Top Four Reasons Diets Don't Work (and what does)

Are You Still On That Diet You Resolved to Go on Last New Year's? 

Don't Feel bad- I can't think of a single person who is.

In fact, studies show that 89% of people who start a new diet for the new year, end up abandoning it just a few months later. 

But why is this so?
Everyone wants to change their body and life for the better, so why can 't we stick to the diets we vow we are going to follow? Here are a few reasons I've come up with in my personal experience and in my experience working with my clients:

1. Because diets don't address the mental and emotional components that come along with losing weight. They provide no tools to address emotional eating and therefore, when life gets hard or presents challenges (which it inevitably will), most emotional eaters have no idea how to cope without food, therefore, the diet is not sustainable.

2. Because diets have rules or "good" & "bad" foods which promotes black and white thinking and behavior. When we eat a food that falls in the "bad" foods category, it tends to make us binge for the rest of the day since we've "blown it" anyway.

3. Diets make us feel like crap about ourselves. When we eat foods off our diets we label ourselves as "bad" or we say things like "I was bad today, I ate nachos instead of salad at lunch". Food is food and we shouldn't label our character by the food we eat. If you are a good person- you are a good person, regardless of whether you chose salad or nachos for your lunch.

4. Diets don't address the fact that everyone has different genetic makeup, backgrounds, and lifestyles. Everyone needs to eat differently. You need tools to help you figure out what your body needs.

Our new program, Happy, Healthy, & Hot Coaching addresses all the components that diets do not. With a Health Coach Designed e-course on Eating & Exercise, a personalized Virtual Style Session, and a Self-Esteem Bootcamp, HHH will address all of the elements that diets fail to address.

Just think- after taking embarking on our program, this time next year, you won't be scrambling around looking for the latest diet trends to follow for the New Year. You'll know exactly what to eat, how to move, dress and think to keep you looking and feeling fabulous all year long.

Registration is now open. Click here for details about our exciting new program!

The Top 5 Style Challenges Women Have (and How to Overcome Them)

Did you know that how you dress everyday can affect how you view your body, even if you haven't lost a single pound, or gone to the gym in weeks? How we dress everyday is a silent message to the world about who we are and what we think about ourselves. It is also a message to the world (at least on a first impression) about how we want people to view us and even treat us. 

Think about the last time you left the house dressed in something that you thought made you look great.

How did you walk, talk, and interact with others? Did you notice a difference in the way others treated you? My guess is that you did, and most (if not all of it) was on the positive side of the spectrum.

Think about how you view others who dress well vs. people you know who obviously don't put much thought into their appearance. Who would you ask for directions from on the street? Who would you want to do your taxes, take care of your kids, or meet you for dinner?

Looking good can be a cycle that can improve the way you take care of yourself and live life in general.

Because when you look good, you feel good, when you feel good, you exude confidence, when you exude confidence you inspire respect. 

Plus, when you feel sexy and beautiful you are way less likely to scarf down a family-sized bag of Cheetos by yourself in your living room. You will be out on the town raking in the compliments from awe-struck onlookers as you strut your cute self to meet the hubs for a hot date, pick up your kid from daycare, or grab the mail.

I know what you're thinking- yep, that all sounds great Maureen, but I have no idea how to dress myself, so what now?

Don't go back to the Cheetos. You are not the only one with this problem! Many women face the challenges of not knowing what to wear on a daily basis. That's why I've invited Personal Style Expert and Contributor to our Program, Happy, Healthy & Hot Coaching, Barbara Aleks Hecht to share the top 5 struggles women have with dressing themselves, and (more importantly) what to do about them.

Here's what she had to say:

I’ve been Styling a lot of clients online lately and the more women I work with globally, the more evident it is that when it comes to shopping and getting dressed, no matter where my clients live, whether it’s in Canada, the US, Australia or Austria, the majority of them struggle with the same issues.

Here are the Top 5 Style Challenges I see, and how to overcome them…

1. You Don’t Know What Suits Your Body Shape, Personality or Personal Color Palette.  

This first challenge is at the root of all the other challenges on this list. If you don’t know what suits you or what looks good on you, how can you effectively know what to buy, what to wear, how to put an outfit together or know which new things to try?

Before you do anything else, you need to figure what works for you. How? By learning. Learn about your body shape and how to dress for it – which cuts and styles to wear and how to wear them. Learn about which colours suit you and learn about your own personal style – what you like and dislike, what feels like “you” and what doesn’t.

