p-h-i-l-o-s-o-p-h-y

Wednesday, June 27, 2018


Over the past few months, I've been so very torn about what direction I wanted to take Healthful Pursuits in.  I love the Health at Every Size movement- but it's not perfect, it has a lot of holes and the community that supports HAES and body love- is truly anything but loving. It had me questioning if I wanted to be associated with a community that promoted love but acted completely opposite.  So I've had to ask myself some truth revealing questions. Bare with me here! 

Although I love the non-diet beliefs, do I truly believe that all weight loss is a bad thing?

No. I just don't. A year ago someone close to me was very heavy, he lost his breath and would sweat when trying to tie his shoes or walk up the stairs to his home. He had sleep apnea and slept with a noisy mask and machine running. He was very uncomfortable- not because of societal pressure or because skinny models were telling him he had to be, but because his body ached. Do I believe his weight caused these things? No, it was the fact that he was a very inactive person. He worked late hours at a stressful job, often times not getting home until dinner time. Stress also contributed, and lack of sleep.

So he decided to start a diet, a very popular one -because he wanted to change the way he was eating and he didn't know where to begin. He didn't know what changes to make, what foods were benefiting him nutritionally and which were benefiting him mentally. Grocery stores just confused him (thanks to all of the marketing and false advertising of "health" food).

Now- most of society would say this is a positive change. But the latter community would say it was the worst thing he could have done. Their opinion is that he should have begun to exercise, not worry about his weight and that his problems would improve whether he lost weight or not.



I agree this would be the first best option I would recommend as well. Except he didn't have time to exercise (remember stressful, long hours + a family he still needs to see) and the little bit of exercise that he would be able to squeeze in would not have been enough to make a difference in what he was experiencing. So he did something he could do in the season of life he was in- change his eating habits and yes- he restricted himself on this diet. He did lose weight, his apnea is gone (no more machine) and he has no issues with stairs or shoe tying. He continued for about a year (lost around 40 lbs- a modest amount, not an extreme diet) and then began to incorporate exercise into his life- he was physically more comfortable and felt more confident being able to complete a workout routine.
Today? He exercises regularly, maintains a weight that classifies his as overweight still but not obese, he is confident in his food decisions. He feels better. He still enjoys his life, social situations and he still enjoys food. If he wants ice cream, he will eat ice cream.  He's happy "hanging out" where he is.

I cannot say that he was wrong. I cannot say that what he did was bad for him. He is active, he can sleep without a machine and tie his shoes. He's confident.  Every person is different, these are all unique situations that need to be taken client by client. What worked for him is not what I would recommend for everyone and this wouldn't be the best for everyone.

But more importantly...

There is biblical guidance for caring for our bodies that this philosophy does not address or support. 

"While nothing in the Bible specifically addresses obesity and weight loss, there is much in God’s Word about the importance of our health and of taking care of our bodies. God warns us against gluttony. In the Old Testament God gave specific instructions about what His people, the Israelites, were to eat (Deuteronomy 14:1–21). Most of these commands were designed to keep the Israelites from eating harmful foods that would negatively impact their health. Some of the commands were also given so God’s people wouldn’t imitate the habits of the idolatrous people around them.

Gluttony, which is overeating or drinking to excess, is condemned in the Bible (Proverbs 23:20–21). Gluttony can lead to health risks and become a drain on one’s finances. Plus, the love of food and drink can all too easily become an idol in our lives. Anything that takes the place of God or becomes our number-one focus is, by definition, an idol and thus a sin against God (Exodus 20:3–6). Proverbs 23:2exhorts us to “put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony”; in other words, we are admonished to restrain our appetites.



Health at Every Size says to eat what you want when you want, how much you want. never restrict. This does not line up with the Bible. Just because I want or feel like eating an entire gallon of coffee ice cream by myself tonight, does not mean I should. We should be exercising self-control and wisdom in all areas of our life- including what we eat.


"While obesity and weight loss are valid concerns, we must be careful not to become obsessed with body image. Again, when something besides God becomes the major focus of life, it is sin. To constantly obsess about exercise, diet, and weight loss means we’ve allowed our bodies to become the center of our lives. Someone with a toned, fit body can be just as idolatrous as a glutton. Also, an obsession with weight loss can tip over into anorexia or bulimia, which also has a negative impact on health."


So what now? 
Everyone has their own definition and beliefs about nutrition.

I'm not choosing a side. 

I'm taking my clients individually. 

The HAES philosophy may be exactly what someone needs who struggles with anorexia/bulimia or fear of food. 

Helping people learn to eat in a way that nourishes their body and enables them to eat intuitively may be exactly what someone else needs. 

Someone may want to lose weight. What then? I respect that. I have lost weight, and while it's been a while since I've lost any more weight...do I want to be back to where I was before? No. I truly don't and I don't expect everyone else to accept being obese or very overweight and just learn to be happy there. I would present the facts, the science, and together we'd work to make changes in their lives that would result in weight loss. 

My goal and dream has always been to be helpful to my clients. To be encouraging and supportive of their goals. To help them live a healthy lifestyle (no matter their weight) and to help them navigate between all of the very confusing false advertising and new nutrition products thrown at us. and it's time I get back to doing that.

No matter which path we need to take together- I'm here to help you sort through fact vs. fear, and walk with you to meeting your goals. 





health, weight loss + my journey.

Thursday, June 21, 2018
I once had someone tell me "you tell people not to diet, but have you forgotten that dieting is how you got to where you are?" 

4 years ago I was 274 pounds.Currently I am somewhere between 175 and 183, I haven't weighed in for a long time- months and months, but I know that I have stayed within that range because I know how my clothing fits. 

I have never been a small person, as a kid I was average. As a teen I was larger but not considered obese, just not tiny. Even now as an adult and about 100lbs smaller than I was once, I am not a small person and I will never be a small person. By the way- that is totally OK and normal. There are people with larger frames and people with smaller and petite frames. People who are tall, and people who are short. People who carry more body fat, and people who struggle to gain to get to a healthy weight. People who gain muscle easily, and people who can't seem to gain muscle despite their best efforts. My Dad and his side of the family are Italian and larger people, both in build, height and weight. My mother is average- but she is a chronic dieter to remain that way. Yes, your parents and grandparents size does play a role in yours. 

However, when I was pregnant with my first child, I gained 70lbs. That pushed me into the 200's and for the next seven years I stayed in the 200's- from 210 and 274 and everywhere in between. Did I want to lose weight? Yes! There were times I lost and got down to 210 by eating low carb and doing a lot of cardio. It didn't stay off and really I was mostly OK with it. I was not obsessed with my body and not obsessed with weight loss- I had babies and foster children and we adopted kids and I just had a lot more important things to focus on. Until the birth of our 5th child when it was discovered I had some precancerous cells. One cell-grade level from cervical cancer, it was pretty serious but also pretty scary, a wake up call. 

Not a wake up call to lose weight. Being overweight did not cause or contribute to precancerous cells. It was a call to get healthy. Actually healthy. Not "I need to get healthy so I need to lose weight". A smaller size does not mean you are any healthier. I knew that inflammation caused abnormal cells, so my body was clearly inflamed and full of a bunch of icky stuff because my lifestyle and nutrition choices were terrible. So the first change: 

Eat a diet that promotes anti-inflammation and alkalinity in my body.  I stayed away from things like peanut butter, cheese, dairy, processed meats and the common foods that we know cause inflammation and mucus production. Naturally, this left me eating more vegetables, fruits, fish, and whole foods. I didn't track or count anything, I ate whenever I was hungry until I wasn't hungry. I did not switch to this for weight loss- I switched to try and help what was going on inside my body. 

Weight loss was a side effect from this change. Of course! Take someone who eats a diet of processed foods and sugar and make a bunch of changes to what they are eating,weight will be lost- whether intended or not. 

Second, I began to exercise. Do I need to list the health benefits of a balanced active lifestyle? I wanted to be an active person- I wanted to be fit and to feel good. I started doing the 21 day fix workouts by beach body. To this day when someone is looking for an in-home workout regimen I recommend this. I didn't do their nutrition plan or shakeology or any of that, I just followed the modified workouts. Pretty soon I noticed that I was doing amazing and getting through the modified workouts and I could start doing the "rx" workouts with the leader. It felt good and it gave me confidence to see how much my body could change with exercise. I remember starting out with 5lb weights and it was a struggle. By my last round (months in) I was using 15 and 20lbs- I LOVED ordering the bigger weights each time I needed a jump up! 

Again, weight loss was a side effect of this. Take a sedentary person and have them begin to exercise on a regular basis, they will lose weight even if they are not doing it to lose weight.

Stay with me here before you leave thinking I did it all with he best intentions, as soon as I hit 180lbs- I lost my focus. It stopped being about health, my blood work by then was great. I felt great, no bad cells, I had a great routine down- and then I started to care more  about my weight. 180lbs wasn't good enough (Yes, I got to 180 with just those two things AND I was nursing). This is also when I began Healthful Pursuits, so many women would message me asking me for weight loss help. So I started groups and became certified in nutrition coaching (which actually was harder than any of my college level nutrition and biology classes so far, after a year in, I'm happy that it wasn't just a print your certificate kind of thing!) 

Then the dieting began. Calories. Then the Zone. RP. Macros. Keto. Weight Watchers. I did them all. Where did it get me? Completely obsessed with my body, down to 163 lbs (keep in mind I am just short of 5'8 and I do have a lot of muscle on me (thanks Crossfit and learning to lift!), 163 was an ascetically good weight for me)- still not happy, still aiming for a smaller number, working out not to feel good anymore- but to help me lose more weight. I ran an ultra marathon with my husband (31.1 miles) and then CRASHED. I was so depleted and tired of working out, tired of spending HOURS away from my family on the weekends running (I love running, but once you get into distance running (my favorite) it is a big time sucker!!) and tired of protein shakes and eggs and chicken. I stopped weighing and started EATING and stopped running (I did continue to exercise, rowing and weights). I did gain weight- right back to where I was before I began dieting and where I still am today. Not a single pound that I lost on any of the diets stayed off. The only weight that stayed off was the weight that came as a side effect of making better lifestyle choices. 

How has it stayed off? Well, I'm not working to keep it off, for one. I'm letting my body be where it wants to be. I do not diet, I  exercise regularly and truly love it. I'm always trying new things, classes, programs, gyms, home gyms, etc. If you let your body, it will settle into it's natural healthy weight and I truly believe  that is exactly where I am and exactly why I haven't "gained it all back". Once you find your body's natural healthy weight (NOT what an online BMI chart tells you to weigh), you will not have to diet, exercise or work to stay that weight. 

Today I had coffee and an amazing egg sandwhich, pretzels and hummus, oranges and gummy worms, a protein shake after a workot, spagehtti and meatballs, vanilla ice cream and more. I'm a snacker more than a meal preparer, and thats ok, both are healthy. 

So did dieting get me here? Yes and no. 
YES because my experience with dieting backed up everything I have since learned about dieting and bodies. It gave me real-life experience to show me what diets truly do to people. 
and
NO because I gained every diet pound back, and I am sitting where I left off naturally. 









Balancing Act

Sunday, April 15, 2018

   
      One of the first things I do with new clients is to send them a list of questions to reply to, some basic stat-type questions and also things like "what is your favorite food?" to help me get to know them better. I ask them what their goal or purpose is during our time together, whether it be weight loss or establishing healthy eating habits or exercise routines. I am not a personal trainer, so I always leave the client in charge of their exercise by asking them what they love to do, what makes them feel good? And what they plan to do to make the changes they want to see. Some of the most common replies are things like:
"I'm going to start running 5 days a week!" 
"I'm going to go to the gym every day!" 
"I'm going to crossfit (or yoga or zumba or ____) 3 days a week and then run the other days!" 
"I'm going to workout every day except Sunday!" 

They are excited and ready to make changes and see changes, I absolutely understand- culture and Instagram, that friend on her 2-shake-a-day diet and friend who is in the gym 7 days a week tell us that's what we have to do to reach our goals. They tell us that is what is important. That we have to make time for it, for "us". You want to lose weight or be healthy? Exercise and exercise. We openly support those who clearly have exercise addiction or unhealthy relationship with exercise (yes, this is a real, true thing) and cheer them on as they reach their run streak of 1,000 days. I get it. I have been there, and the same applies to diet as well. My reply is always the same: HOLLLLDDDD ON. If you haven't come from a lifestyle of working out that often, you are going to burn yourself out (heck, even if you are used to it, you will burn out). Step back and make realistic goals that you can achieve and accomplish. Not ones that are going to consume you and leave you feeling like a failure if you don't complete it all.

Just last week I was feeling completely guilty. This semester of school is requiring more of my time, resulting in many more super late nights than I'd like.  I was unable to make it to both of our morning run groups that week and quickly fell into the trap of guilt and self-disappointment.
"why can't I get it together"
"plenty of other moms/students function on 4.5 hours of sleep a night- why can't I make myself deal"
"I'm so not going to meet my mile goal this month"

Then I made myself feel better by working out at home those days. Although it didn't really make me feel any better- it just allowed me to cross it off my list. I got my workout in- it's been a productive day.  A perfect example of disordered relations with exercise. 

Yes, ya'll. I am human and I go through all kinds of thoughts and feelings about exercise and food. This is one of the reason's that I can relate to so many women- I have been there and I am not afraid or too prideful to admit that there are seasons of struggle. There just are. So many people think that when someone loses weight, that it's "fixed". That they are "done" and have no more struggles. That all of a sudden, that 30lb loss made them champions of clean eating and that their exercise routine is really and truly only about feeling good (weight control or loss is almost always the ulterior motive). Honestly, I'm here to say that the loss is the easiest part of the journey. Thankfully, I can easily get myself of out these mental traps and don't actually live in them or let it truly control me.

Diet...what you eat (or don't eat) and working out is.not.life. 




You have to find a balance- because both can consume you and you can miss out on so much of real life thinking about what to eat and spending precious time in the gym or hours and hours running and training. Many hours-long weekend morning runs are no longer worth missing out on pancake breakfasts and coffee with my husband and kids. Hours a morning in the gym are no longer worth the time it took away from teaching my kids those mornings. I can't define what is and what is not worth it for you, only you can do that! But unless exercise is your paid career- time with family and friends should always top it! <3

Tips on how I find balance: 

-Be realistic with my schedule. Because I am a Mom and I homeschool my crew as well as go to school myself; my schedule is all over the place and things pop up that are not planned. I don't plan to run at 5am during the week, because more than likely I will be up late studying.
I ditched the gym membership and invested in some home gym equipment. Cheaper in the long run and what is truly the most flexible for us. I can workout at any time I want or need, day- night, evening. I will only commit to long runs on the weekends if I make it to a morning run during the week I consider it a bonus! I'm not setting myself up for disappointment by setting a rigorous workout schedule that I can't live up to in this season of my life. Every family is different, you may not have the resources or room for a home gym, you may love your local gym and need the childcare, you may not be in school and be able to wake up really early to workout! The important thing is to be realistic and flexible, don't let missing a workout bring you down- there is more to life.

-Remember WHY. Always keep a running list of WHY you are doing what you are doing to begin with! You don't want to become obsessed and let it overtake your life, but you don't want to give it up either!

-EAT. Stop dieting and learn how to eat. Eat and lift. Eat and train. Eat and run. Eat and do your thing. Food is not your enemy, nor are carbs and fat. Find a balance, and that doesn't mean you have to track macros to have balance. We all know the basics of nutrition! Eat mostly what comes from the earth! Watch your portion sizes, drink a lot of water and don't cut any one food group out! You really do need them all! Don't get caught up eating fake health food; shop the perimeter of the store and discover the joy of eating! I am so thankful my journey began with health vs weight because when I started this, it was 100% about my health. I didn't track, count, weigh or anything. I chose healthy foods and it started from there, I am thankful for that foundation that I always come back to! Even if you started out for weight-related reasons, it's never to late to ditch diets and focus on fueling your body with the nutrients you need to be the best you can be.





-Unfollow the Extremist. No, really. Go into IG and unfollow all of the people who send you the wrong message about fitness and nutrition. If you struggle with exercise addiction, unfollow the people in your feed who are at the gym or running 24/7. If you struggle finding balance with your diet, unfollow the isagenix ladies. If you struggle with body image and acceptance, unfollow the size 2 models with flawlessly fake bodies.  It is not going to help YOU in your journey to compare yourself to people you don't know- who can live in the gym all day or are showing you a picture of their weight loss shake for every meal or who have amazing bodies as a result of: plastic surgery, exercise obsession and dieting. DO: find the people who have found a balance and live it. Who are real about the ups and downs, the struggles and the victories. Who make you feel good- not guilty or like you are not adding up. My current favorites on IG are :
@jennakutcher
@mamaontherun
@runningonveggies
@thereallife_rd
@hipfoodiemom1











For the Kids: Lunch Ideas

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

     Spring break is coming up for us so I have spent this week preparing and planning all of the fun things we are going to do, and eat! I love spring and summer because so much more produce is available to us through these seasons, helping aid in meal planning and snacking- I mean...the weather is pretty great too ;-)

Here is what I've come up with for the coming week, you can mix and match as you please! If there are any allergies present or if you don't eat dairy or ____, substitute as you normally would.  Pick a main dish and pair with a side or two! These can also be great option for YOU too! You don't have to have bento containers like pictured, but I love anything divided! Keeps me creative.



Main Dishes: 

Cheese Quesadilla
Hard Boiled Eggs 
Pasta Salad 
Pita Bread + Hummus (or crackers & hummus)
Cheese + Crackers
Turkey + Cheese Roll-ups
Almond Butter + Jam Sandwich
Meat + Cheese Kabob
Chips + Guacamole and/or Salsa 
Bagel + Cream Cheese
Veggie +Hummus Wrap

Tacos
Homemade Waffles (google the recipe for applesauce waffles!) 

Fruit + Veggie Sides: 

Oranges or Cuties 
Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Peaches
Blueberries
Raspberries
Natural Applesauce
Mangoes
Melon
Baby Carrots
Cucumbers
Grape Tomatoes
Edamame
Snap Peas


Snacky Sides: 

Chips
Granola Bars (my kids love ZBars by Clif Bars)
Pretzels
String Cheese
Yogurt (I serve my kids greek yogurt or the yo-baby yogurt, they have yo-kids now!) 
Trail Mix (easy to make your own!) 
Popcorn
Crackers
Chips + Salsa
Honey Graham Crackers (I love to buy the Annies Organic Hunny Bunnies) 
Homemade Cookies or Rice Krispies Treats



Spring Services!

Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Spring is officially here! Everyone is heading outside and the produce selections are growing! This is a busy time of year for people looking to change their eating habits, and often people don't know where to begin!








One On One Nutrition Plan: 

During your 30-minute one on one initial session, I will work with you to assess your current relationship with food and your body. Including self-care, eating, exercise, and sleep patterns. You and I will develop a plan together that moves you toward your goals while promoting normalized eating and a freeing relationship with food. Each session includes an individual plan with long-term goals, actionable steps, helpful resources and email support between your initial consultation and your seven follow-up sessions.  If you have been curious about some of the intuitive eating posts I have made or want to get on the path to a better relationship with food, and discover how to do these while still having goals, this is for you!

 $95 for 8 weeks (initial 30-minute session, plus once a week follow-ups ups for 8 weeks)


Accountability Plan: 

This is for the person who just needs the extra accountability and less of the "fluff" while working towards their goals.  During your 15-minute one on one initial session, I will work you to determine and set up your goals and an actionable plan of how you are going to achieve them. Included are also four random "pop-in" accountability checks a week through the course of your eight weeks to help keep you on track. You will not know when I will be checking in, helping to keep you on your "A-game".  This is the perfect plan for the highly motivated and determined person!

$75 for 8 weeks

All or Nothing: 
This is a combination of the first two plans (initial session, 7 follow-ups, and 4 weekly accountability checks) PLUS:

Local Clients: 4 workout sessions WITH ME. They will be tailored to your ability and level of fitness and I will be doing them with you, not just watching you.

Distance Clients: 2 virtual weekly step challenges with me! Twice a week we will connect and compete in a step challenge for 12 hours that day, your goal is to beat ME in your daily steps.


$160 for 8 weeks






Clean Out: 
I come to your home for an hour and clean out your pantry, fridge, and freezer. Beforehand, we will discuss your goals and how you want your eating habits to be. My goal will be to clean out all of the things that you feel you cannot or help if it just feels overwhelming.  I will also offer a list of replacements and a meal/grocery list so that when you go out to shop again, you are not undoing all of the work we just did by replacing the items with the same items. The easiest way to stick with creating healthy habits is to keep the stuff you don't want out of your home!
$125

Clean Out & Replacement: 
Everything that is offered in the first package above, PLUS:

-I will personally grocery shop for you and have the items with me and ready to stock your pantry and fridge once I have cleaned it out. We will discuss what your goals are, what you like and don't like beforehand. So if you don't like fish, I won't be bringing you Salmon. With your clean out and new foods, you will have a list of ideas to eat/cook/prepare with the new foods you now have.
You will also have a check-list of the items I bought so that you can mark off things that you did and did not like for future use. You will pay for the groceries on top of the service fee, you will be able to tell me your grocery budget and I will not go over that amount.
$200 (plus the cost of your groceries)

Personal Grocery Shopping: 
You choose from a meal plan that I offer, I buy all of your foods needed for it and bring them to your home. This is for the person who gets overwhelmed in the grocery store and just wants to get home from work to have it all there.
$100 for once a month, $125 for twice a month plus the cost of your groceries. Again, your budget, goals and food preferences will be established beforehand.




Grocery Store HELP!:
Meet me at the grocery store with your grocery list and let me help you choose healthy alternatives and ideas. I will show you things to look for and things to avoid so that next time you go shopping, you can be confident in the choices you are making. This is not a time for me to judge your choices- I abide by everything in moderation! But to help educate you and sort out any confusion about the array of "healthy" choices we have.
$80 for an hour shopping trip, plus your cost of groceries.









Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Monday, February 26, 2018
I think meatloaf muffins just is not a cool name but I am not sure what I'd call them, so we are keeping it ;-)


A turkey meatloaf was on the menu for tonight and after seeing all of my friends posting their meal prepping egg muffins this weekend, I was inspired. I was also able to secretly add an entire zucchini and onion- only one kid noticed AND they ate it anyway: winner.  I also typically do not use an egg in my meatloaf mixture, so having the smaller sizes helped keep it all together.

Ingredients:

2lbs. lean ground turkey
1 chopped onion
1 chopped zucchini (optional)
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs (I always have Panko on hand)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
A few dashes of garlic and oregano, I know, I am totally not a food blogger. I try.

For the glaze, I just mix in a small ramekin ketchup and stone ground mustard and brush it on each one generously. If you are not a ketchup lover- you are missing out, but you can leave this off completely if needed.

Because of the size of each, these do not need a long time to cook! I cooked mine for 25 minutes at 350 degrees and they were perfect.


My three year old scarfed down 3 of these, plus brown rice and broccoli. If you have extra time on your hands, you could make an amazing buttery mashed cauliflower to go with and give it the comfort food feel. Either way, these will be on our menu again soon!


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