How to do a Detox/Cleanse without spending a ton of money!!

So you want to do a cleanse?

Great!!

Juice Cleanse...
Smoothie Cleanse...
Water Cleanse...
Green tea Cleanse...
Detox diets...
Raw Foods Cleanse...
Colon Cleanse...
Liver Cleanse...
Master Cleanse...

And that's just the tip of the iceberg!!!

Wait, is there an Iceberg lettuce cleanse???

Probably!!! 😂😂😂

Not to mention all the different prepackaged cleanses on the market!

With all these different kinds of cleanses how do you know which one is best for you?

I could ask you a ton of questions, and prescribe some specific detailed concoction of one part ACV (apple cider vinegar), one part water with lemon, one part ginger, and a dash of eye of newt, tell you to drink it on the full moon while standing on your head naked in the back yard chanting Peter Paul and Mary classics... and you might even try it... but I'm not a big fan of complicated bullshit, so for now let's not go there, hmmm???

Most of us - when we decide to do a cleanse or detox - choose to because

• A) We've just come back from vacation, drank like a fish, and ate like someone who just completed a 21 day Naked and Afraid challenge
• B) We indulged like crazy at that family reunion, BBQ, holiday party, or binged on our kid's Easter baskets or Halloween candy
• C) We're looking for a quick fix for that high school reunion, or to fit into a great outfit for an upcoming insert-your-event-here
• or D) We're finally ready to commit to a long term healthy lifestyle and want to eliminate all the junk in our systems much like we're eliminating all the Doritos, Fruity Pebbles, Ben & Jerry's and Twix bars from our pantry

Whatever your motivation - unless it's something doctor recommended (in which case your doctor should be the one telling you what to do; not me), your approach - and your results - should be pretty much the same.

SO what approach is that, Sandi?

Oh, I'm so glad you asked 😏

And if you're anything like me, you want the answer to be simple - AND budget friendly.

So - here you go:

• Step 1: Stop eating junk! No joke. Just eliminate the crap-ola from your diet. Ditch the processed foods, and start eating real, whole foods. ESPECIALLY fruits and veggies!

• Step 2: Start drinking water. LOTS of it. Drink water in the morning. Drink water before you eat. Drink water after you eat. Drink water in the morning, afternoon and evening. Just. Drink. Water.

• Step 3: STOP drinking soda (including diet), and alcohol (because after all, detoxification is the opposite of intoxication!!)!

Here's a newsflash for you: Your body "cleanses" itself naturally - and it works pretty effectively, provided you aren't constantly introducing more toxins. Cleansing is legit the job of your kidneys and liver. If you just let them do their job (by not clogging them up and bogging them down), you're well on your way.

Oh, and the water thing - that part is SUPER important. I mean, you wash the outside of your body (I hope), so why wouldn't you wash the inside? Think of it as an internal bath. Here's the deal - your body is made up of like 70% water. But you're constantly sweating it out, breathing it out, crying it out, peeing it out! So if you're not putting fresh water into your body to replenish it, then what's left? Essentially, pond scum. 

YUP! 

Have you ever looked at the greenish gross tinge the top of a pond gets when the water level gets low, and we haven't had any rain for a while? 

That's what your internal hydration (or lack there-of) looks like if you aren't adding back in what your body eliminates!

And that shit is effing TOXIC! You need the fresh water to flush out all that crap, just like a pond, lake or stream needs fresh water feeding into it, to stay - well - FRESH!

Not to mention all the other great things water does for our insides!

Yup, ALL that and more!

So yeah, if you just drink lots and lots of water (and by lots, I mean LOTS!!! I drink at least 80-100 oz a day!), stop eating (and drinking) crap, and feed your body lots of veggies and fruits, you'll be on the road  to feeling less bloated, more energized, and - let's just say - CLEAN! from the inside, out!

OK, I get it, that's not gonna work for everyone. Some people just need a more regimented, really specific "do this on this day, drink this at this time, eat that at the other time, and do it for X number of days" kind of plan to follow.

I hear 👂 ya! The more regimented, and structured, my approach to food is, be it a cleanse or my daily diet, the more likely I am to pay attention, stick to it, and achieve the results I'm after.

