Realizing Health and Wellness

CONSISTENCY… THE DOWNFALL TO WEIGHT LOSS🫣🍩🥨

The general consensus seems to be that the most difficult part of weight loss is consistency.

Staying on track…not ”cheating” too much… starting over week after week… guilt… frustration… binge eating… the cycle goes on and on.

The problem is that we view weight loss as something we need to do NOW. You are going to the beach in a month and want to look good in your bathing suit or you need to fit into a dress for your sister's wedding. You get what I’m saying, right?

We need to play the long game when it comes to lasting weight loss. If you want to lose weight AND keep it off a 2 week detox or a food cleanse or a drastic diet WILL NOT WORK. Our bodies are smart. They adapt, they change, they know what you are trying to do.

The key to lasting weight loss is making lifestyle changes that become natural. Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to over analyze EVERYTHING you ate? Or track EVERY step and workout you do? To stop obsessing over the scale? To feel in control of your eating?

What if I told you that you could throw the fear of consistency out the window. What if I told you that I can give you the keys to developing new habits so that you can lose weight and take control of your health?

You may not believe it… but it’s easier than it sounds. With the right guidance, individualized plan, and accountability you can 100% succeed in your weight and health goals.

This is exactly what I do and what I am insanely passionate about 💯! DM me to schedule a FREE 30 minute discovery call 🤩

If I was to start a coaching program that would help you lose weight, keep it off, and improve the way you see yourself, would you be interested?

SELF LOVE IS THE KEY TO WEIGHT LOSS

One of the 3 pillars of my mind and body transformation program for moms is mastering your positive mindset.

The basis of mastering your positive mindset is loving and accepting yourself for who you are.

Not who you think you should be.

Not who others think you should be.

But who you are at this present time. It may not be the best version of yourself…. But it’s where and who you are NOW.

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought to yourself “ugh… I look so fat.” Or maybe you flatten your stomach a bit to see how you would look if you lost that “belly fat.” Where does that come from?

You have this version of yourself in your mind. What you SHOULD look like. Where your life SHOULD be. What you SHOULD be doing. But… where is the basis for that?

It’s a story you have made up in your mind. It’s you comparing yourself to others. It’s you not accepting the person you are.

Once you can let go of the SHOULDS and accept who you are inside and outside, then your mind will be open to change.

Your mind will assist you with making the changes needed to lose weight.

You will be approaching weight loss with a different lense. A lens that you want to better yourself and your health. A lens that will support your own self development by giving you the confidence you need. A lens that is open and honest with you.

Does this resonate with you?

IS THERE REALLY A QUICK FIX?
Is there really a quick fix for anything? Sure you can try, but will it last … will it hold … will it actually solve the problem? Probably not!
When it comes to our health, our weight, and our well being there are definitely no quick fixes. Maybe you tried a diet for a couple of months… quick fix. Maybe you purchased some belly blasting supplements … quick fix. Maybe you did a one-month exercise challenge … quick fix!
I am 100% against quick fixes. I believe there is no such thing. To achieve lasting, meaningful changes you must work for it. If weight loss was easy, then everyone would be normal weight and we wouldn’t have a multibillion dollar weight-loss industry!
What should you do instead? Make a commitment to YOURSELF. Set a goal specific to YOU. Give YOURSELF time!
You cannot change everything at once. You have to pick and choose. What one aspect of your life, if changed, will have the biggest impact on YOU? Is it losing weight … is it learning to prioritize yourself … is it working on self-love and self-acceptance … is it gaining more knowledge and confidence around nutrition or exercise?
Pick one, just one, and give it 100% of your effort. Once you are in control of that part of your health, move on. This is a process. This takes time. This will give you lasting results!
This is exactly what I do! I help busy moms figure all this out. What is the most important aspect about your health to you and how can we address it? What are your specific goals when it comes to health and weight loss? What do you want to focus on? I give you the blueprint for lasting health, self-love, and weight loss for a lifetime.
Are you ready to move on from a quick fix and develop a lasting strategy for health and weight loss? Book a 30-minute call with me today to talk about your journey and goals! Click Here—--> https://realizinghealthandwellness.com/discovery-call-mbt/

The Power of Sleep!
The daily recommendation for sleep for adults is 7-9 hours of sleep a night! Now, how many of us actually get that much? I’m curious! Drop a comment below and tell me how much sleep you get a night.

