How do you SEE it? A Mindset Journey

I began 2018 with high hopes. Anything could be better than 2017. That year is what most would call “rough”, “hard” etc..  My family experienced several deaths. I attended 7 funerals including my grandmother and uncle. At the time, I termed it a tough year. A year I didn’t want to experience again. You know how it is….some years you could repeat they were so fun, and others….tough, hard and no sense in repeating or reliving in the mind.

I approached 2018 with hope, a vision, a future I was excited to create. 2018 was not what I expected and as I look back and reflect on 2018, I see that it was my mindset that truly saved me and completely transformed my year.

As I look back at 2018, it is not the challenges I see, but, the grace, beauty, love, courage, commitment, compassion, faith, forgiveness and complete and total surrender. All wrapped up in Gratitude.

I realize, that most would look upon the year I just experienced and see it as challenging, hard, tough, yucky, and one not to be repeated.

The beautiful, most exquisite thing is….it is based solely on perception. I choose, just as you choose, how to see the experiences in life.

My father had a 2^nd hip replacement surgery January of 2018, 2 weeks later, sepsis stepped in. My father went from a man of 79 years and NO health issues, to a man who was fighting for his life. We almost lost him. If it hadn’t been for HIS mindset and HIS strength of will, this story would be different.

He was hospitalized for 5 months and experienced 11 surgeries over the course of one year (2018).

During this same time, my youngest son was hospitalized the day before Mother’s Day with symptoms that were leading to a diabetic coma. He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes that weekend at the age of 25.

Along with all that, life happens, business goes on, and personal growth is an opportunity to excel at and thrive OR suppress and save for another day.

I chose to EXCEL and THRIVE.

Here is what I did:

Through all these experiences of 2018 I showed up differently. I didn’t show up as the anxiety ridden girl who fears all. As most of you know, over the course of 18 years I have been on a quest. A quest for freedom from anxiety, fear, jealousy, anger….all the emotions that create disturbances in the deepest parts of the soul.

The last 2 years challenged me, and I look back and see that I am Victorious.

We are meant to live FREE, embraced by and engaged in LOVE.
In 2018 I soaked up the nuggets of Love, Courage, Commitment, Compassion, Faith, Forgiveness, Surrender and Gratitude.

These 9 sacred metabolizers were the foundation of my childhood. I have cultivated and nourished them during the wise years of becoming a queen, a woman of faith, a woman who stands firm in her own footprint. In 2018, those sacred metabolizers, sprouted fruit in my life.

I am so grateful for all the trials and tribulations 2017 and 2018 brought. No, it wasn’t “fun”, No, I don’t want to experience it again, BUT, oh yes…I wouldn’t trade the experiences and gifts that were gleaned for anything in the world.

You see, so many beautiful and wonderful things happened.

The relationship with my Daddy elevated.

The relationship with my Mama, elevated.

The relationship among the sibs, elevated.

The relationship with my sweet family, elevated.

My coaching practice, elevated.

I launched a corporate speaking business.

I created a Mindset training that elevates all who participate.

We, the BIG family, ended the year celebrating life in Maui, ALL TOGETHER (34 of us).

I see now, so clearly, what I am creating, among my family, my friends, my practice, and my business…..

LOVE ~ CONNECTION ~LEGACY

That is truly what life, my life, is all about.

What is your life about? Are you ready to transform it and LIVE FREE? FREE from the STRUGGLE of negative thinking – FREE from the STRUGGLE of sabotaging behavior – FREE from the STRUGGLE of pain?

This year I have 3 offerings to help guide and support you on your journey to living FREE. Free with love for self, love for your physical and spiritual body.  It is a soulful journey; One that transforms your mind, your heart, and your emotions.

Engage with me! 💛

I look forward to seeing you shine 🌟

Ashly

One to one Coaching

This is the place to transform your mind, heart, and emotions so they are in alignment with your purpose, your reason for being. Fears stop us from being free. Fear saturates the life with eating issues and behaviors, body hate, emotional disturbances felt through anxiety, the fear of not being good enough, a closed mindset believing that nothing good ever happens.

