A while ago I slipped into a not-so-mindful habit … I was multitasking while I was eating.
And by that I mean, I wasn’t paying attention to the food going into my mouth and instead was focused on my phone or my computer screen.
I know I am not alone in this.
It’s something most of us do almost daily. We do it to save time, keep ourselves entertained, and just out of habit.
But when I realized what was happening - I made a really important connection with my new “habit” and my wellness.
That’s because when I was distracted, I barely NOTICED or TASTED anything I was eating.
When you consider that it takes about 20 minutes for our bodies to send “I’m full” cues to your brain, you can quickly see how easy it is to overeat.
Not to mention you end up ignoring how the food makes you FEEL – physically and emotionally.
Plus, instead of eating because we’re hungry, we can start to rely on outside cues like our emotions or because we see or smell tasty foods.
Or even because it’s a certain time (think dessert after dinner even when you’re full), or for entertainment’s sake, or to relieve boredom or other emotions.
This is where mindful eating comes in.
Basically, it’s simply slowing down and really paying attention when you eat.
Here are the basics. Just pick one meal and:
- Turn off the TV and put your phone out of reach.
- Eat slowly, taking time to chew and taste each bite.
- Focus on how your body feels with each bite.
- Stop eating when you’re full.
- And also, before and after you eat, note – without judgment – whether you are truly hungry, and whether what you just ate benefits your health, goals, and your well-being.
When you start to tune in, you’ll probably notice that your habits and food preferences begin to change …
and you’ll begin to make choices that help you feel better and reach your goals faster.
You don’t have to do this with EVERY meal. Just start with one a day and see what happens.
To get something different, you have to DO something different!
With my wellness business I know that stepping out of your comfort zone (even just a tiny step!) can feel UNcomfortable.
I've got you covered. I have built-in support and accountability … along with our proven plan to help make your journey faster and easier… and FUN. Let me know if I can support you in any way!
Live today with intention! And if you haven't grabbed my free Mindfulness Workbook, HERE it is! Thank you for all of you who have sent me messages about how much this workbook is helping you!
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
I have a riddle for you …
What’s an activity that:
- between 200-500 million people across the world engage in,
- has tripled in popularity over the past decade, and
- is believed to improve your wellness, focus, energy, and mood?
Plus, studies show it can help alleviate back pain … improve enzymes in your brain to help fight Alzheimer’s … and even make your sex life better.
Some athletes use it to improve their performance.
It can also be perfect for helping you to cope with that extra stress that pops up during the holiday season, which will soon be in full swing.
If you guessed meditation … you’re right!
Meditation is a GREAT tool to help you become more mindful – which we’re focusing on a lot this month.
That’s because when you’re MINDFUL it basically means you are PRESENT and AWARE – which plays a huge role in your results, motivation, and even your workouts.
Having a meditation practice is a lot more mainstream today than it was 10 years ago.
In fact, almost as many people in the US meditate as do yoga (a little over 14% each).
Researchers are still investigating exactly HOW it works, but we do know that besides slowing down brain waves …
meditation helps you grow more gray matter in your hippocampus (which is linked with improving your mood & focus and slowing down age-related decline in cognitive functioning).
It’s definitely worth considering adding meditation to your wellness/fitness toolkit!
It’s easy to get started – just sit quietly in a comfy chair for a few minutes with your eyes closed, focusing on your breath and feeling your belly and chest rise and fall as you inhale and exhale. That’s it.
Try doing that for a few days, gradually increasing your time as it feels right. I add essential oils to help me deepen my focus.
Or you can use an app – there are dozens out there! (10 Percent Happier, Insight Timer (free, this is the one I use), Calm, and Headspace.) Also, my team put together a text series using Deepak Chopra's guided meditation 21 day series. This is how I started meditating, and it's amazing! Just text: CALM to 801-405-9525 and you'll receive daily text to the guided meditations.
At Elite Physique, we believe fitness is a mind-body experience. We work with clients to develop strategies for living their best life.
Live today with intention! If you haven't download my latest free Ebook all about focusing on mindfulness, grab it here:Mindfulness Workbook
Yours in health,
Colleen
Join my Facebook Group for more wellness info! Wellness With Colleen
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
Talk about an accidental discovery ...
I’ve got a client who went on a trip to Europe a few years ago.
She ate differently than she did here in the US – basically less processed foods and more whole foods (veggies, fruits, proteins, etc.).
Can you guess what happened?
After a few days, almost every one of her everyday aches and pains went away.
Pains she had gotten used to – a sore knee, a tight low back, etc. – were pretty much GONE.
And this happened even though she was MORE ACTIVE all day, walking and sightseeing. Not to mention sleeping on strange beds.
It made such a difference that when she came home, she decided to keep it up – staying away from all her favorite go-to’s for snacks and weeknight meals.
She learned a valuable lesson: Sometimes, making a slight change in your lifestyle or everyday diet can have a HUGE payoff.
There are a lot of foods out there that can increase inflammation in your body.
And as you probably already know, inflammation is linked with aches & pains (especially if you have arthritis), but also obesity, diabetes, and a long list of other diseases.
I’ve put together a list of foods that are directly tied to inflammation, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
- Sugar. Processed sugars can trigger the release of inflammatory messengers in your body called cytokines.
- Trans fats. These can cause systemic inflammation. Even though they’re banned, trans fats can still be found in fast foods and some processed items. Check ingredient labels and avoid items with partially hydrogenated oils.
- Omega 6 fatty acids. Your body needs a healthy balance of omega 3s and 6s, but most of us get way too much of the 6s, which can lead to inflammation.
