YOU are a Badass!

 

Every once in a while, we need a kick in the booty to remind ourselves of how awesome we are! Week before last, I was feeling kind of blah after receiving some criticism. I'd been wanting to read "You are a Badass - How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life" by Jen Sincero

Watch below for some of my early take aways and a passage from the book that will help light a fire!!! 

CHALLENGE: I invite you to tune in and journal or meditate on what makes you uniquely you.

• What are your talents?
• What are things that you enjoy doing?
• What makes you, YOU?

Take a few deep breaths as you ponder what all the things are that are YOU!. List them! Go on, don't be shy, write 'em down! 

Click here to read the full Well-Being newsletter here!

In the issue:

YOU are a Badass
Protect Your Peepers
Sculpt & Sizzle
Jen's Faves
Mind Candy

Brain Food, Memory & Mood

What we eat and how we move impacts our brain in lots of ways! We all know how when we eat some of our "comfort foods" that our mood lifts momentarily. But, we don't often think about how food can negatively impact our mood and our memory! 

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month; and while you may have heard snippets here and there about the Brain/Gut connection, y'all, it's SUPER powerful! 

Many of our hormones are produced in our guts! Serotonin is one; and it regulates several functions including our mood, appetite, and sleep. Processed foods and those with refined sugar negatively impact the way serotonin functions in our bodies because they inhibit the production of "good" gut bacteria. By reducing the amount of processed foods and refined sugars, and eating foods with /or taking probiotic supplements, you're feeding your body better fuel and allowing your brain and gut to improve their communication, and therefore your mood, sleep, and energy! 
#nutritionalpsyciatry

Want to further boost your brain health?!
Incorporate these foods into your eating plan and reduce your risk for alzheimers (and many other chronic diseases)!

• Omega-3 fats are most prevalent in fish such as salmon, tuna, herring and mackerel
• A variety of fruits and veggies
• Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)

Cortisol (the stress hormone) also impacts our mood and memory. This week, take some steps to reduce your stress, whether it be taking time out to be in nature, doing your favorite physical activity, connecting with friends/family, taking a bath, enjoying your favorite things (or a combo of all of the above), be kind to yourself. 

CHALLENGE: For the next few weeks, cut down on the amount of processed foods and sugars that you eat and up your intake of foods from the list above. Make a note of how you feel. Here are a few things to keep tabs on: What's your energy level like? What about your mood? How well can you concentrate?  

Read the full version of my June 6th Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here!
In it, you'll find:

A link to register for my free webinar an intro to tapping into weight loss and my favorite summer workout sunscreen! 

Snorkeling 'A Ha Moment

A few days ago, I was lucky enough to be snorkeling in Maui. I'm by no means a mermaid. I'm a champ at doggy paddling; but I definitely shy away from getting water splashed in my face. 

Without a mask on I found myself constantly aware of water that came anywhere near my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth; and that I was treading water trying to stay afloat. However, when I put on the mask and put my face in the water, my body floated easily. Without the worry of getting splashed, I was able to completely relax, let go, and live in the moment. I felt like one of the sea turtles that swam by. Everything felt easy breezy, and I wasn't afraid.

It made me think about how else in life do we put up resistance and tread unnecessarily. The splashes could be: worrying about timelines, opinions, fears, and what not....

If we were to just put on a mask and have faith in its ability to block out splashes, and otherwise operate as normal, what else in life would be made easier? 

CHALLENGE: What "waves" are splashing you in the face can you lessen resistance to by putting on your own "snorkel mask" and float more easily? 

Read the full version of my May 30th Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here:

In it, you'll find:
Mental health month - tips for dealing with stress
Tapping for weight loss Challenge info
My go-to tops for summer

The Sun's Hot, Skin Cancer's Not

May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month ®

Get checked out! Find a free SPOTme® Skin Cancer Screening. Or, check with your insurance, some plans cover annual skin check ups!

In the meantime, check out this info graphic on the ABCDEs of melanoma and how to do a self-check!



Last year, I went to the dermatologist after some nudging by my hubby. One of the moles that I had ended up having to be removed. The visit was pretty painless, and that's when I found out that our insurance covered annual skin exams! So, it was a WIN-WIN! 

When was the last time that your skin got the once over? 