Make the final shift, the shift towards freedom.

Learn how to:

• emotionally regulate disturbances caused by fear, anxiety, anger, jealousy, irritation, frustration, and worry
• create a rock-solid mindset that creates results in EVERY aspect of your life
• eliminate eating and exercise behaviors that sabotage your health

Finally, LIVE FREE!

One to one sessions are done via phone, facetime, or face to face. Click here for details.

Mindset BootCamp

Shift your mindset from toxic to vibrant. A toxic mindset set is low energy and stuck in the muck OR spinning out of control. In this course you will GAIN a vibrant mindset, one that is energetic and goal achieving.

• Acquire Balance so you get to the top and have FUN in your life.
• Break through barriers and experience consistent growth with easy follow up and follow through.
• Whatever you are bumping up against…we will get you to the next level.
• Physical health will shift, and you will have more energy and get things done easily.

This 4-week course lays the foundation for a Rock-Solid Mindset so that moving forward is the only direction you know. This program is delivered via zoom and the private Mindset Boot-Camp Facebook group.

Contact me for details

Mindset Endorsements

END the Struggle

The NewYou90 day challenge is underway! It is not too late to register.This 90-day system combines the best of both worlds – Fat Loss AND Mind Body Nutrition. This is the key that unlocks the cage to YOUR food and body struggles. This is a group coaching, eating and supplementation plan.

What this program WILL do for you:

1. You will feel leaner, lighter, fabulous, and FREE!
2. Your relationship with food and you will shift from one of struggle to PEACE.
3. You will lose the fat weight you have been wanting to lose.

Join US! It is not too late!

Find out more here. Registration ends January 30^th.

I look forward to experiencing life with you in 2019 🌟

Soulful Time Strategies

Soulful Time 1

This first practice is a mind-body connector. This brings the mind and body in sync with one another. Very important for those with anxiety issues.

My very first soulful time happened during the anxiety attacks I experienced in my twenties. This was no fun. And the feat of trying to get through each attack left me feeling exhausted, discouraged and alone.

So, I tried my hand at meditation. I did deep breathing with hatha yoga for 30-45 min then would lie down for meditation.

This was a beautiful time for me. I would envision a nature scene and invite in what ever and whom ever brought peace. Jesus, being the foundation of my childhood, would always be present. (For me, He represents safety, security, peace and strength).

This quiet time would last 30 min or so. You can shorten that if you like…however, when experiencing anxiety attacks, I wouldn’t want to leave this peaceful place.

Through this practice, my faith was strengthened, fear receded, and I became strong again.

Soulful Time 2

Scripture and Affirmations became the focal point of my Soulful Time

When living in fear, anxiety or any struggle, having words of wisdom memorized helps bring the mind-body OUT of fight or flight.

So, during Soulful Time I would recite a scripture or affirmation that I had memorized and meditate on it. Combined with deep, mono-focused breathing, I could feel the peace wash over me, faith affirm me, and strength within me.

Here are a few of the scriptures and affirmations I have memorized. Borrow these until you can find your own that resonate and speak to your soul.

Please note: some of these are my own, some from the Bible and some are from other wise souls that crossed my path during my journey to healing.

For God didn’t give me a spirit of timidity, but one of power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

Things always work out for me. Everything that I do prospers. I have abundance in Jesus name.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrew 11:1

Our perceptions return to us exactly what we perceive.

I trust that no matter what, I will be OK.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned or scorched, nor with the flame kindle upon me. Isaiah 43:2

As I release the past, I allow the new, fresh and vital to enter. Life flows through me.

Speak truth and goodness into myself.

Cast all your anxiety on Him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Live with a thankful heart.

It shall be done for you, as you have believed. Matthew 8:13

I am open and receptive to all that life brings me. Thank you life.

