Laugh at yourself for better health – Malinda’s #TransformationTuesday Story

Laugh at yourself for better health – Malinda’s #TransformationTuesday Story

I first learned about Well-Balanced Nutrition (WBN) at a Health Fair my company had last year. I went because I really wanted to adopt a new and healthier lifestyle. I signed up for the email newsletter [Motivational Monday] and shortly after I met with Lucy for a one-on-one appointment.

I knew I wanted to be healthier but talking with Lucy helped me pinpoint exactly what milestones I wanted to achieve on my journey. I feel like Lucy is a great person with an exuberant passion for teaching her Well-Balanced friends and clients how being healthy can be fun. She helped me figure out what my goals were on this journey. Now that I am more on-track, meeting with Lucy is like I have my own personal “cheerleader.” She has knowledge and insights to share with me along the way.

I knew I was getting on track when I started feeling healthier and craving fruits and veggies instead of those “quick fix” snacks like chips, candy bars, etc. Now I am eating healthier and including small healthy snacks during the day to keep my metabolism in a constant “burn” mode.  Also, I could tell I had more energy towards the end of my work day. Opposed to when I was eating less healthy foods, such as those afternoon carbs binge with a side of sugary soda. I even started making healthier choices when eating out instead of choosing high-calorie fast food (hello, endless broccoli at Red Robins!).

The best strategy I have learned on my well-balanced journey is to have fun! Try new things, mix it up, and learn to laugh at yourself!! Like the first time I ever made homemade chicken fried rice and used waaaayy too much black pepper because, well… that’s what the recipe called for! Let me just admit that I actually Googled “can you die from eating too much black pepper?” Let me assure you, my Well-Balanced friends, you cannot!!! (Unless, you inhale it in large volumes!)

| When I get off track, I try to remember why I began this journey. I have cravings, sometimes bad ones. I’m still human! |

I started working with WBN because I wanted to learn more about my new healthy lifestyle and not just a temporary diet to achieve a specific weight goal. I mean, sure, everyone wants to lose weight, don’t they? But my main goal was making sure my heart is healthy because heart disease runs in my family. It is also stated by the CDC that heart disease is the “…leading cause of death for both men and women.” That’s scary!

I have cravings just like anyone else and sometimes I give in. Most of the time, I think about how many more memories and life experiences that I can be around for if I live a long healthy life. I also remember that I can positively impact the people and the world around me. Woah!  🙂

I really want the tribe to know it’s okay to have “set backs” or “bad days” because what matters is that you are trying to be healthier! If you’re reading this, I’m pretty sure you are successful at it already.  So, don’t beat yourself up for having a weak moment, a “cheat day,” or even a “cheat weekend” if you’re on vacation, or going through something emotional. Just shake it off and “Keep on Truckin’!”

Are you ready to make a transformation like Malinda? Contact us today to set up your own personal wellness adventure.  

Find your own way: Rebecca’s #TransformationTuesday story

Find your own way: Rebecca’s #TransformationTuesday story

I started working with Well-balanced Nutrition because…

I needed guidance on nutrition to help me meet the physical demands of my job and personal goals. As a hybrid athlete, I am constantly training in a variety of formats; from powerlifting to triathlon/marathon training, as well as teaching group fitness classes. I was also seeking help with weight loss and because I have a history of eating disorders and crash dieting and I wanted support to achieve my goals in a healthy, sustainable way. 

I knew I was on track when…

I was seeing a difference in my body composition. My weight fluctuates so even if my weight was down, I didn’t use the scale as the only measure of success. That being said, my body was (and still is!) feeling good and I was happy and comfortable with how I felt in my skin. I liked how my clothes were fitting and how my body was performing. I didn’t feel like I was carrying extra weight anymore and I also felt in control of my eating habits.

I’m still human and learned when I get off track I …

I have resources and support to help get me back on track. I no longer beat myself up for having slip ups but instead, acknowledge them, and move on.

The best strategy/technique I have learned on my well-balanced journey is…

Tracking my intake and using the HALT method when I get “snacky”.  I use an app on my phone and it has been crucial for me. If I do not track my food intake, that is when I turn into a bottomless pit and overeat. It helps keep me accountable and it has taught me a great deal of discipline, in a good way. I feel like I have control. Along with that, the HALT method (Hungry, angry, lonely, tired) has taught me to pay attention to how my body is feeling. If there was a way to throw a “B” in there for BORED, that was certainly a big reason for why I would over eat. Learning to supplement those emotions with something other than food was a big help for me!

I really want the tribe to know…

There is no one RIGHT way to do something. Everybody is going to find something that works for them and that’s what matters. If you want to go paleo and eat clean, more power to you. If you are like me and find that tracking macros fits your lifestyle, then get down with your bad self! I want everyone to know that every BODY has different needs and different approaches to achieving success. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing and find something that works for you. 

Are you ready to make a transformation like Rebecca? Contact us today to set up your own personal wellness adventure.  

4 steps to make Mondays awesome

4 steps to make Mondays awesome

Monday, Mar 6, 2017

I love that moment when I tell people that Mondays are my favorite day of the week… If I could read minds, I’m guessing their thinking, “there’s something wrong with this girl,” or “she must be on something.” 