So if that's what you're after, then I do have another suggestion for you - Only 3 days - and each time I've done it, I've lost between 3 and 5 pounds, and an overall average of 3-5 inches of bloat too - the perfect solution to fit into that dress, look great on the beach in your new bikini 👙, or wow all your old classmates at your 20 year reunion!

If you need that regimented quick fix, then I'm a firm believer in the 3-Day Refresh. It's a simple to follow kind of thing that lets you eat real food multiple times a day so you don't feel like you're starving - and since it's only three days, you don't feel destined to Hell either! Got questions about it or want to join one of my support groups for it, so you don't have to go it alone? Email me - I can help!

But let me caution you: if you want those results to stick - whether it be from option A (just putting better stuff in your body, and eliminating the bad stuff so your liver and kidneys can do their jobs), or option B (the 3-Day Refresh), unless you follow it up with a healthy lifestyle, the results aren't going to last!

Yup, as soon as you go back to drinking sugar and caffeine instead of nice clean water, and putting processed garbage in your gut, the weight, the bloat, the sluggishness - it's all gonna come back. That, you can count on. 💯%

Want to learn more about healthy living, weight loss, fitness, and the formerly morbidly obese girl turned health coach?

Follow me here, on Facebook, or on Instagram, or send me an email with your questions, stories, struggles and successes! I'd love to hear from you!

Keto Friendly Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies!!

Last night, the kids were decorating cookies.
Full on, sugar cookies, with all the refined white carbs, sugar, flour, and candy toppings you can possibly imagine!
And I didn't have a bite.
But OMG did I want one.
Or twelve!
They looked so good.
And left me C!R!A!V!I!N!G!
So I pulled out my favorite tried and true Peanut Butter Cookie recipe - which just happens to be sugar free, gluten free, and totally 100% Keto Friendly!
Damn good thing since I started on my Keto diet this past Monday.
Oh, and I'd guess these qualify as keto "fat bombs" too, tho being somewhat new to keto, the concept disturbs the hell out of me.

So here's the skinny (or fat) on it:

1 Cup Peanut Butter or the nut butter of your choice (all natural is better, look for the one with the lowest net carbs)
1 Cup Baking Stevia
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
a pinch of salt

Blend with hand mixer till smooth.

Roll into 1" balls

Use a fork to make the criss cross pattern on top or you can just thumbprint them if you prefer.

*TIP* To make the fork slide off more easily, spray it with a little bit of olive oil spray.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Cool and enjoy!

Want more recipes like this? 

Interested in learning more about the keto diet?

Find me on Facebook or email me.

Halloween Candy - the don'ts and the REALLY DON'T's

We all know candy's bad for us, but most of us just focus on the sugar, fat and calories and don't even think about the other ingredients that can destroy our bodies. Chemicals, the bad oils, dyes, additives - these are the things you can't burn off on a treadmill. Borrowed from the Beachbody Blog - check this out:

The Worst Chocolate Halloween Candies

Whether they’re stuffed with caramel, nuts or coating delicious crispy wafers, chocolate candies are hard to resist. Chocolate taps into our deep-seated love for both sweets and fats. Sadly, it’s not the good kind of fat since most chocolate candies are made with partially hydrogenated fat or palm oil. Beware of these top 10 offenders:

1. Whoppers (1 tube): calories 32, fat 1.2 g, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated palm oil, whey (milk), cocoa; malted milk (barley malt; wheat flour; milk; salt; sodium bicarbonate), resinous glaze, sorbitan tristearate, lecithin, salt, natural & artificial flavors, calcium carbonate, tapioca dextrin.

2. Milky Way (1 mini-bar): calories 38, fat 1.6 g, sugar 1 tsp
Ingredients: Milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, skim milk, chocolate, lactose, milkfat, soy lecithin, artificial flavor), corn syrup, sugar, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, skim milk, less than 2 percent milkfat, cocoa powder processed w/alkali, malted barley, lactose, salt, egg whites, chocolate, artificial flavor.

3. M&Ms (1 fun-size pack): calories 67, fat 2.3 g, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Milk chocolate, sugar, cornstarch, less than 1 percent: corn syrup, dextrin, coloring (includes blue 1 lake, yellow 6, red 40, yellow 5, blue 1, red 40 lake, blue 2 lake, yellow 6 lake, yellow 5 lake, blue 2), gum acacia.

4. Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Creme (1 mini bar): calories 67, fat 4 g, sugar 1.6 tsp
Ingredients: Sugar, vegetable oil, nonfat milk, corn syrup solids, enriched wheat flour, lactose, 2 percent or less of cocoa, whey high fructose corn syrup, chocolate, lecithin, baking soda, salt, natural flavor and artificial flavor, tocopherols, PGPR (polyglycerol polyricinoleate, a compound that reduces viscosity).

5. Kit Kat (1 fun size bar): calories 70, fat 3.7 g, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Sugar, wheat flour, nonfat milk, cocoa butter, chocolate, palm kernel oil, lactose, milk fat, contains 2 percent or less of: soy lecithin, PGPR, yeast, vanillin, artificial flavor, salt, sodium bicarbonate.

6. Snickers (1 fun size bar): calories 80, fat 4 g, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Milk chocolate, peanuts, corn syrup, sugar, milkfat, skim milk, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, lactose, salt, egg whites, chocolate, artificial flavor.

7. Twix (1 cookie): calories 80, fat 4 g, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Milk chocolate (cocoa butter, chocolate, skim milk, lactose, milkfat, soy lecithin, PGPR, artificial flavors), sugar, enriched wheat flour, palm oil, corn syrup, skim milk, dextrose, less than 2 percent of food starch-modified, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, soy lecithin, artificial flavor.

8. Almond Joy (1 snack size): calories 80, fat 4.5 g, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: corn syrup, milk chocolate, coconut, sugar, almonds, 2 percent or less of vegetable oil, cocoa, whey, salt, hydrolyzed milk protein, lecithin, sodium metabisulfite.

9. Butterfingers (1 fun-size bar): calories 85, fat 3.5 g, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Corn syrup, sugar, ground roasted peanuts, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, cocoa, molasses, and less than 1 percent of dairy product solids, confectioner’s corn flakes, nonfat milk, salt, soy lecithin, soybean oil, cornstarch, natural flavors, TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone, a preservative) and citric acid (to preserve freshness), annatto color.

10. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (1 cup): calories 67, fat 2.3 g, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, nonfat milk, milk fat, corn syrup solids, soy lecithin, PGPR, emulsifier), peanuts, sugar, dextrose, salt, TBHQ.

The Worst Straight Sugar Halloween Candies

Straight sugar candies are mostly made with sugar, sugar, and more sugar, and dressed up with artificial flavors and dyes. These types of candy provide a quick sugar rush since they’re uninhibited by fat or protein, which can slow down their digestion.

11. Smarties (1 roll): calories 25, sugar 1.5 tsp
Ingredients: Dextrose, citric acid, calcium stearate, natural and artificial flavor, color (red 40 lake, yellow 5 lake, yellow 6 lake, blue 2 lake).

12. WarHeads Extreme Sour Hard Candy (4 pieces): calories 50, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Corn syrup sugar, microencapsulated malic acid (malic acid, hydrogenated palm oil), citric acid, gum acacia, deproteinized soybean oil, ascorbic acid, artificial flavors, carnauba wax, corn starch, blue 1, red 40, yellow 5.

13. Sour Patch Kids (1 treat-size bag): calories 55, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Sugar, invert sugar, corn syrup, modified cornstarch, tartaric acid, citric acid, natural and artificial flavoring, yellow 6, red 40, yellow 5, blue 1.

14. Airheads (1 bar): calories 60, sugar 2 tsp
Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, maltodextrin, dextrose, modified food starch (corn), partially hydrogenated soybean oil, less than 2 percent of: citric acid, water, artificial flavors, artificial colors, red 40, blue 1, yellow 6, yellow 5.

15. Apple Pops (1 pop): calories 60, sugar 2.5 tsp
Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, palm oil, skim milk, heavy cream, malic acid, whey, salt, artificial flavors, sodium caseinate, soy lecithin, artificial color (includes FD&C blue 1, FD&C red 40), turmeric coloring.

16. Skittles (1 small pack): calories 67, sugar 3 tsp
Ingredients: Sugar, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, less than 2 percent of: citric acid, tapioca dextrin, modified corn starch, natural & artificial flavors, colors (red 40 lake, titanium dioxide, red 40, yellow 5 lake, yellow 5, yellow 6 lake, yellow 6, blue 2 lake, blue 1, sodium citrate, carnauba wax.