Read books, scour the internet or hire a Personal Stylist to give you one-on-one, personalized assistance and advice.


2. You Don’t Know How to Put Outfits Together.

Many women struggle with putting outfits together. They’re often overwhelmed by the process, don’t know where to start or are unsure of which items to pair together.

One reason they struggle is that they don’t know what to wear (see Challenge 1). Another is that they’re trying to create the outfit all at once, instead of breaking it down. A third is that they don’t have the right pieces in their closet to pull from. Finally, many don’t know how to accessorize, so they skip this final and crucial step altogether.

If you struggle with putting outfits together, first make sure that you’ve got Challenge 1 figured out. Then read the piece I wrote about the 5 Steps to the Perfect Outfit Every Time. It helps break the process down into easy to follow steps.


3. You Have a Closet Full of Clothes But Nothing to Wear.

In the many years that I’ve been Styling, never have I ever had a client with nothing to wear. (One came close, but even she had a few good outfits.)

The most common reason for feeling like you have nothing to wear is that you (like most people) probably wear 20% of your clothes, 80% of the time.

If you don’t believe me, or even if you do, start stacking clothes that you wear regularly onto one side of your closet or group them together. You’ll soon start to see which clothes you wear most and which ones get left behind.

Try to figure out why you don’t wear the ones in the “left behind” section. Are they the wrong size, colour or style? Do they need altering, cleaning or repairs, or are you waiting to buy other pieces to go with them?

You’ll soon see that not only do you have something to wear; you probably have more than enough or at the very least, a good place to start.


4. You Don’t Know What to Buy. 

By this point, you can probably deduce where the challenge of not knowing what to buy comes from. If you haven’t figured it out, read Challenges 1 through 3 again.

If you don’t know what suits you, if you don’t know how to put outfits together, if you have no idea what you actually have in your closet and why you do or don’t wear certain pieces, how will you ever know what to buy? Add that to the fact that you go into a store filled with limitless possibilities, it’s no wonder you either leave empty handed or buy the first half decent thing you stumble upon.

Once you know what suits you; once you know how to put yourself together; and once you’ve determined what’s in your closet and what might be missing, you’ll know exactly what you to look for and buy. You’ll be able to zero in on pieces that are right for you and avoid the ones that aren’t.


5. You Are Afraid to Try Something New.

Many women are afraid to try something new – whether it’s a new colour, pattern, cut or style. Part of this stems from knowing whether or not it suits them (there’s Challenge 1 again). The other part comes from fear and/or lack of confidence.

Trying something new is risky and scary, but how will you ever know how fabulous you could look if you never try? Trying new things allows you to grow and evolve and get better and better.

The only way to overcome this is to just do it. If you know what works for you and what doesn’t, there’s a good chance you’ll try something new and it’ll look great. If, on the other hand it doesn’t, well, then, no biggie – at least you tried. Just make sure no one took photos.

While these are the most common challenges I see, they’re not the only ones. Every single one of us struggles with something when it comes to style, getting dressed, knowing what to buy and how to wear it, looking good and feeling great.

As part of the Happy, Healthy & Hot Coaching Program I’ll be there to help you with whatever it is that you struggle with or are unsure of. I’ll be there to answer your questions, offer advice and share my expertise. I’ll be there for YOU!

Good luck and please tell me in the comments section of my blog how it’s going and what new sexy outfits you're creating to  inspire your self-worth.

Sincerely,
Coach Maureen
 
PS- If you'd like 1:1 advice from Barbara on how to dress for your own body type, then click here to learn about my upcoming (post-holiday) coaching program, Happy, Healthy & Hot!

How I Lost 50 lbs; My Personal Weight Loss Story

I have had many people ask me about my personal story and the motivation behind losing 54 pounds. They ask how I did it, how I kept it off and how I plan to lose the baby weight I'm currently gaining. So, I thought that since we are smack dab in the middle of the Holiday Season (and New Years Resolution Season is right around the corner), that I would share my personal story with you today.

I share this with you in hopes that it will help you realize that you are not alone if you have struggled with weight loss and/or a healthy self-image. Please feel free to comment on the blog, or email me with any questions you have- I love hearing from you!

I started wishing to be thinner when I was 8 years old. I know this because my mom recently pulled out a family album on which we wrote our wishes for the coming years. All of my family’s wishes for the future were hopes for traveling to exotic destinations and experiencing new things. My only wish, as an eight-year-old girl, was to become thinner as I got older.

