have therapeutic benefits.  Like Turmeric, often used in Indian Cooking, reduces inflammation in the body.  Ginger (gingerroot or powdered) has a myriad of health benefits – not only does it reduce inflammation it also helps with any congestion you may have as well as digestion.  Sip on some ginger tea when you have a sore throat or your stomach is upset – it works wonders!  Also, Cinnamon is known for balancing blood sugar. These are only a few examples.

5)    *Bonus* Stop skipping on the sleep – So, so, so important!  Although, not food I have to mention it because it does affect how you digest, process and utilize what you eat.  Without your body regenerating and getting sufficient rest you will suffer.  Without at least 7 hours of sleep your brain does not receive sufficient blood flow.  Your decision making ability, mental focus and physical coordination are affected.  And long term effects can be dramatic.

So go to Mother Nature and let her do her stuff!  Eat well, Live Well and YOU will Reap the Harvest!

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Scary Food on the Table

04/17/13 Monika Comments (0)

Recently I was perusing an on-line newsletter where they were talking about Weapons of Mass Destruction – but they weren’t arms, guns, etc – it was about food!  The food choices that we and our children are making unknowingly on a daily basis are very destructive.  It’s a crime that such food choices are even being offered in restaurants or grocery stores at all.  Eating these items on a regular basis translates into becoming a walking time bomb.  Yikes!

A few examples are:

Burger King Meat Beast Whopper (the name should tell it all):

910 calories
60 g fat (21 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
1810 mg sodium

Denny’s Fried Cheese Melt with Wavy Fries and Marinara (just the thought set my heart on fire – and not in a good way…)

1,260 calories
63 g fat (21 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3,010 mg sodium

Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad (yes, dear readers even the “blessed” salad is not what it should be)

1390 calories
6 g saturated fat
1672 mg sodium 

Ok – here’s one more…

Claim Jumper Widow Maker Burger (again a very suitable name for what it delivers)

1492 calories
29 g saturated fat
2648 mg sodium

(courtesy of www.eatthis.menshealth.com)

Let’s stop this madness! 

Here are 6 Tips to help you make healthier choices:

1. Stop the Salt. The right amount of Sodium for a healthy adult should be no more than 2300 mg./day not per meal.  And for those with high blood pressure or diabetes the Sodium content per day should be no more than 1500 mg.  So obviously the 4 meals I cited earlier are much higher than they should be.

2. At home keep serving dishes off the table. Researchers have found that when people are served individual plates, as opposed to empty plates with a platter of food in the middle of the table, they tend eat up to 35 percent less!

3. Think before you drink. The average person drinks more than 400 calories a day–double what he or she used to–and alone gets about 10 teaspoons of added sugar every single day from soft drinks.  Many of these drinks contain more than a day’s worth of calories, sugar and fat! Swap out sweetened teas and sodas for water or tea.

4. Practice total recall. British scientists found that people who thought about their last meal before snacking ate 30 percent fewer calories that those who didn’t stop to think. The theory: Remembering what you had for lunch might remind you of how satiated you are and how gratifying the food was, which then makes you less likely to binge on your afternoon snack.  This is one of the reasons why keeping a food diary, especially when you want reduce your weight, is an excellent strategy.

5. Always eat protein at every meal.  When you are maintaining a healthy weight eating protein with every meal helps you feel more satisfied for a longer period of time. Protein is the best nutrient for jumpstarting your metabolism, squashing your appetite, and helping you eat less at subsequent meals.

6. Start the day right. If you eat eggs in the morning instead of a bagel, you will be consuming about 264 fewer calories the rest of the day, according to a Saint Louis University study. Again, protein is more filling and much more sustaining than a starchy carbohydrate would be.

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Is Your Blood Sugar Out of Whack?

04/10/13 Monika Comments (0)

Do you ever wonder if you are headed for hypoglycemia, pre-diabetes or even diabetes?  Do you have a family history of blood sugar issues?  Aunt Mary, Cousin Sam or Mom have Diabetes?  Well even though heredity is not the only indicator that you may become Diabetic – it still represents a 50/50 chance.