17. Candy corn (19 pieces): calories 140, sugar 7 tsp
Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, confectioner’s glaze (shellac), salt, dextrose, gelatin, sesame oil, artificial flavor, honey, yellow 6, yellow 5, red 3.

Vegan Zoodles Alfredo Recipe - That's "Nuts!"

Last night, I took a bit of a risk. I'd been hearing about nut cheeses and nut cream sauces for a long time, but was afraid of trying them - for a lot of reasons, taste being at the top of the list. I just couldn't imagine that smashed up nuts could possibly taste as good as a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce.

Was I ever wrong!!

My girlfriend commented about how much she loved cream sauces, and Italian meals like Fettucini Alfredo. Well, by now she knows I won't make pasta - there's just nothing healthy in that stuff. But that's ok, because she's fallen in love with zoodles (zucchini noodles) and is more than happy to forego the white pasta, for a plate full of sauteed zucchini noodles.

So I decided to risk it, found a recipe that looked simple enough, and went for it.

And it was a win! So much of a win that she said she'd like it if I made it once a month! And I have to say, I agree! it was flippin delicious!

So what's in it?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup RAW cashews, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 - 4 garlic cloves, peeled (more or less depending on how much you like garlic)
• 1/2 TBSP lemon juice
• 1/2 cup diced onions (I used Vidalia)
• 2 TBSP nutritional yeast (this is what makes it cheesy - you can add more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/4 black pepper (I added a little more)

What should you do with it?

Instructions:

1. After the cashews have soaked overnight for at least 6 hours, drain and rinse them.
2. Add the cashews and all other ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

Yup, it was just that simple!

Meanwhile, my partner in crime spiralized 4 medium-large zucchini, and I cooked a pound and a half of plain boneless skinless chicken breast on my Foreman Grill.

In a large wok or skillet, sautee the zoodles until they cook down a bit, and while cooking down, cube the cooked chicken breast into 1" cubes.

Once the zoodles are cooked down, toss in the chicken, and pour the cashew Alfredo sauce on top. Mix well and ENJOY!



It was even better the 2nd night, after it thickened a little bit.

We will DEFINITELY be making it again!

If you like recipes like this, and want to see more, check out my Pinterest recipes board.

If you're looking for other information about living a healthier lifestyle, find me on Facebook and message me, or email me. I'd love to connect!

And if you decide to make this, let me know what you thought!!! I'd love to hear your feedback and see your pics!

QUICK I Need A Happiness Box Fix!!!

A what???

A happiness box! 

What's that?

I thought you'd

NEVER

ask!! 

Years ago, a dear friend of mine was struggling with depression and was working through it without medication. Let's face it, years ago it medicating your pain and angst away, wasn't nearly as acceptable or commonplace, as it is today. You either sucked it up buttercup, went to therapy, or worked through it on your own. But the huge percentage of individuals, both adults and children, on psychotropic meds, was much lower back then.

So this friend - she told me what she did to cope on her really sad days. She told me about her "Happiness Box". And I fell in love with the idea. I have shared it to countless individuals over the years, and was inspired recently to write about it and share it with you as well.

So what exactly, is a "Happiness Box"?

My friend described it as a box that you decorate so that even just looking at the outside makes you happy - mine would be purple (I know, shocker!!). You could cut pictures out of magazines, of all your favorite things - horses? motorcycles? kittens? flowers? and glue them all over the outside, just like when you were a kid in art class.

So what do you do with it after you decorate it?

You find those special things that always make you happy - no matter what.

Your favorite CD

Your favorite incense (and a burner might be a good idea too... and something to light it with....)

Or if that doesn't work for you, maybe a candle of the same scent...

Do you have a favorite book? One that you could read over and over again, or even just pick out a random paragraph from, that could bring a smile to your face?

Or a movie that you could watch over and over again? You know, the one where just the opening credits give you a warm fuzzy!

Maybe the toy you bought your first day of college to keep you from getting "bored" while studying?

Photo albums?

Love letters? The first picture your child brought home from kindergarten? Your favorite chocolate bar? (mine was always whatchamacallit).