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable; if anything is excellent of praiseworthy, think about such things…And the peace of God will be with you. Phillipians 4:8

I let go of old limitations and beliefs. I let go and I am at peace.

There are so many more …. Enjoy these. I hope they bless you and your life.

Soulful Time 3

Find a daily reader that inspires you.

The first daily reader I used for this purpose was Jesus is Calling. I LOVED this time that I spent each morning in meditation and prayer that was brought on by the wisdom I received from this daily reader.

There are many written that bring inspiration, peace and healing. Find one that resonates with you. Read the daily wisdom, quiet the mind, breathe, then mono focus on the meaning it has for you and how you can apply it this day.

Soulful Time is such an important tool to utilize for your success in every aspect of your life. Tune in to this poem I wrote regarding Soulful Time and pickup some more ideas of what Soulful Time can look like for you.

Soulful Time

Soulful time is quiet time.

Several moments put together to bring calm, serenity and peace

within your very soul.

The soul is our heart, mind and emotions.

Living with these 3 in balance

Or rather harmony;

You gain a wondrous life.

A life filled with love

Calm

Certainty

and, Centeredness.

You will know who you are

What you want

And that your value and worth are priceless.

So, why do we avoid these wondrous things?

It all comes down to worth.

Or maybe effort

But why wouldn’t we put forth effort towards something so divine?

FEAR.

That’s it…FEAR

What if by experiencing soulful time each day, you became

Calm, Centered, Certain?

You would be admired, respected, loved.

Could you handle that?

Do you believe that’s possible?

Does it scare you that it would happen, and you wouldn’t know how to handle it?

Or that you deserve it?

You see, it does all boil down to FEAR.

False Evidence Appearing Real.

Because, none of that is real.

They are imaginings.

Be aware that this scares you.

Accept that this scares you.

Then move on to experience…. Soulful Time.

Soulful Time Process

Do you feel nourished all over? 3 ways to get nourished

Are you truly nourished? Nourishment means: that which sustains us. Take a breath and think about that for a moment. Reflect on your life…. what brings nourishment to you? We have spoken about pleasure, but what of nourishment?

When on a journey, like the one we are on, it is important to look at Nourishment. Are you receiving nourishment.

As you have heard me say, only 2% of those that go on a diet to lose weight keep the weight off after 2 years.

That inability to keep the weight off is due in part to a LACK of nourishment. And it isn’t the nourishment we get from food that I am talking about.

What fuels your SOUL? What feeds the very essence of you?

When we rely solely on the tongue to gauge our nourishment, we become disconnected, not only to ourselves but our heavenly father as well.

When the tongue is the reader of nourishment we can feel restricted….because nothing seems to taste good anymore. The less you taste the more you eat. The result is a greater disconnect between body, soul and spirit.  You are all three, so caring for all three is a great responsibility.

The typical thought is “Food is the only form of nourishment available to us.” Which translates to “The tongue is the only way to receive nourishment.”

Both is these are untrue statements and beliefs.  When this much responsibility is put upon one part of the body, we become excessive, intense, or extreme in the way we live life and in the way we view life.

The needs of your tongue become the focus, and this results in becoming dis-embodied.

When there is this disconnect…pleasure, nourishment and embodiment cannot be present.

A way to eliminate this “feeling” of restriction is to look closely at the forms of Nourishment in your life.

“The experience of nourishment creates a physiologic relaxation response, which means a full and  healthy digestive, assimilation, and calorie burning power.”  Marc David

What sustains you?

What quality of time and self do you put into this?

1) Its a choice

Our greatest power is our power to choose. (great book, by the way 🙂 We can choose to receive nourishment or not…in the same way we choose to eat or not….we can choose to receive nourishment from more than just food.

Proclaim that you Choose to receive Nourishment from your relationship with your spouse, you choose to receive Nourishment from tending your herb garden, you choose to receive nourishment from the DAY.

It is truly just a choice. So, check in to life, and choose nourishment.