Sadly, my wish was unfulfilled. In fact, I got bigger with age and my self-esteem & happiness continued to weaken.

I started dieting and trying to lose weight when I was 11 years old. My Mother who was equally disappointed in my weight (since she was a thin perfectionist) helped me by reading up on the latest diet fads and planning my meals for school. I constantly calculated calories, and became obsessed with staying within my daily caloric budget. I don’t think it’s any surprise that I stopped growing at age 12, topping out at 5ft tall.

Once I fell off my restrictive regimin, I immediately gained back all the weight, plus some. I became an “all or nothing” dieter, so even the slightest cheat was grounds for bingeing.

This was the beginning of my disordered eating cycle.

My Mother was always there to remind me when I was eating something “off” whatever diet I was following. This is when I started to secretly binge when no one was around to judge me. On top of the pressure I received to watch what I was eating at home, I was frequently teased at school by my (mostly male) peers as well. I was told by my middle school crush that I was too “Bloated” for him to go out with after I made my affection for him public.

Through my teen years and early twenties, I read diet books instead of schoolbooks. I gained and lost 30 pounds over and over and over again. I became obsessed with thin (not healthy). I tried every method the diet industry could throw at me; diet pills, low carb, low fat, the Grapefruit Diet, South Beach- you name it. It was all I could talk about around my friends and family. I would begrudgingly munch carrots and celery while my skinny friends would enjoy Whoppers & fries on a regular basis.

By the time I got to college, I was ready to rebel against dieting all together. I went on a four-year eating spree and gained over 50 pounds. Each time I ate, the goal was not to nourish my body, but to “stick it” to everyone in my life that made me feel like I needed to be on a diet. Everybody that found fault in the way I looked.

I got out of college wearing almost 60 extra pounds, with unhealthy skin, hair & teeth, and a terrible outlook on life.

I started working as a teacher and jumped right back into my binge/diet routine that I’d known in High School. Since I was in my late 20’s however, I was finding that losing the weight was not as easy as it had been when I was a teen. I was single, I didn’t find my job satisfying at all, and I was constantly dieting with little to no real results.

It was finally when I decided to start taking classes at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and became a Health Coach that I realized:

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT YOU PUT INTO YOUR MOUTH 

that matters when it comes to health and weight loss.

Sure, it can be about that at the beginning, when you start your diet, but you've got to have a foundation of self-love and respect to stay on a healthy path for a lifetime.

Without the foundation, you will fail on every weight loss journey you embark on.  

I had no idea that how I felt about myself or how I took care of myself on a daily basis was affecting my health (and weight) so much!

After becoming a Health Coach, I decided to make nourishing my body the onlygoal when sitting down to eat. This naturally led to shifts in my food choices- mostly whole foods with little human interference. I chose exercises that I enjoyed, like walking and running, 

And I stopped working out just to lose weight.

I also started reading self-esteem & confidence books that were recommended in the curriculum at my school (just as voraciously as I had read diet books in the past). I started speaking to myself with respect and admiration instead of hissing toxic insults at myself under my breath.

I realized that I was dressing to “cover up” my body since I had gained so much weight and had started to look frumpy and aged. I hadn’t the faintest clue about style or how to dress for my body type (I’m a total Pear!). So, I set up an appointment with a personal stylist to update my wardrobe, get recommendations for what colors flatter my skin tone, and how to feel confident with my outfit choice every time I left the house.

I learned that in order to look great, I needed to start feeling great IN THE MOMENT instead of waiting for that magical number to appear on the scale. 

AND YOU KNOW WHAT? 

Even though I hadn't lost a pound, I felt Fantastic! I had amazing energy, I smiled more, I dressed like I was proud of my body, I unapologetically took risks without worrying so much about what others thought.

And let me tell you- people noticed!

Everyone started telling me how beautiful and “put-together” I looked, and “what was I doing differently?!”, and the most frequent question- “what was I doing to lose weight?!”.

This was crazy to me because at that time, I was at the heaviest weight of my entire life! 

And then this slowly happened:
 

I lost 54 lbs. and returned to my body’s natural weight just by making a few simple changes in my eating routine and nurturing a positive self-image.

You know that old adage “I’ll believe it when I see it”? Well, when the goal is to lose weight and look great, I’ve learned:

“You must Believe it First, in order to see it Happen!”