So all these little things that can make you smile - you put them inside your pretty decorated box that already puts a smile on your face because it speaks to your heart's most joyful spot. And then - you put the lid on.

Slide it under your bed.

You don't need it right now - you're really happy right now; you've just made your happiness box. You're seriously in touch with your happy because of it, aren't you? You may have even read a few paragraphs in that book, and taken a good whiff of your candle. 

So just tuck it away, remember where it is, and as you walk off to be an adult again (dishes? laundry? groceries? work? carpool?), you might even whistle or skip a little because your box just made you so happy.

And next time you get into a funk? Next time adulting feels like "too much"? Next time you wish someone slipped some prozac in your water supply? Next time you lose your happy?

Go take a peek under your bed.... behind the dust bunnies... and pull out your happiness box.

Open it up.

And find your happy again.

In a couple weeks, a few friends of mine and I are hosting a five day "Happiness Box Project" group. We're all going to get arts and crafts virtually together, and build our own Happiness Boxes. Bring your inspiration, your glue sticks, and your favorite fuzzy socks! And join us here for five days as we all help inspire the hell out of each other to build the happiest happiness boxes ever!

The Happiness Box Project

Want to know more about this or just feel like creeping me on social? 

sandirides@gmail.com

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/BuildingYourBetterBody

And once you're done there, come get happy with me!

Are You Chronically Dehydrated?

12 Symptoms of Chronic Dehydration

It is estimated that more than 50% of Americans suffer from dehydration and don't even realize it!!

Following are 12 of the more common symptoms of chronic dehydration:

1. Fatigue. Water is the most important source of energy in the body. Dehydration causes the enzymatic activity in the body to slow down, producing tiredness and fatigue. Thus, one of the earliest signs of chronic dehydration is fatigue.
2. Constipation. The colon is one of the first places the body pulls water when it is short of water in order to provide fluids for other critical functions in the body. Without adequate water, wastes move through the large intestines much more slowly. In fact, sometimes they don’t move at all. Thus, constipation is almost always one of the primary symptoms of chronic dehydration.
3. High blood pressure. The blood is normally about 94 percent water when the body is fully hydrated. When dehydrated, the blood is thicker causing resistance to blood flow, which thus can raise blood pressure.
4. High cholesterol. When the body is dehydrated, it will produce more cholesterol to seal off water loss from the cells. Cholesterol deposits within the cell membrane act to prevent additional cell water loss, ultimately for survival.
5. Acid-alkaline imbalance. The ideal environment for the health of the body is slightly alkaline. Our blood, in fact, is always slightly alkaline, usually ranging between 7.3 and 7.4 pH (7.0 being neutral). Dehydration significantly reduces the ability of the body to eliminate acid wastes.
6. Digestive disorders. The body needs an adequate supply of water to produce a wide array of digestive juices. A shortage of water and alkaline minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, can lead to a host of digestive disorders, including ulcers, gastritis and acid reflux.
7. Asthma and allergies. Another way the body rations water when dehydrated, as a survival mechanism, is by restricting airways. Respiratory problems are key symptoms of chronic dehydration. The rate of histamine produced by the body increases exponentially as the body loses more and more water. According to Water for Health, for Healing, for Life, chronic dehydration "is the primary cause of allergies and asthma in the human body." Drinking plenty of water is the single most important natural remedy for asthma. 
8. Weight gain. When dehydrated, cells are depleted of energy. They then have to rely on energy generation from food rather than water. People thus tend to eat more when, in reality, the body is thirsty. In addition, the body will not metabolize fat unless the body is adequately hydrated to safely remove dangerous toxins that are often stored in fat cells.
9. Skin disorders. The skin is the largest elimination organ in the human body. In a dehydrated body, the first site for water conservation is the skin. Dehydration impairs the elimination of toxins through the skin and makes it more vulnerable to all types of skin disorders, including dermatitis and psoriasis, as well as premature wrinkling and discoloration.
10. Joint pain or stiffness. All joints have cartilage padding, which covers the bone structures in the joint, providing necessary lubrication. The cartilage itself is composed mainly of water. When the body is dehydrated, cartilage is weakened and joint repair is slow. According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, the joints in which the pain is felt depends on where the localized drought has set in.
11. Bladder or kidney problems. As with all of the organs of elimination, when the body is dehydrated, toxins are not eliminated as well. The accumulation of toxins and acid waste create an environment where bacteria thrive. Thus, when dehydrated the bladder and kidney become more prone to infection, inflammation and pain.
12. Premature aging. When the body is chronically dehydrated, the skin begins to wrinkle prematurely. More importantly, what we don’t see is the same wrinkling and withering effect on the internal organs. The most effective and the most inexpensive way (by far!) to slow the aging process is to drink enough water, especially as we get older.