I try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night but I rarely do. I can definitely tell a difference when I get over 8 hours of sleep. I feel so much more alert, in a better mood, and just feel better physically.

You probably go to bed late because that is the only opportunity you have to carve out time for just yourself. You probably get up early with your babies or kids to get them ready for school. You are probably woken up in the middle of the night by your kids–7 hours of sleep is a dream, right?

Maybe you have trouble falling asleep because you are thinking about everything you need to do or didn’t get done. Maybe you wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back asleep. Maybe you don’t prioritize sleep.

Did you know that sleep deprivation (getting less than an average of 7-9 hours a sleep a night) is linked to a whole host of medical conditions? Increased risk of heart disease, increased risk of diabetes, anxiety, depression, impaired immune system, weight gain…are only some of the side effects we may experience. Our body goes through a repair and regeneration state when we sleep which is necessary for our body to function optimally.

Sleep is so important, especially if you are trying to lose weight.

Here are 5 things you should do every night to set yourself up for sleep success!
Have a consistent, relaxing bedtime routine every night about 30-60 minutes before you go to sleep
Shut off all electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime
Set your bedroom up for sleep–keep it dark, comfortable bed pillows, temperature between 60-67 degrees
Go to bed at the same time every night!! (yes, even on weekends)
If you are not asleep within 20 minutes of turning off the light, get up and leave your bedroom. Choose a relaxing activity until you are feeling tired

What strategies work for you?

I will be going Live today at 10am (on my personal profile) to talk about the 5 keys to weight loss!

Did you know that one of the top indicators of success is your mindset? You need to believe in yourself and your capabilities. If you go into something new with a mindset that you will not succeed or reach your goals, then I can guarantee you probably won’t. Your mind is a very powerful tool.

Weight loss is no different. People start diets or new exercise routines with a lot of doubt. They think it will be too hard or they won’t be able to keep up or they don’t have the willpower to stick to a nutrition plan. They already decide that it won't work before they even start!

Why do you want to start something new with no confidence, no motivation, and no drive? What do you think you will be able to accomplish if you don’t believe in yourself? What will you do at the first setback in your journey if you have no motivation or inner drive?

If you want to set yourself up for success you must FIRST get your mindset right. Find your motivating factor, find your drive and determination, and find your confidence. Establish a support system and set attainable goals for YOU. Consider that whatever your friend or mom or sister or some random instagram follower pursued will not work for you. We are all unique individuals living our own unique lives. Start your new journey with a positive outlook, have a plan, develop a support system, and most importantly, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

Since starting my business, I am so thankful for the love and support I have received from my family and friends.

It’s hard to start something new! To have a vision and expectations that may not pan out. To pour your heart and soul into something without knowing if you will be successful. I am surrounded by such positive people who are rooting for me 100%. All your kind words of encouragement mean the world to me. On the days I get discouraged or feel overwhelmed, the support I have is what keeps me going.

So, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you. For reading all my posts. For taking the time to let me know you can relate to my content. For giving me words of encouragement. For just being there for me!

I hope to continue to grow my loyal following and reach as many people as I can!

Thank you 💕

What is your favorite recipe?

I don’t know about you, but every week I feel as if planning dinners is a chore. We have the same things week after week. I challenge myself to try a new recipe every week. Some weeks it goes well and others I’m just too lazy to search for new recipes I think everyone will love.

I’m known for making things up, piecing different recipes together, and never measuring anything when I cook. This does make it difficult to recreate dinners.

My kids LOVE macaroni and cheese. I like it too but it’s one of those foods I feel “guilty” eating. I know I shouldn’t have food guilt–and I’m working on it! Anyways, I'm always trying to make recipes “healthier” and this one actually worked pretty well! My husband said it was as good as “regular” macaroni and cheese.

1 head of cauliflower, 1 small onion, and 4 cloves of garlic–roast with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of avocado oil for about 40 minutes at 425 degrees (or until the cauliflower is soft and starts to brown)
1 16oz 2% cottage cheese
2.5 cups cheese of your choice (can definitely add more if you want it cheesier)
1 lb of pasta of your choice
2 tablespoon dijon mustard
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Blend roasted cauliflower/onion/garlic with cottage cheese (I used my vitamix, but you could probably use an immersion blender as well) until smooth. If it is too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of milk of your choice. Add in dijon mustard, cheese, and seasoning. Pulse to combine.