CHALLENGE: If you haven't yet had a skin exam this year, call your doc by the end of this week to book an appointment.

Read the full version of the May 16th Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here!
In it, you'll find my recipe for keto-friendly yummy chicken balsamic Caprese

CHOCK Full!

May is a month chock full of health observances! From vision, to arthritis to stroke to mental health - May runs the gamut! So each week, I want to bring you a little taste. Let's start off with stroke

Read more!

Including a new workout playlist and wheat grass! Whee!!! 

Guac Your World!

Raise your hand if you're an avocado fan! Did you know that avocados are fruit (not veggies)?! 
Any who, boost your veggie intake (AND good fat) by incorporating avocado into your day!

*Secret Tip: To keep your avocados from ripening too quickly, put them in the fridge (whole). Pull them out as you want to eat them, and let them warm up to room temp. BOOM! No more brown, soft, squishy 'cados. 
 

Here are 10 YUMAZING looking recipes to help incorporate more of the green goodness into your life! 

Read the full version of the April 18th Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here!
In it, you'll find:

The power of persistence and thoughts on my Rugged Maniac race accomplishments and how you can do it too! 

3 Good Things

There's something magical about the number 3. Research shows that we are capable of solidly remembering 3 things. If you believe in angel numbers, 3 is associated with communication, self-expression and adventure. And, in terms of happiness, reflecting on 3 things each day that you're grateful for translates into a gratitude practice that boosts happiness! 

For the next week, I'd like to challenge you to write down - yes, physically take out the pen and paper (blue ink - because it's the color that activates our brains the most) and write down 3 things that you're grateful for. And....each day, make them different from the next. You can pick themes, such as: things that you appreciate about your home, your pet, your friends, yourself. The possibilities are endless! 

TGIF!!!

For the full April 13th newsletter, click here!

In it, you'll find:

A Fit Friday Workout and my fave way to SPF without getting greasy! 

Silliness and Slumber

When was the last time that you truly belly laughed? When was the last time you regularly logged 7+ hours consecutive nights of Zzzz's?

Laughing boosts your endorphins, ups your immune system, and just plain 'ol feels good! While getting enough sleep, helps balance hormone levels, supports weight loss and muscle repair, and brain power. 

I challenge you to go and find on YouTube, right now, as soon as you finish reading this newsletter, to find a video that will make you laugh! And, this evening, to set a bedtime that will support you in getting at least 7 hours of sleep! Deal? Deal! 

If you are stuck on ideas for funny videos, I always find humor in funniest moments clips from "Whose Line is It Anyway." What's your go to source for your LOLs? 

Check out the full version of the April 4th Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here!

In it, you'll find:

A replay to my 40 minute webinar, you’ll learn about 5 strategies on how to enjoy moderation! Make sure to watch til the end for a gift! 

Put Some Spring in Your Step!

I LOVE spring! The feeling of sunshine and warmer temps and longer hours of daylight ahead! Today, on my morning walk, I couldn't help but feel like a duck getting out of water and wanting to shake my booty like I was shaking off water. My body just FELT awesome with anticipation! As you look around, you'll notice the animals are feeling the same way too! For those of you still experiencing winter weather, know that soon, SOON you too will be feeling the warmth. 

In the meantime, put some spring in your step! Celebrate the new season by moving your body in anyway that feels good to YOU! 

Put on one of your favorite songs and dance with abandon! 
Pull out your trampoline (or rebounder) and jump around! 
Go outside for a walk/jog and breathe deeply - really pull in all the air that you can through your nostrils! 
Get up from your desk and shake your body - imagine shaking of dust, snow, coldness, anything that dulls your sparkle! 

What are your spring health and well-being goals? 
How are you approaching this new season?
What foods are you looking forward to being available? 
What are you shedding? What are you making room for? 

Let me know your responses to the questions above! I'd love to hear what spring means for you! 

Read the full March 28th Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here!
In it, you'll find:

Inspiration from some elders and Oprah! 
 

Sleeping Beauty

We're right in the middle of Sleep Awareness Week! (It's a legit event on the calendar!) Did you yawn after looking at this picture of Sleepy the Dwarf? I did!

If you can't seem to get rid of weight around your mid-section, you might be surprised that it could be linked to lack of sleep. When we're sleep deprived, our bodies detect that as a form of stress, which in turn makes us produce cortisol (the stress hormone), which is linked to an increase in visceral fat. Not getting enough Zzz's also impacts our hunger hormones.If you're up later, you likely want to eat later. The more hours you're awake, the longer your body needs to fuel itself. And, being tired makes it more likely that decision-making is impacted, which also has an effect on the foods you'll choose. 

For the next week (including the weekend), I challenge you to get to bed and wake up at the same time. No saying "1 more episode! Or, 1 more chapter. Or, 5 more minutes of scrolling!" before hitting the pillow. 

Determine the time that you want to get to sleep in order to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep, then, set an alarm, or use an app (I LOVE Bedtime) that will set off an alarm 30 minutes prior to the time you need to get to sleep. Use that half hour to get ready for bed and wind down. 

The average adult doesn't fall asleep until 15 minutes after lights out. 

Try it for a week and notice what difference it makes in your overall energy levels, your cravings, and if you keep it up, your waistline! 

Read the rest of my March 7th Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here! 
In it, you'll find:

My free 7-day food and activity journal to observe when you eat

Tapping - For Health, Wealth & Well-Being

Do you feel stuck, stressed out, overwhelmed? Are you open to trying a new strategy that helps shift your beliefs at their very core? I learned about tapping or EFT (emotional freedom technique) about 8 years ago. And, it helped me transform my life and get through a really stressful period. But, after getting through that, I fell off the wagon. You know, like when you workout, and start seeing results and then just stop? Yeah....that happens to coaches too! 

In tapping, you use your fingertips to tap on different parts of your upper body that correspond with meridians (the same meridians that you might know about if you've done acupuncture). You state whatever's bothering you, or wherever you're stuck (which was HUGE for me, because, I don't like talking about the negative for fear that it'll attract more). However, with tapping, it's meant to address what you're feeling anyway so that you CAN clear it. 

If you're curious about giving it a try, this week is the 10th Annual Tapping Summit. It's free to sign up and you can access the tapping interviews led by experts in the field. Each day features 2-3 different videos (about an hour in length). 

I'll be doing the videos each day! Let me know if you are too! :) 

Read the rest of my Feb 28th Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here!

In it you'll find:

Mind Your Fig Leaf
Jen's Faves

Can You Recognize the Signs?

Continuing the theme of heart month, this week's newsletter includes a quiz on the signs and symptoms of heart attacks. 

Every second counts when it comes to heart attacks. Sometimes we're prone to ignore these signs because we associate them with something else. Your heart matters!  Test your knowledge! 

Read my full Feb 21st Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here!

In it, you'll find:

Quiz Yourself: Heart Attacks
Flu Contagion
Jen's Faves

What's Your Heart Age?

February is heart month! <3 Spread the cheer all month long by celebrating! 

First, let's figure out how old your heart is! 

Is your heart age greater than your actual age? If so, you may be at risk for heart disease.

Use this CDC Heart Calculator to determine the age of your ticker! If you don't know your blood pressure reading, it's a GREAT time to figure it out!  Knowledge is power! Show your heart smarts and get in the know! 
 

Read my full Feb 7th Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here!

In it, you'll find:

Flu Fighting Foods
Well-Being Video Vault
Jen's Faves

That's My Jam! - Running Playlist

Do you like to listen to music while you workout?

Did you know that music is considered performance enhancing? 

1. Music can reduce your rate of perceived effort by 12% and improve your endurance by 15%
2. It promotes "being in the zone" and helps block out other distractions
3. You can increase your work output by synchonizing your movement to music
4. Music triggers good emotions and helps you experience greater pleasure from the activity

I'm definitely a runner that basically needs to have music. Every once in a while, I'll purposefully run without music, to turn into my surroundings (e.g., if I'm in a new city, running in the dark, or just wanting to practice mindfulness). And, then there are the times that I'm inadvertently w/out tunes when my earphones aren't charged :-/ 

When I'm running, I like to have a fast beat and songs that are catchy to help me get into a rhythm and groove.

Here's my current playlist. Check it out if you're looking for new tunes. Its got pop, alternative, punk and classic rock. 

I'm always looking to add more! What's on yours? 

Read my full Jan 31st Well-Being Wednesday newsletter here!

In it, you'll find:

Training Mindset
Jen's Faves