2) Observe

Observe your life and those in your life. What can you receive nourishment from? Who do you receive and give nourishment to? How can you change/shift your perspective about something or someone so that there is nourishment?

BE-ing in observation mode gets you IN your life. That is one of the first ways you will begin seeing, seeking, and receiving nourishment.

3) Get into it!

No matter what you are doing; tending  the flower garden, seeking the heart of God, self care rituals, breathing, stretching, conversations, connecting, BE ALL IN. Be with it. Be in it. Be ONE with it.

There is intimacy in nourishment. It is a moment where you can connect with self.

It is a way to support and sustain you; body, soul and spirit.

Nourishment defines not only the quality of the food we eat but most importantly the quality and EXPERIENCE of our life and how we interpret that life experience. We either receive nourishment OR we are checked out and oblivious to it. The first gives life, the second takes it away.

The more you are IN your body, there is a greater capacity in which your body can function optimally.

If this topic of nourishment and all its forms resonates with you, I highly recommend the book Nourishing Wisdom, by Marc David. Excellent read!

Is sustainable fat loss possible?

When I first began my journey in the Eating Psychology realm, I was looking for something to save me. My food life had become toxic. Not to mention, most of my clients experienced the same toxicity around eating. Something had to be done. I went on the search and came across this body of work that truly changed my life and the life of those I work with closely.

Having the background of Personal Fitness Training, most requests that I get are about losing fat. So, let’s go there. Losing fat is of high priority in the minds of women and men. In fact, just today there are almost 43 million articles written on Lose Fat Fast. I do believe this is of great importance for most.
But, the statistics show that 98% of those that seek out diets for weight loss actually gain all the weight back. How disappointing for those that want lasting results.

Have you asked yourself the question… “What could I do to bring weight loss results that last?”

When we step fully into what we want to attain, we tap into our greatest metabolizing power.

Get quiet for a moment and listen for an answer to be revealed.

I can pretty much guarantee that the answer is not going to be restrict more, exercise more, stop eating…Your body knows what it needs. All that needs to happen is to listen for the answer. It will surprise you.

Your next question may be… “How do I learn to do this?” “How do I learn what my body needs to eat?”

In the TruHealth + Eating Psychology Coaching 90 day challenge, this will be revealed to you.

Wouldn’t it be great to understand and know your dietary needs, exercise needs and the soulful lessons along the way that truly make a difference with sustainable weight loss. In this case, fat loss.

Metabolizing power comes from operating in parasympathetic dominance, oxygen, being with what is, awareness, slow, intentional,  managing energy. Our body is made to THRIVE!

Are you ready for your body to thrive?

Join me July 1st, 2017 for the TruHealth + Eating Psychology Coaching 90 Day Challenge.

The TruHealth System is my go-to when clients want to lose fat.  Mannatech TRUHealth System

This is the key to unlock the cage to your food and body struggles. Ready?

See you in the Challenge!

Ashly

3 Ways to Burn More Fat Every Day

Fat is all the rage these days. I love the concept of eating essential fats so your body can burn more fat. That is utterly cool! AND I’ll do a blog on that topic shortly.

But the human mindset is geared toward working hard to burn fat and lose fat. Well, you really don’t. You don’t have to “kill” yourself to get rid of fat. Seems a little odd, huh?

I have come to believe that stressing yourself out about not working out hard is a counter-productive move. Not only are you not workout out, but, you are putting the body in a stress response with judgement where the only recourse for the body is to hold onto fat for protection.

Why not chill instead?

Here are my 3 ways to burn fat in a relaxed, easy going manner:

#1 TAKE YOUR TIME – Slow Down and Eat Slow

You’ve heard me talk about this on an earlier blog, in fact, I’ve written several on this topic. This one technique literally saved me. If it hadn’t been for this, I would still be a mess and afraid to eat which had me operating in a stress response and burning my muscle mass instead of burning fat. YIKES!