They’re found in salad dressings, mayo, and many vegetable and seed oils like corn, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, soy, and peanut. - Refined carbs, aka “white” carbs. White flour, rice, pasta, bread, crackers, cereal, etc. can spike your blood sugar and lead to inflammation.
- Alcohol. Moderate drinking (1 drink a day for women; 2 for men) may have some health benefits for many people. However, studies show the more alcohol people consume, the higher their level of inflammatory markers in their bodies.
- Processed meats. The methods used to prepare these meats create AGEs (advanced glycation end-products), which are linked to inflammation.
Some people also find they get aches and pains from foods they are sensitive to, like gluten, dairy, and even some vegetables.
I’m not suggesting that you go on a big kick and throw out all of those foods. That can be hard to sustain.
But sometimes making just one or two changes can start you on the road toward feeling your absolute best.
We can also assist our bodies through supplementation. I personally take these three everyday to support my body:
1. Ningxia Red: massive antioxidants to fight free radicals in our body.
1. Ningxia Red: massive antioxidants to fight free radicals in our body.
2. BLM (Bones, Ligaments & Muscles): helps joint mobility with collagen, glucosamine, and essential oils
Reach out if you have any questions!
REFERENCES:
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
Have you ever gone through a time in your life when you felt “in the flow?"
Wasn’t it GREAT?
You had a TON of energy, your sleep was on track, you felt productive, and you were positive and optimistic. Not to get woo-woo ... but you felt “in sync.”
Chances are, one big reason was that your body was running in its natural rhythm – basically, following your body clock. And it turns out there’s nothing woo-woo about it.
I have a quick and powerful tip to get back to that feeling if you’ve lost it.
But first, it’s important to remember that our bodies CRAVE routine. Especially healthy routines!
When you’re NOT following your body clock, you can feel fuzzy, unfocused, and tired.
You can also feel hungry … even when you’re not.
Over the long run, it can spell disaster for your health. It can affect:
- Your heart health
- Your metabolism
- Your digestion
- Your skin
- Your body’s ability to repair DNA damage, and
- So much more!
PLUS … disruptions in your body clock (aka circadian rhythm) are linked with obesity, diabetes, and mental health issues.
This month, I’m going to focus on ways you can upgrade your daily & nightly routines to feel more “in the flow’ … and get those results you’re working so hard for!
And if you’re not working hard for them YET … it can help you finally find the energy to make them a reality.
I want to start with ONE TIP that can go a long way toward helping your body clock get into sync.
Your body’s “clock” is actually located in your brain’s hypothalamus, right above where the nerves of your eyes cross.
It’s made up of thousands of nerve cells that sync your body’s functions and sleep-wake cycle through hormones and other signals.
→ One MAJOR thing that affects it is LIGHT. (A clue we’re meant to sleep at night: we don’t have night vision like most nocturnal animals.)
Light and darkness trigger a LOT of different actions in your hypothalamus.
So … the tip is to GET SOME NATURAL LIGHT during the day!
GO OUTSIDE. And even better, while you’re out there, go for a 20-30 minute walk … which is another way to help tune up your body clock.
And this is just the start … I’ve got great strategies coming your way soon on how to accelerate your results by tapping into the power of your own body.
But for now ...
Make it an amazing (and light-filled) day :-). And if you haven't grabbed my latest eBook & Workbook, "Good Morning & Good Evening Rituals" grab it for free HERE!
P.S.
Ready to take your results to the next level? Today we start the 28-Day Total Body Transformational Challenge. It's not too late to join us! By this time next month you can have more energy, feel great in your jeans, and have new habits for your health!
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
Here’s something you might be surprised to know if your social media feed is anything like mine.
The “hustle and grind” is NOT the fastest path to your results.
In fact, for some people, it’s a path to NOWHERE.
Especially if you have responsibilities … like a career, family, home, pets, etc.!
It’s true: the idea of “go hard or go home” might be exciting at first.
But a few weeks later? Not so much.
This way of thinking can leave you feeling tired, sore, and worn out! All that stress can actually work AGAINST you.
There IS a better path.
- Listening to your body’s cues
- Making small, sustainable changes that add up to BIG results
- Creating new healthy habits that actually support your lifestyle
- Doing properly programmed workouts that help you reach your goals and GIVE you energy, not drain it
- Eating the right combo of nutrient-dense foods that support your body’s needs AND goals (and doesn’t make you feel deprived)
- Integrating lifestyle tweaks (sleep, stress management) that keep your hormones and body in balance.
The best thing? It’s about building a healthy lifestyle that you can follow (and enjoy!) for years to come.
I can show you how I can help, just like we’ve helped hundreds of people to reach their wellness goals.
My upcoming 28-Day Total Body Transformation Challenge is perfect if you've been wanting to make changes, but just don't know where to begin. You'll receive a step-by-step plan to create new habits that will stick. All done with my coaching and a supportive community of people just like you! We start September 13th. You can look up the details HERE or just reach out to chat.
Looking forward to connecting,
P.S.
Here's what one participant said about the 28-Day Challenge, "I love this challenge. I learned that even if I don't stick to the plan 100% of the time I can still lose weight. I am proud to announce that I have lost a total of 10lbs during this challenge. I'm well on my way to my wellness goals." Randi R.
Here's what one participant said about the 28-Day Challenge, "I love this challenge. I learned that even if I don't stick to the plan 100% of the time I can still lose weight. I am proud to announce that I have lost a total of 10lbs during this challenge. I'm well on my way to my wellness goals." Randi R.
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