So my question is - what are you going to do about it?

Do you know how much water you should be drinking?

(If you answered 6-8 glasses a day, you are probably wrong)

Do you have an aversion to drinking plain water? 

(I do - but I have tips and secrets to share about how I've overcome it)

Do you know why your body needs so much water?

(Knowing why is half the battle!)

From August 7th - August 13th, I will be hosting a 7 day free group on Facebook where you will learn the answers to these questions and MUCH MORE!

Join us HERE

Interested in other health and fitness related issues? Find me on Facebook, or email me!

Throw it Away - or - What I learned from Shaun Week

Shaun Week - what is it? or - What was it?

Shaun week was 7 days of brand new Shaun T workouts - one released each day for an entire week - on Beachbody on Demand - Beachbody's suite of thousands of dollars worth of streaming workout programs. The workouts weren't very long - between 27 and 43 minutes each. Most of them didn't even require any equipment, tho a couple sets of dumbbells were needed for two different days.

The workouts went with me where I went - in my living room; at my girlfriend's house; in the back yard if I wanted them to.

But I've done Shaun T programs before. And I've been doing Beachbody at home workouts for over two years now. So what made this week special?

We had a special group going, of people doing just this one program - and I'll tell ya, I've never had a more motivated, engaged health and fitness support group than this (and I've been running them online for over a year)!





I've never had more fun waiting each morning, for the next workout to be released - to find out what it was going to entail.


And I have never found myself grinning during my workouts, quite as much as these past seven days.

It was like having workouts led by a motivational speaker and therapist all at once. Shaun had me "digging deep", finding new levels of fitness, and so much of what he said spoke to me beyond just the daily sweat.

There was one move - kind of a rotational, cardio thing that hit the obliques - where he talked about throwing "it" away. The excuses, the bullshit, the negative self talk, all the "shit" that holds us back.

It got me thinking about all the childhood crap we carry with us into adulthood. All the disordered eating that was created by the "well-meaning" adults of my childhood. All the comments and looks that stung... that I still recall - from classmates, from parents, from teachers, guidance counselors, and the list goes on - all the judgments, all the critics, all the shit that I still carry with me and still let control me in so many ways. And there, on my TV (or laptop, or cellphone, depending on the day) was Shaun T, telling me to "throw it away".

We all have it - baggage we carry with us through our lives. But my question is - what do we do with it? How can we do something more productive with it, than letting it govern us? Letting it dictate to us how we approach social situations? Health? Fitness? Food? Our relationships with people, and with ourselves? That's not okay anymore.

At 46 years old, the looks I got when I was ten - it's time to throw it away. And when I get those same looks, or comments now, as an adult? When my mother looks down her nose at me for eating two bites of birthday cake? Or my father asks me how many potato chips I'm going to eat? Know what? I'm an adult now. I'm not ten. I work out every morning. And I make healthy food choices 80% of the time. And I've lost 130 pounds. And I've kept it off. And I'll eat as many damn potato chips as I want. And you can look, and ridicule, and judge all you want. Because at the end of the day, I'm throwing it away. I'm better than those judgments. I'm better than those looks. I'm better than those comments. The ones I received at eight... or ten... years old... and the ones I received last weekend.

And SO ARE YOU! 

You (and I) can get so much more out of a workout, than a bunch of calories burned. We gain self esteem. We gain self control. The endorphins and dopamine released in our bodies make us feel good. Inside and out. It's not just about burning calories. It's about everything. And when we feel good - we can help others feel good. And as an online health and fitness coach, that's where I get my greatest joy - helping others take control, and feel good about their bodies - in and out.

Interested in learning more about how incorporating a daily fitness routine can change your life? Want to make some small changes to bring yourself to a new level of emotional, mental and physical well being but not sure where or how to start? It would be my pleasure to help!

Get in touch by email or on facebook to learn more.