It’s no secret that the New Year, birthdays or any new chapter brings on new inspiration and desire for health. Did you know that less than 10% will still be pursuing their resolution within just a few months.

It's common to give into temptations of your go-to unhealthy snacks, whether it's out of hunger, boredom or just because you love them. This pattern repeats itself over and over again when you're trying to lose weight or just be healthier. Why is that though? Well, have you ever made the choice to start working on a goal and said something along the lines of this: "This is it! I'm gonna be really strict until I get in shape." or "I'm going to diet and go to the gym 6 times a week starting today!" Maybe you haven't said these things specifically, but this all or nothing mindset is really common and will always end up working against you.

​The weight loss journey is an uphill battle for most of us. Bottom line is that we need to eat right and regularly be active. 

We also know that we need to have strategies and systems in place to achieve the right eating habits, and to be motivated enough to do our daily workouts. Keeping a food diary, having an accountability partner, Sunday preps, etc. - all these are systems most of us use.

But what if there were other methods that could help actually make weight loss easier and well - more bearable?

​When I first got into the health and fitness industry I was SHOCKED by the fact that our food today contains poisons and chemicals of all kinds.

Cheryl Meyer’s message is simple, “Eliminate toxins, and heal your chronic pain.  Own your own health. I got sick and didn't want a life of pain and pills. “
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Thus, began an odyssey that culminated in Cheryl Meyer’s writing the manual she wishes she’d had when she got sick.  In her award winning book It Feels Good to Feel Good: Learn to Eliminate Toxins, Reverse Inflammation and Feel Great Again, she explains how she discovered she was suffering from inflammation and autoimmune disease, how she actively searched out, purged, and replaced toxins in her life, how she found the right doctor (a Functional MD), and how she finally returned to wellness.

​Many of us have good intentions when it comes to eating better. However, we just don't know where to start. Changing how we eat seems like it is so much work. In this article, I’m going to look at five simple ways you can improve your diet today. The best part is that these five things are so simple to do it's not even going to seem like work.

People often make the mistake of waiting to feel motivated. The hard truth is that you won’t always feel motivated. You won’t always feel inspired. 

Yes, external motivators - that perfect dress, your coming high school reunion - can help but they won’t ultimately create the lasting change and the lasting effect you’re looking for. Consider this. What happens after you've worn the dress? You start to relax and ease up on your workouts. What happens after the reunion? You may start sneaking in some not-so-healthy food in your meals. 

The main takeaway here is that you don’t wait for people, things or events to get you motivated. You must create your own motivation.

The biggest obstacle I hear from the people I coach is that they “just don’t have time.”  People are SO busy today with work, families, managing a house, and the million other things that come up.

So it’s too often that they find themselves grabbing food for convenience – food that not only doesn’t serve their bodies but that also ends up negatively impacting the family and their waistlines.  This leads to further guilt and a vicious cycle begins.
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It breaks my heart to see these ​smart, hard-working, and deserving people go down the rabbit hole of convenience because they just don’t know another way.  So, I’m here to help! 🙂

Check out my strategies for ​healthy, fast, and convenient ​dinners (or whichever meal you choose!)

​We’re never too old and it’s never too late. Making the most of our next chapter is often about taking very small steps everyday. It doesn’t need to be one big thing. It can be asking ourselves what we will do today towards creating our next chapter. It’s an ONGOING GROWTH. Whatever your life has been, your next chapter is something you could create and become your best one yet.

If you've ever tried to lose weight, you've probably counted calories. And if you're a woman, you've probably fixated yourself on consuming 1,200 calories per day. (Weird fact: the majority of women I've spoken to about how many calories she thinks she should eat per day says 1,200 for no apparent reason). It seems like women have just "heard" over the years this is the goal number, but I digress....

So, what's wrong with counting calories? Read on.

​You’re on a journey to lose weight and have more energy. It’s only been a month but your goals seem miles away. After all, this isn’t just a quick fix to losing those unwanted pounds that have piled up over the year. This is a complete overhaul of your lifestyle – from your daily physical activities all the way to your meal plans. And we both know this could take a long time.

“Once I lose the weight and inches, I’m going to look so good in that dress.”

“I’m going to wear that top and skirt when my waist is more defined.”
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If your line of thinking is this way, stop. You can look fabulous even while you’re still working on those goals.