What did you CRUSH this year?

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says:

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.

Pretty profound when you think about it, right? 

So often we get caught up in all the things we think we SHOULD do … 

Or the things we should have done BETTER … 

Or how we will change things so next time they will be MORE EFFECTIVE.

But what if instead, you looked back on the past year and asked yourself:

What are the top 1-3 things I’m really PROUD of myself for? 

Even better, here are a few other wins to consider: 

• What big challenge did you take on?

• What new thing did you try?

• What did you do, even though it scared or intimidated you?

• What hard decision did you make?

• What did you start doing to move forward?

• What did you STOP doing, that was holding you back?

• What did you try, fail at, and then try again?

• How did you step out of your comfort zone?

I encourage you to take some time to think about the things you did in 2022 that make you proud. It’s important to acknowledge your achievements!

When we challenge ourselves – when we do things that make us proud – we build something called “self-efficacy.” 

That’s a HUGE trait to have. It’s a special kind of confidence that means you know you can count on yourself.

And there’s nothing more empowering than that.

Let me know what YOU are proud of this year by leaving a comment below! 

PS: There’s no time like now to get a start on your 2023 goals! We’re already planning our Sugar Busting Challenge. We will be starting right after the New Year, so keep your eyes peeled!

Making yourself a priority

Do me (and yourself) a favor!

Take a sec and relax your shoulders and your jaw. Right now!

Then, draw in a nice slow breath … and feel those muscles relax even MORE.

Forget everything on your to-do list (for just a second). 

What are you doing for YOU today? 

A LOT of people put their fitness & health on the back burner this time of year.

“I’ll start again after the New Year,” they say. 

And I’m not just talking about weight gain … it’s about how you feel in your body every day – mind, body, and spirit! 

When you stick with your healthy habits (workouts, healthy diet, 7-8 hours of sleep a night, etc.), you just plain FEEL better. 

You have fewer cravings … your immune system works better … you are in a better mood … your self-esteem goes up … and you enjoy life more!

And I can’t think of a better gift to yourself (and your loved ones!) for the holidays than that!

So schedule those workouts … and double down on healthy food choices. It really will make a huge difference for you starting TODAY.

 

As part of my own holiday plans, I’m making time this week to help 5 people with goal-mapping sessions. If you’d like to reserve a spot, just hit “reply” to this message and we’ll get you set up!

Remember: Don’t let the urgent get in the way of the important – because YOU and YOUR needs are important.

Last-minute budget-friendly gifts

The other day I sent a message about how over half of us feel stressed over the holidays – with financial stress topping the list.

If that’s you, I put together a list of budget-friendly holiday gifts that your family and friends will love!

(BONUS: You can find most of these gifts at local shops in your area, which means you’ll also be supporting small businesses!)

13 Budget-Friendly Holiday Gifts

1. Coffee or herbal tea sampler, with a vintage cup

2. Cozy socks or warm mittens & a hat

3. An air plant in a unique container

4. A milk frother so they can make their own homemade lattes

5. Satin pillowcases to help them wake up with smooth skin and hair

6. A wall calendar with fun or beautiful images

7. A unique deck of cards for game night (and/or Phase 10 if they don’t already have it!) 

8. A cookbook with healthy recipes

9. An infuser water bottle, so they can add fruits or other flavors to their water

10. Art created by a local artist

11. Inspirational sign 

12. Artisan-crafted jewelry or mantra band

13. Anything made locally

Hope this helps make your holiday shopping easier!

Holiday Checklist

It’s not just you — a study by Healthline found that when it comes to health and finances, not only do 44% of people think the holidays are “somewhat stressful”...

18% of them classified them as “very stressful”!

The good news?

You can conquer both areas – you just need a roadmap.

 

Thriving Through the Holidays Checklist

• Make your plans TODAY.
  If you love last-minute shopping, leave a couple of small things undone, but get all the big things handled ASAP … and make packing or organizing lists if your holidays involve travel or entertaining.
  
  

• Make time for movement EVERY DAY, no excuses.
  This will help you destress, sleep better, and boost your energy, metabolism, and immune system.
   

• Eat till you’re satisfied (not stuffed!).
  Decide NOW that this will be your plan of action!
  
  

• But still enjoy the “worth it” favorite holiday treats.
  
  

• Make time for sleep.
  A rested body & mind = better mood, less stress, and more vibrant health.
  
  

• Go outside for some fresh air and sunshine every day.
  This is a proven stress-buster!

• Create a fallback plan.
  I talked about this a few weeks ago but it’s worth bringing up again. Things will go sideways at some point. But when you have a plan, you won’t stress out when it happens.