You can't wait to love yourself until you lose weight. That is Conditional Love. You've got to give yourself Unconditional Love and believe that you are worth Every. Single. Bit. 

So that’s my personal weight loss story. If you get anything from it, I hope it’s this:

HOW YOU FEEL ON THE INSIDE, WILL EVENTUALLY MANIFEST ON THE OUTSIDE!

So, you must work hard to FEEL AMAZING on the inside! 
This is the reason I created the Happy, Healthy & Hot Coaching Program. This program is basically the summation of the path that I took two years ago to lose the weight for good!

I’ve combined health & nutrition with coaching in self-esteem, confidence, and personal style. But, unlike my journey, this program will have three SUPERSTAR PROFRESSIONALS guiding you every step of the way to help you feel and look amazing in just three months!

If you feel like you are ready to make that FINAL RESOLUTION to lose weight & look FANTASTIC in 2015, then click here to JOIN US and make this your Healthiest, Happiest, Hottest Year Ever!

Have a great rest of your week!
Sincerely,
Coach Maureen

The "Take Only One" Experiment (An Exercise in Mindful Eating)

Dreaming of Deprivation-Free Holidays without the weight gain? Click here to get my FREE Guide!

Hello! I hope you are recovering from Halloween and gearing up for Thanksgiving (I seriously can’t freakin’ believe it’s Thanksgiving in two weeks!).

Even though we are on to the next holiday already, I’d like to talk a little bit about my Halloween experiment and how you can apply its lesson throughout the rest of the food-filled holidays to come.

Each year I’ve conducted an experiment with our trick-or-treating Halloween candy bowl. You see, we have two very large, very intimidating, 120+lb. dogs that would scare the Elsa & Anna costumes right off those poor little trick-or-treaters if we answered the door with them bellowing behind us. We would put them in the backyard, if our Rottweiler didn’t try to escape by tearing down the fence each time we put him back there against his will. So, our only option is to put a decorative bowl filled to the brim with candy or small toys out for the trick-or-treaters to help themselves to. 

This is where my experiment has come into play.

For the first two years, I put a sign out that said “Please take Only ONE Piece”! Both years, my Halloween Bowl was not only gone in the span of about 25 minutes, the stool the bowl rested on was tipped over, and the bowl was thrown across our yard the second year. 
The trick-or-treating rebels (i.e. the half-costumed teens) were not only taking handfuls of candy, but they were sending me a message “You think you can command ME to take just ONE?! Go F yourself lady, I’m going to take as many as I can.”

The third and fourth year (this year included), instead of getting egg’d, I decided to change my wording on the sign. It now reads “Happy Halloween!! Help yourself!”

And you know what? They took the bait! Our bowl stayed full for at least three hours. Kids were actually being honest and taking 1-2 pieces rather than handfuls since they had no need to spite or rebel against my sign.

I started thinking about how this simple change in sign verbiage could apply to eating practices as well. When you tell yourself something is off limits, or needs to be severely limited, your inner rebel kicks in and you’re bingeing on the very food you’d sworn you would only have ONE piece of or a small portion of. 

Think about Halloween Candy for example- you’ll start out telling yourself that you are not going to have ANY, or maybe you’ll say to yourself “I’m only going to take ONE piece”, then the diet starts tomorrow. Suddenly, your inner rebel kicks in and you have devoured half your kid’s pillowcase of candy before the clock even strikes midnight- and you don't even like half the stuff you just ate!

That used to be me. Thankfully, I’ve learned to give myself permission to “help myself” when it comes to temptations…now they are no longer as tempting.When I walk up to a buffet of former “off limit” food, and say to myself “take as much as you’d like” I'm no longer inspired to binge. I take what satisfies me, then I walk away. I don’t pine over it and I certainly don’t crave it as strongly because I know that I can go eat it whenever I damn well please.So, if you’re avoiding the pantry or your kid’s bedroom because there’s still remnants of candy laying around and you don’t trust yourself near it for fear your inner crazy might be unleashed on those bite sized Snickers, you need to stop telling yourself to only take ONE!

Go get that temptation (i.e. pillowcase of candy) put it out in front of you, and tell yourself “You may have as much you want, you beautiful, amazing woman!” Then follow through, eat as much as you want of whatever foods/candies you like best.

One stipulation though- 

YOU MUST enjoy them- I mean really savor those suckers!! Roll them over your tongue and take notice of their flavor and texture. Roll your eyes back into your head while simultaneously saying “mmmmmm!”