I live with Diabetes everyday.  My husband was diagnosed with diabetes long before I met him.  Since his stroke nearly 2 years ago he has become insulin dependent.  I have seen first hand how it has ravaged his body.  It started with his eyesight where he had to undergo 3 separate eye surgeries to correct a debilitating diabetic phenomenon called diabetic retinopathy.  He was then put on statins, blood pressure medication and many other medications to combat the other.

It has been nearly 5 years since we first became aware that he had kidney disease.  He was actually born with only one kidney – not as rare an occurrence as expected.  Most of us will never need to have an ultra sound taken of our kidneys and will, therefore, never know how many kidneys we actually have.  So unless kidney function is impaired as is determined by pain, discomfort or abnormal blood work, only then would you find out how many kidneys you actually have. So taking care of them now if a very good idea.

I am sharing my husband’s and my situation with you today simply to let you know that yes – Diabetes can be a very damaging disease affecting nearly even organ system in your body.  There is, however, a silver lining. There are thankfully many things you can do today to prevent its development.

Here are YOUR 5 Keys to Preventing Diabetes:

Key #1  Get Your Bloodwork Done Regularly:  It’s important to have regular bloodwork done – at least every 6 months.  You need to have a fasting glucose, cholesterol, HDL, LDL (and their ratios), triglycerides, plus an A1C.  Your A1C will indicate how managed your blood sugar is over a longer period of time – about 3 months versus just the particular day your blood was drawn, as glucose would show.

Key # 2    Move:  Of course, you need some type of daily or at least 3x/week ritual of exercise.  Walking helps relieves stress which is the major culprit in any disease process.  Merely walking or riding a recumbent bike 30 minutes/day will help you manage and lower elevated blood sugar if you have it.  If neither of these two activities do it for you, find something that does – but you must do it in order to benefit.  Unless you are up and moving along while watching your favorite dance contest on TV or while surfing the internet – you won’t be able to count these activities as exercise.

Key #3  Take the Right Supplements:  Ask yourself, would you rather take effective supplements now, or inject yourself with insulin later?  It’s really that simple.  There are many extraordinary blood sugar balancing nutrients that will help you manage an imbalance today.  If you have a tendency towards hypoglycemia, know that that is a precursor to hyperglycemia, aka high blood sugar aka diabetes.  Including a good fish oil, chromium, alpha lipoic acid, blood sugar formulas which include cinnamon and gymnema will help tremendously.

Key #4  Make Your Diet Matter – a lot!  Blood sugar issues are primarily a lifestyle issue.  Therefore, by changing your lifestyle, specifically your food choices, you will  have a much better chance of preventing diabetes.  Choose whole foods – fresh fruits and vegetables, quality proteins, and good fats.  Stay away from high fructose corn syrup, agave, and all sweeteners.  Know that fructose or fruit sugar found in real fruits is very different from fructose found in packaged, processed foods.  Real fruit also contains pectins and fiber which are essential in the proper breakdown and ultilization of the sugar found in fruit. To be clear Agave, which falsely masquerades as a health food, is potentially harmful to your liver – not a good thing at all!

Key #5  Don’t Ignore Your Symptoms:  If you suffer from signs of hypoglycemia – shakiness, headaches, or brain fogginess – always carry healthy snacks with you. The goal is to eventually eliminate these types of symptoms all together. Again, hypoglycemia can turn into hyperglycemia or diabetes.  Pay attention – your body is talking to you.  So many have ignored symptoms, whether pre-diabetic or any other, only to end up much worse off than when the symptoms first appeared.  If you do not feel right you must take steps to begin a process towards improved health – the sooner the better.

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Feeling Disconnected?

04/05/13 Monika Comments (0)

You may wonder what feeling disconnected or discontent has to do with weight, nutrition or good health?  Or maybe it’s obvious – when you don’t feel a sense of belonging loneliness or depression can often become your best friend.  Especially for women – feeling connected is essential.  The hormone oxytocin– also called the “love hormone” – increases feelings of love and bonding. This hormone is associated with the ability to maintain healthy interpersonal relationships.