When you boil your to-do lists down to the actions that really make a difference – and eliminate the things that don’t – it’s amazing how much you can accomplish...

WITHOUT the stress.

This is the same approach we use with our clients. We create a roadmap of the BEST actions that will propel them toward their goals.

Here’s to less stress and more of what really matters!

Try these 7 holiday swaps!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a wonderful day with your family and loved ones. 

We appreciate you and having you as a part of our amazing community! 

As the holidays are now in full swing, in order to help you celebrate but STILL stay on track with your goals …

I’ve got a quick list of healthy swaps – and my #1 swap might even come in handy today!

This is the time of year we tend to eat more than usual … and the foods we eat also tend to be richer and more calorie dense than normal, too.

Talk about a double whammy for your energy, digestion system, and (yes I am going to say it) your waistline!

By all means, enjoy your “worth it” favorites this year … but you can offset those with a few healthy swaps for foods you won’t even think about tomorrow.

7 Healthy Swaps This Holiday Season

 

• Fresh steamed green beans instead of green bean casserole

• Mashed cauliflower, squash, or sweet potatoes instead of mashed potatoes

• Baked cinnamon apples topped with coconut cream instead of apple pie

• Hummus instead of a cheese ball

• Creamy nut or oat milk in your eggnog instead of cream

• Zucchini noodles in your soup or stew instead of conventional pasta or potatoes

• Medjool dates or fruit instead of holiday candy or cookies (portion sizes still matter!)

…. And my FAVORITE swap?

Go for a walk instead of crashing on the couch after you eat. 

Going for a light walk (even a short one) after you eat will help reduce blood sugar and insulin levels…

And it may also help with digestion. 

I hope these swaps help you feel and move better this holiday season.

It’s the little things we do every day that add up to BIG results!

The military secret to staying on track

Did you know that in the military, every phase of every mission has a “contingency plan” (a.k.a. “fallback plan”), just in case the original plan doesn’t work? 

In other words, they plan to fail.

And although it might sound counter-intuitive, planning to fail when it comes to your fitness (especially over the holidays!) can save you from a downward spiral. 

I’m talking about when:

• Something comes up and you don’t have time for your regular routine

• You’ve got an event and your schedule gets thrown off

• You’re traveling

• The list goes on and on

Rather than expecting yourself to be perfect and quitting the second you slip up…

It’s better to know you’re likely to slip up and have a fallback plan ready to support you.

It can be as simple as going for a walk or having some bodyweight workouts ready that you can do anywhere in just a few minutes!

It’s not that your fitness will suddenly deteriorate if you miss a workout session or two … the real issue is that you can lose your momentum and motivation!

It’s so much easier to KEEP GOING than it is to start back up again.

If you need some help coming up with your own fallback plan, this eBook can give you a major boost.

Check out this free resource: my Wellness Bingo eBook. You can get it here: Free Gift.

This resource is perfect for you if:

• You struggle with menopausal weight gain

• You want an easier way to take care of your health while raising a family and/or building a career

• Or if you’ve tried strict diets and routines and want a simpler, more effective approach!

You got this! 

P.S. If you know it’s time to do something different and you don’t want to be in the same place next year with your health and wellness, I can help you come up with a contingency plan that works for you, your goals, and your lifestyle. Want to see if coaching is right for you? Leave a comment to learn more!

Accountability to Unlock Results

I came across a pretty cool study I wanted to share with you because it’s really important this time of year.

The study was published in the Journal of Health Communication. In it, researchers tracked 704 people in an online weight-loss program. 

A little over half (54%) chose to work with an accountability buddy. And guess what?

→ They lost more weight & inches from their belly than those who followed the same program without a buddy!

The more messages they got from their partners (both accepting & challenging!), the better their results.

Bottom Line: Accountability is SO IMPORTANT. 

It gives you that little extra bit of motivation to keep working. 

It’s also why we make accountability a key part of our coaching program.

I’m telling you this right now because we are heading into a very hectic time of the year — which makes accountability even MORE important.

We’re here to help you stay on track with accountability, support, and so much more.

Want to see if we can help you fast-track your wellness goals? Set up a complimentary initial consultation here: https://p.bttr.to/3ruMnLi

P.S. Join our private FaceBook group for additional support, challenges, recipes, and more! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASBOTP

REFERENCE:

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10810730.2018.1436622 

How much can you accomplish in 8 weeks?

Can you imagine having already achieved having more energy and feeling less bloated in just 8 weeks from now? 

There are only 8 weeks left in 2022 …

Which means now is the best time to make that happen! 