After all, isn't enjoying delicious tasting food one of the greatest humanly pleasures we can partake in?

Some people will eat everything that's in front of them, some will realize they only need a few bites to satisfy their craving. Many might even realize that the food they once idolized is not that fabulous tasting after all, and stop craving it all together. The volume doesn’t matter, the way in which you eat it does.

Now that the Holidays are here, this is a wonderful time to try this experiment every time you sit down to eat or go to a food-filled event. Tell yourself you are allowed to eat what you would like and as much as you would like, then do it, and MAKE SURE YOU TAKE TIME TO ENJOY IT! 

Trust me, if you do this, you won’t go home feeling deprived and end up eating the rest of the contents in your fridge when you get home from the party.

Good luck and please tell me in the comments section how it’s going for you and what you’re learning from yourself as an eater with this exercise.

Best of luck!

Sincerely,

Coach Maureen

www.beyourselfwellness.com

PS- If you’d like to learn more about mindful eating techniques and ending the diet/binge cycle, then click here to learn more about my upcoming (post-holiday) coaching program, Happy, Healthy & Hot.   

Go From Cookie Monster to Cookie Scientist!

Learning to observe your food cravings is the first step to combatting them.

If you're like me, no matter how hard you try to cut junk food out of your life, there are still a few very specific foods that come around to haunt you, all-the-time. You start off the week with the best intentions to eat healthfully, then, before you even know it, you're knee deep in queso by Friday (maybe that's just me). 

There are so many reasons you might have cravings for certain foods, I talked about many of them at my webinar this past Saturday.

Click here to listen to the replay.

One of the main points in my presentation was that I want you to become curious rather than judgmental about the food you eat. Instead of scolding yourself for wanting to eat an entire box of Cheddar Bunnies, become a scientist or a very careful observer of your eating habits and food choices.

Notice the time, season, environment, people, mood, etc. surrounding you when you eat. Taking mental notes when you crave and indulge in certain foods is the best way to understand yourself and your body. 

Ask Yourself:

• Did you eat past the point of satisfaction? If so, why?
• Were you hungry when you began eating? If not, what need were you trying to fill by eating? 
• What feelings are present as you eat or before you started eating? 
• Is there a pattern with the foods you choose and the feelings you feel?
• What other forms of nourishment do you need in your life that you are seeking in food?

I expand more thoroughly on these points in my webinar, so please feel free to grab the replay. And when you're done listening, let me know in the comments section on the blog what foods you crave and what conclusions you've drawn from being more of a curious observer of your cravings rather than judging or scolding yourself for indulging. 

I hope this helps you in your journey to health & happiness! 

Sincerely,
Coach Maureen Witten
www.beyourselfwellness.com

What's the Deal with Coconut Oil?!

Coconut oil has been a very popular subject lately in the health world, and there's a lot of great reasons why. Not only can you can cook with it at high temperatures, like olive oil, it tastes delicious- and the health benefits are astounding!

Coconut Oil has lauric acid, caprylic acid, capric acid.  These acids give it antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial and antioxidant abilities. 

When you go to order or purchase your coconut oil these are the key words you should look for on the jar: 
organic-raw-extra virgin-cold pressed.

Did you know that in the 1940′s, Coconut Oil was used by some farmers to help fatten up their cows. However, the opposite happened- the cows actually became leaner!

Some of the benefits that are attributed to coconut oil include (but not limited to):

•   Weight loss

•   Heart disease

•   Immunity

•   Healing and infections

•   Digestion

•   Candida

•   Kidney stones

•   Liver disease

•   Diabetes

•   Stress

•   Bone loss

•   Tooth decay

•   Alzheimers

•   Hormone regulation

“Coconut oil has fewer calories than any other fat source. Unlike the high-calorie, cholesterol-soaked, long-chain, saturated animal fats found in meat and dairy products, coconut cream and coconut oil are made of raw saturated fats containing mostly medium-chain fatty acids that the body can metabolize efficiently and convert to energy quickly.”(Wolfe, 2009)

Did you know that Coconut oil is great in the shower too? It works as a cleanser and a moisturizer. You can also keep it on your nightstand as a replacement for your lotion. 

There is a lot to be said for anything that is chemical free that we can use on our bodies daily. 