We all want meaningful, healthy and spiritual connections with others but how about having this connection with yourself?  Ignoring your body’s signals is a way of disconnecting.  Not paying attention and eating poorly will eventually take its toll on your body. Do you ignore the whispers of your body or your mind? You can only ignore them for so long and then they are no longer whispers but roaring sirens!

Today there’s an epidemic of symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, loss of libido, weight gain, unexplainable aches and pains, sleepless nights and on and on…. These imbalances signal a deep disconnection to not only your body but to yourself.

Do you sometimes feel disconnected from who you are?  Sure you play the roles you have pretty well – but what about you – that YOU deep within.  I have written in the past about Your Inner Size reflecting your Outer Size.  What’s going on inside will eventually show up on the outside – good or not so good.  You can only get away with eating doughnuts, candy bars and french fries for so long and then this behavior finally causes you to not only feel physically tapped out but spiritually as well. Or maybe it’s not even the bad food choices you are making but rather it’s the portion sizes or the times you eat, eating too often or not often enough, starting and stopping diets or exercise.  Losing then gaining then losing then gaining again – you know that one.    By ignoring emotional or physical signs and symptoms you may be just waiting for the Perfect Storm to hit.  Heeding the signs allows you to stop, recognize and begin the process of change. It starts a quest to begin to rediscover what you like about your life.

You must look at the whole picture when it comes to your overall health.  If something physical is going on you need to look deeper.  You need to commit to yourself whole heartedly and take steps to improve your life – Today!  Knowing what makes you tick and what makes you sick is part of getting yourself back. Once you get yourself back – guess what? You get to not only have the healthy, lean body you desire but also a rich connected life.

Nurturing your body takes time and you may need some help to get to where you want to go – to help traverse some of the challenges ahead.  Caring for your mind, heart, and soul require dedication and commitment.  Learning to listen to the whispers of your divine intuition requires patience.  Allow Love, Health and Pleasure to co-exist within you and around you.

When you have a physical symptom – you may want to ask yourself – “what’s the real reason I’m sick?”  “Is something out of balance in my life that I’m afraid to look at?”  It’s time to learn how to write a new prescription for yourself to allow yourself to heal to the core.  Ask yourself “what do I need to make myself healthy?”  And then listen.  The answers are deep within waiting to flow out.  You may need some help along your journey – but it’s a glorious journey.

“In finding yourself you find your place”  Victor Hugo

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Are You Ready to Rebuild Your Body?

04/01/13 Monika Comments (0)

Some question I’ve posed this week – right?  Well ever wonder if that could be possible – have a whole new body rather than the one you were born?  The one that you haven’t treated as well as you should or could have?  I’m sure the latter response is a much more possible reason.  But not to worry all is not lost – yet!

You can have the body you want by doing a few strategic things. Here are the tools to Re-Building Your Body:

#1 Believe You Can – I started this newsletter talking about my Vision Board.  If you don’t have a Vision you will not be successful.  You need to believe it’s possible before you ever start out on your journey of re-building and creating the body you desire.  If posting photos of ideal bodies around you works – then do it.  Or perhaps you may want to write about how you will feel, look and dress once you have the body you want. If you connect these various images and thoughts to an emotion, there’s a greater chance that you’ll reach your vision.  Sometimes it may be a matter of just accepting yourself just as you are before you leap to a new you.  Take some time to think about this visioning process – imagine and then take action.

#2 Exercise – I started dancing again and I love it!  I urge you to find something you like to do.  You cannot have optimal health or re-build your body if you don’t move period – it’s that simple. Sitting on the couch watching others exercise or play a sport is just not enough (you knew I’d say that right?).  Why not have some weights near the TV ready for you when you are watching your favorite sit-com.  Or how about investing in a stationary bike – a great way to get some exercise while being entertained at the same time. Time will go by so fast and before you know it you’ve put in 30-60 minutes.