Cook pasta ½ way- it should still be very crunchy (it will cook the rest of the way in the slow cooker). Put pasta and cheese sauce in a slow cooker and cook on low for 1.5-2 hours. You can add some cheese on the top or breadcrumbs if you like a topping!

Share one of your favorite family recipes!

What's the diet of the month? There are so many diets flying around out there that I can’t even keep track. Carbs, no carbs, counting calories, fasting, eating only plants, cutting out sugar, do a cleanse, etc. It all sounds pretty horrible to me, but to be honest I've tried most of them in some capacity in the past. The problem with fad diets is that you will lose weight BUT they usually are not sustainable. You will meet the occasional person who has been following a keto diet for 5 years or keeps track of their macros religiously, but it doesn't work for the majority of us. It takes great discipline, time, AND you have to enjoy it.

I am against all dieting. I don’t even like the word diet. Diet indicates a temporary solution or a crutch. If you want to lose weight AND keep it off, you will need a lifestyle change. You can’t cut out carbs for 4 months, lose 10 pounds, then go back to your old lifestyle and expect to maintain your weight loss. This is exactly what yo-yo dieting is–trying diet after diet and hoping you find one that will stick. I hate to break it to you, but you probably won’t find that magic bullet.

What should you do instead? Start by identifying 5 aspects of your health or well-being, not just your eating habits, that need to be improved. Areas such as sleep, stress, exercise, social relationships, hydration, happiness, mindset, body image, family life, hobbies…and address them one at a time. Take control of your health in small chunks. Pick the one that is the easiest for you to change–set yourself up for success. Early success will increase your motivation and belief that this time will be different and you CAN succeed.

Take sleep for example. Set a goal to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. What will you have to sacrifice to make that happen? How can you organize your day so you can get into bed earlier? What are some time-saving techniques you can implement? Don’t move onto another aspect of your health UNTIL you have mastered the one before! This will make change much more manageable for you. It is a long road for sure, BUT it will be the road that will lead you to the lasting weight loss and the improved quality of life that you have been looking for!

When I think about my journey with health and wellness and what has brought me to where I am today, I have to give all the credit to my parents. I grew up in a household where both of my parents exercised every day, my mom made dinner every night (except for Friday pizza night), nobody smoked, we went to bed early, and were not allowed to have video games or watch too much TV. 

Upon reflection, the biggest impact on me was the exercise piece. It’s really hard to start an exercise program! It is exhausting, painful, and can bring about emotions of self-consciousness or self-doubt. 

I never had to go through that. I started running with my mom when I was in 6th grade and continued to run competitively through college. I thought it was normal to exercise everyday. Everyone exercised, right? That is what I saw, that’s what was modeled to me, that is all I knew as a kid. 

Now as an adult, I see how valuable these habits are and also how much it impacts the decisions I make everyday. Exercise is a HUGE part of my life. It is my stress reliever, it keeps me grounded, and most importantly my kids see me everyday going to the gym and getting it done. 

I see all of you out there trying to live healthier lives and setting good examples for your kids. It's not easy, it takes dedication, it takes perseverance, and some days it feels impossible. You got this!

What was your worst diet experience?

My worst diet experience was when I tried intermittent fasting. I'm one of those people who wakes up hungry. The first thing I need to do is eat.  My dad started doing intermittent fasting and lost 10 pounds, so of course I was like “I can do that! How hard is it to skip breakfast?” The answer is VERY VERY VERY hard for me. 

I started out determined and decided to give it a try for a month. I drank glass after glass of water to try to feel less hungry. I struggled through workouts feeling sluggish and light-headed. I tried eating dinner earlier so I could eat “breakfast” closer to when I woke up. Well… let's just say I didn’t lose 10 pounds and felt awful for that whole month. 

I’m a firm believer that we don’t fail–there is always something you learn from trying something new. 

I learned that I need to eat in the morning. I learned that I cannot have effective workouts without eating. I learned that staring at the clock waiting for my “fasting window” to be over was not productive or good for my mental health. While intermittent fasting may work for some (my dad still does it!), it won’t work for all. 