As the story goes, in 2009, when I started Well-Balanced Nutrition (the first time) Monday’s quickly became my favorite day of the week because anything is possible. I see each Monday as a mini New Year and the opportunity to start fresh. Most people start the New Year feeling happy and optimistic. Why not start each week with the same enthusiasm? 

When restarting Well-Balanced Nutrition, in May 2015, I knew it was time to rekindle that love of Monday to share an empowering, motivational, and health-focused message with our Well-Balanced nutrition tribe (that’s you!). I was blessed to have Kristen join the team early 2016 and together we strive to bring you uplifting and authentic wellness information. 

But really, how do you make Monday’s “the best?”

1.Do something that makes you happy on Monday morning.

I designate every Monday as my admin time and make it very sacred time to get all the businessy stuff accomplished. Uninterrupted. Slightly odd that this is my happiness; however, I feel grateful to have the time to focus on what needs to get done and I feel so accomplished when I check those tasks off my to-do list!

2. Include positive brainwashing. 

Also, I start each Monday morning with a mentor chat from my man, Darren Hardy,  followed by an inspiring TED talk with breakfast. Have you discovered these yet? It’s amazing what you can learn in a 10-20 minutes inspiring video. 

3. Eat something well-balanced and delicious. 

Often, we get a little too liberal on the weekends and feel the need do penance to the diet gods on Monday for being “bad” over the weekend. This is bound to make Monday even less fun. Instead, I enjoy avocado toast w/ a fried egg and yummy fruit – nom nom nom!

4. Get moving.

My motto is a body in motion stays in motion, a body at rest stays at rest. Even if there’s not much time, include a 10-minute walk around the block before you head to work, a brisk walk during the first 15 minutes of your lunch break, or ending a long work day with a brief stretching session with doyogawithme.com.

Food for thought:

What makes Monday truly great? My state of mind. I choose to believe that Monday is the best and therefore I wake up with a positive attitude every Monday morning because anything is possible. 

What are you gonna do to make your Monday the best? We’d love to see your comments below! 

One thing we really want you to know

One thing we really want you to know

We can shift the world through love, but we must have love in our own hearts first. -Daily Om 

Recently, Kristen and I read Daring Greatly by Brene Brown, which is about understanding shame, embracing vulnerability, and ‘enoughness.’ 

At Well-Balanced Nutrition, we see folks, mostly women, at all different parts of their wellness journey. Last week, I saw a young woman who had lost nearly 50 lbs three years ago and maintained her weight loss until recently. She put on 5 lbs after starting a new relationship and “getting more liberal,” in her eating habits. She came to see me about losing the weight after spending all of January following her healthy diet (with no change on the scale… frustrating!). 

Shortly thereafter, a good friend explained her own dissatisfaction with “those last 3 pounds she couldn’t lose,” and proceeded to berate herself for eating a handful of M&Ms. 

While reading Daring Greatly, I kept thinking of all my loved ones and how much I wanted them to read this book too. It’s so easy to get swept up in feeling inadequate, shameful, or unwanted. Our basic human desires are to belong and all too often that is tied to our body weight, shape or pants size. The story we tell ourselves is if those numbers don’t match the societal or our personal expectations then we’re not good enough. As Kristen put it, “We all fight the voices that tell us, if only I had ____, I would be _____. You can fill in the blanks.”

Food for thought:

A couple weeks ago Kristen wrote about Getting rid of perfection and embracing enough. Did you notice the inner voice she mentioned?

What would you tell your daughter, sister, or bestie who is shaming herself about the handful of M&Ms?

It’s time we start to love ourselves for who we are. Remember, we must first show love to ourselves in order to share love with those around us. 

Here’s the one thing we really want you to know: You are beautiful, just the way you are! 

lucys-signature

Is it worth the effort?

Is it worth the effort?

Monday, January 9, 2017

Last week, I met Peggy*, who has prediabetes. She, like many of you, is interested in managing her health and wellness without prescription medications. Peggy has a strong family history of diabetes and heart disease but does very well managing her weight with regular exercise and a well-balanced diet. She also lives with a professional chef who loves to bake cookies, cupcakes, and other sweet treats. Despite being at a healthy weight and doing regular physical activity, Peggy’s blood sugars are higher than normal and her physician recommended she start drug therapy.

In our conversation, Peggy wanted to know her options. We talked about the pros and cons of taking medications and also reviewed the importance of being a detective of her blood sugars. During our conversation, Peggy decided she would regularly monitor her glucose – sugar in the blood – to identify what times of day, meals, and snacks may be causing her elevated blood sugars.

This action plan includes several steps including: (1) buying a glucometer to check her blood sugars, (2) buying the test strips to draw the blood, (3) setting a reminder to check her glucose at different times each day, and (4) recording the results in a journal or electronic device. While this may sound excessive, to Peggy it is worth finding out the information in order to make the best decision for her health and well-being.

This situation made me remember the choices conversation we had last year. Life is nothing but a series of choices to decide how to use our time, energy, money, and other resources.

*Name changed to protect identity

Food for thought:

  1. Are you trying to change your eating habits?
  2. Are you feeling brave enough to try that new exercise class at the gym?

The only thing stopping us is the story in our minds. What’s worth the effort for you?