Coconut Oil is also useful for bone and dental health because it improves calcium and magnesium absorption. This is especially beneficial to women who are at the age to develop Osteoporosis.

Here are some great ways to add Coconut Oil into your regular recipes:          

 * You can use 1 tsp. of Coconut Oil daily in your morning smoothie. It gives it a nice texture and it is so good for you. 

* You can use Coconut Oil in raw protein bars. It gives them a lovely texture, flavor and holds them together nicely.

* You can use Coconut Oil in treats, i.e. add 1 tsp. of coconut oil in chocolate chia pudding to add a smooth, creamy texture.

* You can add Coconut Oil to hot tea with a pinch of ground raw cacao for a special treat.

* You can even use Coconut Oil, cashews, and stevia to make a delicious frosting, by blending the ingredients in a blender until smooth (add raw cacao for chocolate frosting!) 

*Coconut Oil can be used for high temperature cooking, so try using it in place of olive oil and see how you like it! You can also try coconut water, shredded coconut and coconut butter in your recipes!

Add Coconut Oil to your eating and hygiene routine- I promise, you will not be sorry!

Got Cravings? Learn why you have them and how to tame them at my FREE Webinar: Deconstruct Your Cravings! Click here to register and reserve your spot! 

CRAVINGS: Why you have them and what to do about them!

Deconstructing Your Cravings Webinar 

...is finally HERE!

Why do YOU crave the foods you crave?

Food Cravings can take hold of us at any time of the day and for various reasons. We all have them and seldom do we welcome them. But what if our cravings are our body's way of telling us something on a deeper level? Perhaps your body needs certain nutrients you're not getting. Or perhaps you've been too restrictive with yourself lately and your body is rebelling in a way that makes you crave sweets.

OR, maybe your cravings for food have absolutely nothing to do with physical food.

Join me for my FREE webinar on October 1st at 6:30 MST to find out all of the reasons behind our food cravings and what do when they strike. All attendees will receive free a FREE Cravings guide, along with two bonus handouts created exclusively for this workshop.

Sign up here & share this link to invite a friend:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4854349694896059394

A CLEAN Recipe for Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ready to cleanse for Fall? Grab your FREE 7-Day Cleanse here!


Even though it's still only August, the Colorado air is becoming as crisp as the apples falling off the trees by the bucket full. Fall is definitely in the air! I get a tiny bit giddy when I see the slightest hints of Autumn because it is my absolute favorite season! I feel the anticipation of the coming holidays, enjoy trading out my Summer shorts for my Fall jeans and long sleeves. But, most of all, I love driving down streets filled with tall trees and relishing the vibrant, yet mellow colors of the season. And what better way to view the colors than with a nice hot beverage in your cup that actually TASTES like fall?

I haven't gone a single Autumn without a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks for the last 7 years. Until I learned what toxic chemicals go into making them- boy was that a freakin' bummer!! Ingredients like GMO milk, petroleum, dyes, ammonia, high levels of sugar, and preservatives.

Oh, and NO REAL PUMPKIN!!

That's too CRAZY to ignore and I for one, was so crushed to learn this about my favorite Fall bev- just before the season started too! So, after having a quick pouting sesh, I decided to put on my big girl panties and make my own Pumpkin Spice Latte. And you know what? It turned out fab! And it costs the same amount to make 4 Lattes at home as it does to purchase ONE Grande Latte at S-Bucks.

So here you are Loves- make this version and save money, time & years on your life. Cheers to that!
(Scroll to the bottom for the recipe link)

Happy Fall!
Love,
Coach Maureen
Click Here for my CLEAN PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE Recipe!

And Then My Car Got Broken Into…

Everything was going great…

And then my car got broken into!

You know those days, weekends or weeks that just go WELL? You want to pinch yourself because things are just falling into place, everyone's getting along in your life, and you are practicing your daily gratitude like a pro? Well, I was definitely having one of those weekends. 

My family and I packed up the car and drove to Colorado Springs so I could run my third 5k of the Summer (they're kind of my thing now). We decided to stay at a fancy hotel and make a weekend out of it. We visited their Zoo so my 3-yr-old could feed the giraffes and ate at all the wonderful hole-in-the-wall restaurants they have tucked away around the city. 

I thought it would be impossible, but I was able to stick to my Food Intolerance Eating Plan the entire time we were there! The key is to schmooze the waiter or waitress before ordering so they can help you (instead of roll their eyes) when it comes time to order and make substitutions or eliminate potentially toxic ingredients from you meal. You can click here to learn more about how to get yourself tested for food intolerances.