What was your worst diet experience??

Life moves at such a quick pace and mealtime is no exception!  🤔

Have you found that it takes you about twice as long to prepare dinner than it takes your family to eat it? Before you know it, dinner is over and everyone has moved onto their next activity.

This used to be the case for me before I had kids. Now I am forced to sit at the table because both of my kids are EXTREMELY slow eaters. This has really taught me a valuable lesson. Slowing down and enjoying your food and the company around you is very rewarding. I get to hear about my kids' days at school, listen to silly jokes, and play endless rounds of guessing games. 

Slowing down and being more mindful of what you eat, when you eat, and why you eat will result in making healthier food choices and consuming less calories. 

We have hormones in our body that trigger both the feeling of hunger and fullness. When we eat quickly there is not enough time for our brain to communicate with our stomach that we are full. Therefore, we eat too much and when the signal finally catches up, we feel overly full and have consumed too much food and calories. 

I stand behind being more mindful and intentional of what, when, and why we eat rather than following any diet or counting calories. You want to get to the point of mentally checking in with yourself before you eat and confirming that you are hungry and what you are about to eat will make you feel good. 

I have been working on this for the past year and have found myself so many times staring into the pantry or fridge absentmindedly! You start to recognize eating patterns you didn’t even know you had when you just simply pay attention and allow your natural hunger cues to dictate what and when to eat!

So before you eat anything STOP and ask yourself: 

Am I hungry?

Why am I eating this?

How will I feel after I eat this? (satisfied, guilty, still hungry)

More cardio does not necessarily mean more weight loss!! Who has heard people say you just need to do more cardio to lose weight? 

It is true that cardiovascular workouts will burn more calories on average during a workout session; however, sustained long bouts of cardio can lead to injury and boredom. This will decrease your motivation over time to keep up your workout efforts. 

Strength training builds lean muscle mass, which burns more calories at rest and will increase your metabolism. Therefore, if you have more muscle, you will burn more calories overall during the day despite your workout. Strength training is what will get you the definition in your arms, abdominal muscles, and legs…which is what we all want right?

If you are in the long-term weight loss game, you should aim for 3 days of cardio (30-60 minutes), 3 days of strength/resistance training, and 1 rest day each week. Explore interval workouts for your cardiovascular workouts and try to mix things up to stay engaged and motivated!

Weight loss requires changes in all aspects of your daily grind, not just exercise. Killing yourself 6 days/week at the gym will not yield the results you expect. It all comes down to showing up each day and putting forth your best effort in every aspect of your day!

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Being grateful keeps us grounded. It allows us to see all the good around us.

We focus on the negatives in life far too much. Research from The National Science Foundation found that 80% of our thoughts are negative, with 95% of those being repetitive thoughts.

I’m jealous of those few people who see the good in everyone and everything. Those who are always positive and optimistic.

I am making a conscious effort to have more positive thoughts, and that starts with being more grateful.

This week I am grateful for being able to stay home with my kids and be such an integral part of their lives. I feel so lucky that we had the means for me to be a stay-at-home mom, enabling me to watch my kids grow into loving, caring, and respectful people. Though it has been hard at times, I wouldn’t trade the past 4 years of my life for anything.

What are you grateful for?

I get asked a lot about how my health coaching program is different from other programs out there.

First of all, I believe my program is the best. I may be a bit biased, but my program is built on 100% firsthand experiences. I have made all the mistakes for you and have found a truly unique approach to weight loss and mental well-being for moms.

The Mind and Body Transformation Program for Moms foundation is built on restoring your positive relationship with your body. Let’s face it, having kids is physically traumatic, an emotional roller coaster, and exhausting. No matter what stage of “being a mom” you are in, it's all the same.

Before we can make lasting lifestyle changes towards improving our health, we first have to really accept who we are and where we want to be. What is driving us to make changes, what is our ideal outcome, what do we really want to get out of this? Losing weight is just a part of the journey you will go through in the transformation program.

You will learn to live healthier and happier in all aspects of your life. You will discover things about yourself you didn’t know. You will feel like yourself again. You will change the relationship with yourself in a way that will strengthen your relationship with your loved ones. You will love what you see staring back at you in the mirror!

Click this link to learn more!
https://realizinghealthandwellness.com/mind-body-program/