#3 Well Chosen Foods – Portion control, balanced nutrient intake, regularity (both consuming and eliminating) all play a dramatic role in re-building your body. The three major nutrients are  Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats – you need them all.  And you need Vitamins and Minerals found in whole, real foods as well.  There is often some confusion when it comes to carbohydrates, they do not only consist of the starches which you may commonly associate with the word – like bread, pasta, french fries or doughnuts.  Of course these are the ones you want to minimize and possibly completely eliminate from your diet altogether.  There are 5 categories of carbohydrates: vegetables, fruits, nuts & seed, grains, and beans.  Choose mostly from the first two groups – vegetables and fruits.  They will give you the most bang for your buck. Choose carefully, wisely and healthfully.

#4 Get a Coach – you will not keep yourself accountable, unfortunately, all by yourself.  The most optimistic and brave goal setting is wrought with failure to perform and accomplish without the support of a qualified mentor.  How many times have you planned to get started, but you simply didn’t, and then ended up beating yourself up for not doing what you had your heart set on.  There are kinder, gentler and more productive ways of getting the goal or dream accomplished.  Open up to some expert guidance – you are worth it – aren’t you?  If you don’t feel you are, you will definitely benefit from this re-building tip.

# 5  Find a Friend – can be a furry one, too.  Our adorable furry four legged and feathered friends provide so much opportunity to put stress on hold and maybe eliminate it forever.  Rover helps reduce the negative effect of the stress hormone’s cortisol on our body and mind.  You end up feeling utterly relaxed, calm – pumping up the  Joy Factor something everyone can use a little more of – right?  So walk your dog, pet your cat, give your horse a carrot. It’s all good!

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Categories : Self Improvement, Wellness
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Do You Want to be Skinny or Healthy?

03/29/13 Monika Comments (0)

What a loaded question – right?  Is this a tough question for you to answer?  Well, the correct answer is – both. However, I want
to qualify this answer as well – being “skinny” is not necessarily the best thing to be.  And it depends on what “skinny” means to each one of you reading.  Is it: “size minus”, “size comfortable”, “size when I was 16” or “size impossible”? 

Let’s break that down a bit.  Ten years ago I used to speak all over the country and had a talk entitled “Weight Loss – What’s the Mystery?”  My tagline was “When it comes to Weight Loss let your Jeans be YOUR Guide!”  And of course my brand has evolved since then, now it’s called “The Skinny Jeans Weight Loss Program”.  And as you probably know by now the “Skinny” in “Skinny Jeans” is more of a state of mind and an attitude rather than just simply fitting into and wearing the now popular “skinny jeans” style of jeans.

In the Monika world of weight loss “Skinny” means feeling good about yourself which includes having the utmost health and wellbeing possible!  A strong statement and certainly attainable and sustainable.  You must commit to yourself wholeheartedly if you want to have the healthy body, mind and life you want.  You must – it’s the only way.  Too many people fool themselves into believing there’s a quick fix to having the trim body they are seeking – not you – right?  As one of my clients and/or readers by now you certainly know it takes a concerted effort to have the results you want.  Prayer, visualization or meditation is good but you also need to take action to achieve your desired result.  You have to learn how to take control of you life, take action and make your health a priority rather than just fitting into a smaller size.  Whether its baby steps or leaps, you need help – there’s no getting around that.  We all do!

I have seen so many bright, beautiful women cheating themselves into believing they don’t need any help.  You may be thinking you can be more like a man and “do it all by myself”. Here’s a secret – I help men, too.  Many times men have an easier time of taking the weight off on their own simply because they have more muscle than women – but often they struggle as well.  This added advantage of “fat burning” muscle doesn’t necessarily preclude them from needing some coaching. Women on the other hand need additional support wanting to talk things out helps them process their inner feelings – a very real part of a women’s make-up  needing to be honored at all times. You want to feel heard, nurtured, special and connected.  What an absolutely great gift to give to yourself as you get “skinnier” and “healthier” all at the same time!

Be good to yourself as you get closer to your very own “Skinny, Health-ville”!

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Categories : Self Improvement, Skinny Jeans, Wellness
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