On our last day, we made a stop at Garden of the Gods National Park and did a quick hike. What an amazing place to take your toddler- there are bright red rocks jutting out at every angle and are perfect for exploring and climbing! My son was in Heaven!

We drove back to Denver and slid onto our couch just in time for the final World Cup Soccer Game. 
It was just one of those weekends!   

….AND THEN MY CAR GOT BROKEN INTO!

In my own driveway, the window was smashed out and someone crawled in and took my valuables while my family and I were all fast asleep. It felt like such a yucky violation. My driver's license, 4 credit cards, my iPod, and a spare key to my car were taken. But worst of all- my sense of security was majorly shaken.

I took care of the situation the way anyone else would, filing reports, closing credit cards, making appointments to get locks changed, etc.

The whole day, all I wanted to do was order takeout and sit on the couch and wallow in the sad thought that I will never get all those baby pictures I have of my son back that were stored on my iPod. And, three years ago, I probably would have done just that. I would've announced to my hubby that I am "emotionally eating tonight", and that was his cue to keep his trap shut while I gorged myself with crappy foods for the next 8 hours. Funny, I never ever felt better after my binges.

This time was different. The thought crossed my mind several times throughout the day. Particularly when I was filling out police reports and doing tedious jobs that I didn't want to be doing. I would think "screw this- I deserve fast food since I'm stuck at this computer and phone all day.

Then, I would think again.

I would think about the amount of time it takes me to 'recover' from the foods that I'm intolerant to after I ingest them, and almost immediately, I stop thinking about ordering. My symptoms show themselves in the form of fatigue, mood swings (major), tummy bloat, weight gain, and sometimes diarrhea (sorry about the TMI).

Then I think about how great I feel now, how happy, how my stomach feels perfectly fine after eating, how my mood is at an even keel all the time (even with the break-in, I remained clam and collected which is not my typical track record).

So, this test has been a blessing for me and my clients in that it provides an eating plan specifically for your individual body. No two eating plans are the same since it's tailored to your genetics!

You simply can't find an eating plan like that anywhere else! And, this is why I've had such a great success rate with clients staying on the plan, because they know exactly what they need to eat to stay healthy & happy and what they need to stay away from to avoid digestion doom & gloom.

Car break-in or not!

So, while I am still going to be dealing with this pain-in-the-butt situation, I know what foods are going to nourish my body & brain to keep me functioning at an optimal level throughout this process. I know, as long as I stick to my personal eating plan, there's not going be some unexplained mood swing or brain fog when I'm already dealing with enough chaos! 

Anyhoo, I wish you a very happy week & may you have an amazing weekend like I did (sans the car break-in).

Have a Happy & Healthy Day!

Sincerely,

Coach Maureen

Do you want a personalized eating plan that you can use for the rest of your life? Click here to get details!

What the FODMAPs?

Depression, Diarrhea, moodiness, bloating, abdominal pain, and flatulence…No, I am not naming the consequences of a trip to Taco Bell.

That was a list of symptoms that one could experience if they have an intolerance to a group of foods called FODMAPS.

FODMAPS is an acronym that stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols [1]. So, what the heck are those in plain English?

They are the scientific names for groups of certain foods. Foods that are usually classified as "health foods" and loved by Health-Foodies, Clean Eating Enthusiats, and PALEO followers everywhere. Some of these foods include avocado, coconut, watermelon, apples, garlic, onion, cauliflower, cabbage, beans and brussels sprouts.

Here's a full list of FODMAPS:

(photo from:https://areyoutheresoy.wordpress.com/category/low-fodmap/)

Crazy Right?! Who knew?

So, if you've been suffering from IBS or any of the symptoms listed above, entertain the possibitliy of getting tested for food sensitivities. Click here to learn about getting tested. Or, consider trying an elimination diet to discover your sensitivities- which I would be happy to plan for you. Click here to schedule a free consultation.

Wishing you (flatulence & diarrhea-free) Happiness & Health,

Coach Maureen 

Are you guilty of a little overindulging lately? Get back on Track with my FREE 7-Day Cleanse! Click here to grab it NOW!

Sources:

1. http://chriskresser.com/fodmaps-could-common-foods-be-harming-your-diges...

2. https://areyoutheresoy.wordpress.com/category/low-fodmap/

3. http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/low-fodmap-diet