What a Difference a Day Makes

In my New Year's yoga class, we reflected on this quote by Annie Dillard: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." She eloquently reminds us that our daily habits shape our lives. It makes sense, then, that resolutions to lose weight will end up going nowhere fast. Losing weight is not a daily habit. Nor does it sound like a fun way to live out our days, which too easily turns into a lifelong struggle. So what if, instead, we wake up each day with the intention to build health. What could that look like? We'd eat nourishing foods that bring us back to life. Move in ways that strengthen and support our body. Enjoy a restful night's sleep that has us rejuvenated the next day. Spend time with people who love and accept us just as we are. Play outside in ways that empower our sense of adventure. Living our days like this feels full of potential. Then there's the natural consequence of building health – weight loss that sticks because your habits have turned into a lifestyle. This Sunday kicks off my Metabolic Reset, which runs four weeks. You will spend your days with intention, learning nutrition and lifestyle strategies that help you live a vibrant life in a body that feels, as good as it looks. Details are here. { Local and remote packages available }

Are Your Health Foods Causing Weight Gain?

Many of my new clients share a common theme, and it goes something like this:

I'm in my 40's. I eat healthy and exercise. I haven't changed anything with my routine, yet for some reason I've gained 10 lbs around my waistline, and I can't reverse it. What is wrong with me? HELP!

Can you relate?

What's especially frustrating is the feeling of helplessness, as if our bodies are betraying us.

But the truth is that our bodies are giving us valuable feedback. In our 40's, we enter a new hormonal phase as we land on the other side of our reproductive years. (And it can be a rough landing!)

The same health foods that we leaned into a year or two ago are stalling our metabolism. Does it mean foods like oatmeal, granola, and ezekiel bread are unhealthy? Not at all.

But as we get older, we become increasingly carb sensitive. Grain (and fruit) heavy diets can chronically elevate blood sugar, which leads to insulin resistance. Our metabolism becomes sluggish and pushes the carb energy (glucose) to fat stores, which leads to weight gain and weight loss resistance.

The cycle perpetuates.

The grains you graze on throughout the day create a roller coaster of blood sugar highs and lows. The swings lead to frequent hunger, cravings, and big dips in mood and energy.

The weight continues to creep up. So we exercise more, eat less, and stress over calories and the number on the scale. Then we fling ourselves at the latest superfood headline or expensive meal-replacement shakes.

It's just not sustainable, and it doesn't work long term.

The good news is that there is a way forward where you can feel empowered over your food choices and feel amazing in your skin.

Your body is not broken, and you can get your power back. You simply need a reboot of the information that you're feeding to your cells, and a makeover of the health foods you currently put on your plate.

In my Metabolic Reset, I teach you how to use food purposefully to build health in your body, adopting nutrition and lifestyle strategies that will transform you from a fat storer to a fat burner.

You will lose weight (and maintain a healthy weight), feel balanced energy, and end the cravings and hangry mood swings.

We put an end to confusion and frustration. You will know how to nourish a lean, strong body by cultivating deep metabolic health at any age.

There are no shakes or supplements. Just real whole foods sourced straight from nature.

My next Metabolic Reset begins Jan 9. Join our growing community and unlock your fat burning potential! More details here. Local and remote packages available.

I look forward to helping you achieve your health goals in the New Year!

Big Love,

Carleen

My Tested Strategy to Make a New Habit Stick

Adopting a healthy habit is hard.

Motivation is fleeting.

One of the best hacks for behavior change is habit stacking. I coach clients on this, and had to use it on myself.

All week I’ve been telling myself to run after kids go to school. Doesn’t happen. Also, running in my neighborhood has no appeal. Beauty is a big reward for me. (Habits stick when there’s a reward).

With the time change, I realized I can run to the sunrise after the school bus scoops up my daughter in West Annapolis.

And there’s the habit stack.

Wake up. Put on running clothes. Drive to bus stop. Run over Navy bridge as the sun is rising over the Chesapeake Bay.

Might have cried. It was beautiful. I've been running consistently ever since.

If you’re trying to get a new habit to stick, think about where you can slide it into your daily routine and how to build in a reward.

If you'd like to learn more habit sticking strategies, I highly recommend Atomic Habits by James Clear. It will change your life.