Instead of waiting until 2023 starts, I’m inviting you to get a head start on your goals NOW. 

And that leads me to a fun little assignment for you…

Right now, come up with a list of 2-3 actions you are going to commit to between now and the new year that will move you closer to your goals.

And then … schedule out THOSE ACTIONS so they become non-negotiable over the next 8 weeks!

What do YOU need the most right now? 

Maybe it’s:

• Working out 3x a week

• Meal prepping on Sundays or Wednesdays

• Kicking your nighttime snack habit

• Meditating for 5 minutes a day

• Getting more than 5 hours sleep a night

We’re on the home stretch …. it’s time to FINISH STRONG!

Are you with me? 

Leave a comment and let me know what you’re committing to doing! 

P.S. If you need a little extra accountability on your way to feeling great at any age, I’ve already helped more than 100 in my personalized coaching program. Want to see how I can help you do that, too? Book a slot on my calendar here <<

Confession: I almost hit the drive through

I’ve got a big confession for you today … and yes, this happens to coaches, too.

The other day I was just not into being “healthy.” I wasn’t in the mood for the lunch I made … the dinner I planned … or getting outside for some fresh air.

I don’t know why, exactly, but I was dreading it, and I kept finding things to do INSTEAD of what I had originally planned.

It wasn’t because I needed a day off. It was just one of those days.

So here’s what I did …

I laced up my sneakers and went outside for a walk. 

I told myself: “Just walk for 10 minutes, and if I want to turn around after that, I’ll just turn around and come back.”

And, you guessed it: After 10 minutes, I felt so much better I decided to keep going.

Not only that, but I ended up making the dinner I planned because I shifted into a better mindset.

Was it my best “healthy” day ever? No. 

But it didn’t have to be. 

The important thing is I showed up for myself.

The fact is when it comes to building healthy habits, what really makes or breaks your success are the times you follow through when you don’t want to.

It solidifies your commitment to yourself, your health, and your goals. 

So the next time you’re thinking of ditching your healthy habits … tell yourself: JUST 10 MINUTES.

You’ve got this!

PS: If you’re ready to show up for yourself and are tired of obsessing over every calorie on your plate and want to start enjoying your meals again, take a minute to see what’s included in my personalized coaching before spots fill up. Sign up for a free 15-minute consultation here: Initial Consultation

How long it really takes to get results

I’ve got a good one for you today – this is something I get asked about all the time:

How long does it take to get results from your new health routine?

This email will lay it all out for you but I also want you to keep one important thing in mind:

PLEASE do NOT get into the “crash” mindset, where you try to speed your way toward your goals.

That can end badly, with you feeling frustrated, stressed, overwhelmed … and then giving up. 

It’s so much more rewarding (and healthier) to enjoy the process!

Plus, everything that you learn and experience along the way will help you KEEP all of your amazing results.

All of what I am about to say depends on a few factors, including:

1. Your health & fitness history

2. Your current health & fitness level

3. Any workouts you do

4. The food you eat

5. How stressed you are and how much sleep you’re getting

6. The distance between you and your goal

With all of that said: it’s fun to see and feel the results of all your efforts! Plus, it can be incredibly empowering.

SAME-DAY RESULTS:

You might notice you feel less stressed, your mood is up, and you sleep better. You’ll feel proud of yourself for taking action! 

RESULTS IN 1-3 WEEKS:

This is when you start to gain some momentum. If changing the number on the scale is a goal, you’ll start to notice that happen (if not sooner).

Plus, you’ll start to gain real confidence in yourself, and will be proud of yourself for sticking with your new routine! You’ll really feel great and have a renewed sense of energy. 

 

RESULTS IN 4-8 WEEKS

You’ll notice your momentum building, with continued improvements across the board.

And if you miss a day or two, you’ll notice how it affects your mood and/or energy.

RESULTS IN 8-12 WEEKS

This is when people will start noticing and ask what you’re doing that’s new!  

Your energy will be up and you’ll be on your way to establishing healthy habits to last a lifetime.

You’ll notice your mood is more stable, your brain fog will be nearly gone, and you’ll have a lot fewer aches and pains throughout the day!

Now imagine how it would feel to wake up 12 weeks from now … after sticking with your new program and experiencing these results for yourself. 

Pretty incredible, right? 

Well it really all IS achievable – especially with the right plan and the accountability to help keep you on track. 

Whether or not we ever work together, I KNOW you can do it if you set your mind to it. 

And if you want to add some support to your routine, join our FREE private FaceBook group, Thriving in Menopause Naturally!

Join by clicking through here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASBOTP.