I’m thrilled to be featured in a new book premiering today, “Is She Naturally Thin, or Disciplined: Insider Secrets of the Sexy and Slim!” penned by my friend Sally Shields.  The book is so darn cool that I can’t help but be excited to share my story of how I stay trim and healthy.  And it’s chock full of beautiful pictures and stories of amazing women that will motivate you into action!

Today only, you can receive oodles of freebies within minutes… — hundreds of dollars’ worth of  F-R-E-E  gifts — if you do just ONE thing today!   In honor of the summer season,
my fellow contributors and I are all celebrating the official launch of Sally’s new and highly acclaimed book, Is She Naturally Thin, or Disciplined?

http://www.sallyshields.com/thinbooklaunch/

Today, TUESDAY July 19th, we have a personal goal to help Sally reach the #1 position on Amazon.com and we really need your help. And, for helping, we’re going to reward you in a big, no make that
HUGE way! 

This offer requires the tiniest investment, but will bring you a fabulous return: for only $14.95 you can get a copy of Is She Naturally Thin, or Disciplined?  ..and over 50 free gifts (from yours truly and lots of other amazing people too)!!!! 

You will get advice from over 50 relationship advice experts, health coaches and success coaches from around the world to give you an exceptional offer! 

Go here to find out more about this promotion that makes buying a copy of Is She Naturally Thin, or Disciplined? really worthwhile TODAY, Tuesday, July 19th! Get all of the details here:

http://www.sallyshields.com/thinbooklaunch/

Discover the secret advice and tips from real women who have found a solution to their weight issues at last … 

“This book is NOT ‘another one of those’; it’s radically different and inspiring. Seeing photos of women sharing their stories elevated this from another ‘rah rah’ book about dieting to one showing that whether you’re 20 or 70, healthy weight loss and a healthy life are possible.”
 
~Christa Allan, author

This is a one-time-offer… never to be repeated again, available for the next 24 hours only.  So, grab this unique bundle of gifts and order Is She Naturally Thin, or Disciplined? book right now.  At no other time can you get such value for so little. This is a truly unique offer that’s valid for TODAY ONLY!  

I hope you’ll join me in celebrating great health and vitality featuring amazing women telling their stories.

P.S.  Please share this offer with your friends and family. It’s easy…just send them this link by email to let them know about the many gifts we have made available for them today: 

http://www.sallyshields.com/thinbooklaunch/

I’m of the mind that we should all slow down and tune in, reflecting a bit more on our food choices. I’m not suggesting that you always need to choose the food that’s perfectly healthy (that’s why I like to employ the 80-20 rule — most of the time I make healthy, clean eating choices) but some forethought goes a long way to feeling good about your decisions, avoiding food guilt and managing your weight.  String together a few days of poor food choices and I bet you can easily beat yourself up over the pound or two you’ve gained.

This begs the question of how one becomes more mindful about what you choose to put in your mouth.  For me, it goes back to the notion of slowing down and tuning into the messages my body is sending and what feels right.  Whether you’re in your favorite restaurant with a bevy of menu choices before you or you’re at home planning tonight’s dinner, here are five questions to ask yourself that will help you become more aware of your body.

• How hungry am I?
• What food looks or sounds inspiring to me?
• What does my body most need right now?
• What, if anything, am I craving?
• Can I choose/make a clean eating meal (not full of fat, sugar or salt) that tastes good and will be just as satisfying?

I like to ask myself these questions because it gives me time to pause and reflect and determine what feels right. Usually I end up making a healthy, clean eating choice but sometimes I don’t. But I feel a whole lot better making my decision and enjoying the food from a place of self-awareness.  And when I’ve already slowed down to reflect on my choices, I often eat with greater awareness to the tastes and flavors and don’t rush through my meal at a breakneck pace.

Do you mindfully think before you eat? How has it helped you make better choices in the past? When can you start practicing it to support better health and awareness?

On Monday, December 6 at 7 pm ET I’ll be having a conversation with one of my favorite people, Millie Grenough, pictured at left.  Millie is a life coach, therapist and author of Oasis in the Overwhelm: 60 Second Strategies for Balance in a Busy World.

If you’re like many people I know, the holidays can heap on added stress dealing with traveling, visiting family or simply the rush of trying to do too much with not enough time to relax.  Add in too many holiday parties with tempting food that’s calling your name, and you can have a recipe for added weight gain as well.

Millie and I will both be sharing our favorite healthy tips and tricks to minimize stress during the holidays, make powerful intentions about self-care and truly enjoy ourselves.

I hope you’ll join in the fun and get inspired to make the most of the holiday season that’s upon us.

Join us by dialing in to the following number on Monday, 12/6 at 7 pm ET: 

712-429-0690 – enter 600493# as the passcode.

I hope you can join us!

One of the principles of clean eating that I often struggle with is drinking enough water.  As I know you know so well, drinking fresh clean water is essential to maintaining a healthy, clean eating  lifestyle. It helps up detox, helps our organs function more efficiently, helps prevent disease, supports weight loss and increases our energy, just to name a few.

I try my best to get ample amounts in, but truth be told, some days I’m a water drinking rock star and other days my efforts leave a lot to be desired but my goal is to become a water drinking rock star every day.

Over the last few months, however, I’ve had a steady increase in my water intake thanks to my trusty Copco cup. I discovered this awesome, reusable cup in September when we were in Maine.  We were in Stonewall Kitchen, one of my favorite gourmet stores, when I saw a large bin with brightly colored cups in hot pink, purple and orange calling my name.  What’s not to love about drinking water from a fun cup?! What I love is that it has a durable straw and a screw on top.  Sure beats wasting paper cups or bringing a glass to work that I sometimes tip over in meetings.

Best thing is water drinking is sooo easy for me with a straw. It just seems like it glides down effortlessly and before I know it, I’ve had lots of water throughout the day.

I bought an orange up when we were at the store that I promptly took to the office.  It’s snap to wash and refill each day.  But then I realized that it would be great if I also had one at home too – perfect for sipping during workouts and leaving on my nightstand.  I walked into Bed, Bath and Beyond and they had a huge bin of brown and pink ones.  I’ve even gone so far as to get a third cup for another office out of which I sometimes work so now I’ve got all my water drinking bases covered.

What’s your favorite strategy to stay hydrated every day? How to you ensure you get enough water in?

Truth be told, I’ve been on an extended hiatus getting healthy.  I spent several months this spring and summer dealing with a cancer scare and then having a hysterectomy which all threw me for a loop.   I’m used to being super healthy and feeling energetic most of the time, so even the threat of having a major health concern had me more than a tad bit scared.  I’m happy to report, however, that after a successful surgery, I got a clean bill of health, no cancer whatsoever! 

I’m convinced that my quick recovery was due in equal parts to a positive mindset, healthy eating before and afterward and an amazing support network of family and friends.   One of the best investments before the surgery, was a trip to my fabulous naturopath, Jennifer Botwick, for a pre-surgical protocol of supplements that got my body ready for surgery.  A helpful guided imagery CD and lots of Buddhist prayers helped me visualize an easy surgery with minimal pain and a fast recovery — that worked wonders!  The day after the surgery I have to admit that I felt better than after any surgery I’ve had before, the pain wasn’t bad at all and no terrible side effects from the anesthesia.  Nice!   Per Jennifer’s suggestion, I started drinking fresh vegetable juice from the health food store chock full of healing greens the very next day.  It was easy to digest and the perfect way to help my body to detox.  Believe it or not, I practiced clean eating even in the hospital!

And if weren’t for my wonderful friends and family, I’m sure I wouldn’t have come through so easily. I’ve learned that it’s important to ask for help when you need it, and ask I did.  From making me healthy, clean eating dishes and coming to visit to bringing me great books to read and lots of phone calls, my posse was right there by my side. Thank you!

I have to admit that taking a break from working so hard felt great. And the more I did it this summer, the more I realized that I was thoroughly enjoying my down time.  I guess I didn’t realize just how much both my body and mind needed some rest and healing.  So what was going to be 6 weeks off easily morphed into four months.

I’m looking forward to reconnecting with all of you and getting back to lots of  blog posts, classes and speaking about creating a clean eating lifestyle.  Stay tuned for lots of fun and inspiring conversations this fall.  And one of these days my new clean eating website will be done, chock full of great, clean eating information.

Here’s to your health and a wonderful , clean eating fall!

It’s not that I have celiac disease and can’t tolerate any gluten. I feel fortunate that my body isn’t sensitive to that degree. However, years of eczema, especially as a teen and young adult, have made me hip to the reality that avoiding wheat makes a big difference with my skin.  Can I eat some? Yes, but when I’m truly being careful about what I put into my body, it’s reflected in clearer skin. 

I was excited when I recently came across a fantastic gluten-free resource, Living Without Magazine.  This magazine and website is geared toward people with allergies and food sensitivities so it’s broader then just gluten-free issues. In fact, there are ample resources and recipes for people who are dairy-free, soy-free or have food allergies to things like nuts and seafood.

I was initially drawn to a recipe I saw for gluten-free turkey noodle soup.  I haven’t made it yet but it looked so good that I’m going to add it to my meal plan for next week.  It looks warming (fresh ginger root), flavorful (lemongrass) and healthy (I love anything with kale!), not to mention perfect for a snowy winter day like today (just wish I already had the ingredients).

In checking out the site, there are a host of gluten-free recipes and resources. Many of the recipes for baked good are probably things I would never make because they have far too much refined sugar (I like to keep it to a minimum and only use natural sweeteners) and just aren’t clean eating versions.  But I definitely got some great ideas for soups and other gluten-free recipes that I would give a spin.  You may also want to take a look at the gluten-free quick start guide that they have on their website.

What’s your favorite gluten-free resource? What do you do to build gluten-free foods into your diet that can still make cooking and eating simple and fun?

With the new year upon us, and many of us wishing we hadn’t indulged so much during the holidays, the good news is that it doesn’t have to be so hard to get on track. 

If you didn’t eat so clean during the holidays, no worries. Now’s the perfect time to practice slow but steady clean eating changes that have nothing to do with going on a diet! Yep, it’s true, diets don’t work and all they really lead to are depriving yourself, expending too much energy on trying not to fall off the wagon…and ultimately, falling of the wagon!

Here’s my post holiday advice: establish a few realistic goals for clean eating — not the “I’m going to lose 25 pounds in the next month” kind of a goal, but a goal that you can actually achieve.  Here’s a sampling of some clean eating goals that might spark your imagination:

• eat at least two more servings a vegetables a day
• drink 32 ounces of water by 12:00 and another 32 ounces by 5 pm
• eat at least 4 out of 7 dinners per week without any distractions like the TV
• chew each mouthful of food at least 25 times
• add at least three types of whole grains to your diet per week
• add 2 more vegetarian meals to your diet per week

Clean eating is all about improving the quality of your food — less processed food, more whole foods, more locally grown food, — and the experience you have while eating it. To me, it’s about increasing your awareness and tuning in.   When you eliminate distractions like the TV, you taste your food more fully and eat less.  You’ll actually need less food to feel filled up because you’ll be enjoying your food with reckless abandon and paying attention to the signals your body is sending you.  This is key to successfully losing weight and keeping it off.

And then there’s the steady part — consistently putting a meal plan into action week after week. To me, meal planning is the system by which I stay on track with my clean eating. It’s the vehicle by which it all happens on a weekly basis. And not only do I practice this religiously, but I work with my clients to do the same and what a difference it makes.

I’d love to hear about what you’ve got planned for 2010 to practice clean eating. What are you clean eating goals that will help you maintain your weight or loss some? What will you do differently this year to feel your best?

Here are a few clean eating goals of my own:

• Eat at least three different varieties of greens per week (I just bought kale, collards and Brussels sprouts as part of this week’s meal plan)
• drink 6-8 glasses of water per day, consistently (I struggle with the consistent part, working on new strategies; check out a recent post on how I’m getting better)
• eat less meat and create at least 2  meat-free dinners (this shouldn’t be hard, we don’t eat that much anyway) per week
• whip up a raw, green smoothie for breakfast with fresh greens at least 3 times per week

So cough it up, let me know what you’re inspired to do and create in 2010 regarding clean eating! If I can do it, you can too!

PS If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to clean eating, let me know. We can set up a complimentary 30-minute consultation to talk about your health goals and how yours truly, the Clean Eating Coach, can help you reach them.

In my book, kids get turned on to sugar much too soon and next thing you know they’re craving it and asking for more. And I’ll be the first to tell you that that was SO  me growing up. I LOVED sugar.  And when Halloween rolled around, I was in 7th heaven.  Remember those days?

The thing is, sugar is so highly concentrated and in kids, it magnifies the effect.  So a little bit goes a long way to giving them that off the wall energy.

Today, however, we have the benefit of a bevy of natural sweeteners that are much gentler on your body.  They don’t have that same sugar spike, they don’t raise blood sugar in the same way yet they can be just as satisfying.  They are a key part of clean eating — using foods that are minimally processed.

When I bake, I almost always use agave nectar, a natural sweetener that comes from the agave plant. It’s very sweet so you only need a little but it tastes great.  I also like to add it to my oatmeal or tea if I need a little touch of sweetness.  Several months ago, I wrote a post about one of my favorite cookie recipes that’s so delicious — oatmeal almond cookies sweetened with agave.  These make for a clean and healthy treat that also feature whole grain flour, even better.

Recently, I found a recipe in Clean Eating Magazine for no-bake chocolate chip cookies. As soon as I read it, I knew I’d love them. They not only have agave nectar but also cacao — raw chocolate. Although cacao, by itself, is bitter, when combined with the agave, it’s a taste treat (and it’s got all kinds of nutrients in it’s raw form)!  I took the liberty of adapting the recipe just a touch by adding in some unsweetened, shredded coconut.  All I can say is that they’re a little taste of heaven.  You must give them a try!

Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup raisins
½ cup pitted dates
2 cups whole oats
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
4 tbsp. agave or honey
2 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of salt, to taste
½ cup cacao nibs

Directions:

1. Place raisins and dates in food processor and chop into small pieces.
2. Add oats, agave or honey, cinnamon and salt. Process to mix well.
3. Empty into a mixing bowl and add cacao nibs. Mix well.
4. Use a tablespoon measure to portion cookies.  Enjoy immediately or chill before serving for firmer texture.

What’s your favorite clean and healthy sweet treat and what do your kids love? What do you do to lessen their dependence on sugar?

If you like this idea, you’ll have to join me on Tuesday, September 15 for my “Kids Love Healthy Food Too!” teleclass where we’ll be discussing more ideas like this to keep your kids feeling their best in simple, natural ways.  You can learn more by clicking on this link: http://budurl.com/md6k

What do I mean by clean eating? It’s a way to approach and embrace food as a lifestyle not a diet. It focuses on whole foods — fruits, vegetables, whole grains, minimally processed meats. And it’s all about ditching all those man made products full of sugar, sodium, and artificial ingredients, which, while convenient, do a number on our bodies, sabotaging weight loss efforts.

So here are 5 reasons to clean up your diet that I think are compelling:

• You will feel a world better when you ditch processed foods. Your natural energy levels will increase and you’ll have more focus to do the things you love
• You will lose weight and keep it off.  We all know diets don’t work, this is about adapting your lifestyle. When you invest the time to do it consistently, you will see a difference
• You will save money! Clean foods (thinks beans, whole grains, etc.) can actually cost less. By creating a weekly plan and choosing foods like whole grains that aren’t expensive but are super nutritious, you can save some dough.  Meat isn’t cheap and it’s not that healthy either. When you clean things up, you’ll spend less (the key is in the planning)
• You will get to know and appreciate your body. Our bodies really weren’t meant to be garbage cans, yet many of us treat them that way by abusing them with the wrong kind of foods. When you eat clean and start to feel better, it opens up all kinds of possibilities to take better care of yourself
• You will inspire others to  action.  By making healthy changes, increasing your energy and feeling better, others will take note.  What’s better than losing a few pounds and being able to tell your friends and family you did it in a healthy way? Be a weight loss and clean eating role model!

What have you done lately to clean up your eating? How has that helped you lose weight and keep it off?

Need some help to make clean eating a habit? Want some simple, clean eating recipes? Check out my “Simple Summer Eating and Meal Planning” teleclass on Tuesday, August 4 at 8 pm ET. Join us and you can get on the road to clean, healthy eating. Go here for more details: http://budurl.com/sv6p

….and all you need is a pair of tennis shoes!

There are times when you are away from home and there might not be a gym where you are staying. So here are some simple exercises that you can do with hardly any equipment and still burn some fat!

1. Squats and Lunges can be done anywhere with no equipment! You can make the squats prisoner squats (squats with hands behind your neck, like a prisoner!)and work your upper body at the same time, or twist your upper body when doing lunges to work your abs!

2. Find a chair and do tricep dips or hip extensions, one legged or two legged.

3. Have stairs available? Do some step ups! Make it more difficult and do 2 or 3 steps at a time!

4. Push ups…these can be done anywhere at anytime! One of the best upper body exercises of all time! Want to make them more difficult? Elevate your feet on the sofa or a coffee table and do decline push ups!

5. Plank and side plank. 2 of the best ab exercises and no equipment needed!

6. Want to get in some intervals with no equipment? Do some jumping jacks for 30 seconds, walk in place for 30 and repeat for 10 minutes! Or try jumping rope without the rope!

There are endless ways to get in a good workout with no equipment! Even a 10 minute workout is better than none! Now you have no excuses to not get a workout in when you are on vacation.

You can learn more about Angie at her workouts and how she inspires women like me to get into action at http://fatburningtips4women.com/. And be sure to check out her free, online community for women to get connected and active, Fit Check Express: http://fitchickexpress.ning.com/