#2 BREATH BREAKS

I love these. To completely stop what I am doing and focus on my breath for a few minutes, is a daily vacation I like to splurge in. Breath with slow movement is also a beneficial way to put the body in a relaxed state for fat burning effects. Slow movement, meaning a yoga flow or taichi, but sitting and breathing with focus on the breath is easy and convenient to implement into your schedule. Check out my mindful breathing technique that I give in my book, Join Me in the E.N.D. Zone. Check out the tools section for a complete list of fat burning options.

#3 GET UP & MOVE

This is another one I take advantage of, especially when I am working from my desk. Does your body get antsy just sitting there? Mine sure does. When my leg begins to bounce, I know it is PAST time for me to GET UP & MOVE. So this is what I do: 3 min activity burst. I break it down into 1 min of 3 different activities.

I do 3 min because 5 minutes is too long and 1 minute is too short. 3 minutes is just right!

For example: I will do 1 minute of skater plyos, 1 min of body weight squats, and 1 min of jumping jacks.

Or 1 min plank hold, 1 min alternating lunges, 1 min lateral flings

Or 1 min bar push ups, 1 min squat with lateral leg lift, 1 min mountain climbers

Do you get the idea?

I give examples of these in my book as well. So go and grab a copy, you  will have all the resources you need to live an inspired, healthy and free life in a body you love!

Enjoy!

Tacos! YUM!!

I love tacos…don’t you? But they sound sinful and not so healthy.

This is not a true thought. All your favorite foods can be made differently to create a healthier option. Take a look at this, for instance.

As a Texan…tex-mex food is a given…so I went on a journey of creating healthy and yummy tacos, burritos and all sorts of tex-mex delights.

This blog is all about tacos and soft tacos. Let me know your thoughts and creations below.

The reason I love taco night is, you can make EVERYONE happy. Doesn’t matter if they love the original form, a gluten free form or a no grain form…everyone is h-a-p-p-y and satisfied.

Taco night at my house is experimentation night. I offer up taco meat, refried beans (made with coconut oil), chopped tomatoes, olives, avocadoes, black beans, parmesan cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, mozzarella cheese, and salsa.

For those of you who like a little “zazz” can add onions and jalapenos.

To wrap the innards, use:

• Large lettuce leaves – I like collard greens – they are heartier and holds everything together
• Corn tortillas – Ezekiel brand is sprouted and organic – these also crisp up so it becomes a real taco shell – as you heat it place the tortilla in a stone taco holder
• Gluten Free tortillas – Udi’s is a good brand – very soft and tasty
• Or a Hearty Grain tortilla – Ezekiel or Udi’s are tasty

All of this is served with (my) black bean salad, you can find it here: Ashly’s Black Bean Salad.

One hiccup for most of my clients is that when they change their eating protocol, their family still eats the same way as before. Well on Taco night, it doesn’t matter, everyone can be satisfied.

Most meals that are prepared at home can be made healthy and delightful, the key is options. When the family has options, they tend to try new things, and if not…then they still have their favorites around.

Remember the big key here is HOW you eat. It plays a much bigger role than you might thing in the digestion of these delicious tacos. Eat slow, savor the taste, and enjoy…most importantly, stop BEFORE you reach full.

What have you done to create healthy and delicious tacos? Please share!

Enjoy!

Am I really stuck with all this gunk? Absolutely not! ~3 steps to get rid of the gunk~

We have all wanted it. We have all craved it at one time or another. We have all wanted to find the magic formula to creating a life with no hurts, no wounds, and no fat.

As you have found in your own journey…. that is not the case. There is no magic formula, magic pill or experience that is the be all and end all to your desire for freedom from weight issues or even health issues.

I believe it is a culmination of many things. One step leads to one answer which leads to the next step which leads to the next answer, and so on.

I wanted to believe, actually wished for, a fairy godmother, one who could come in and wave her magic wand and I would be free. Free to be me in a body that I liked…loved even. To be free of self-criticism and judgement. To finally feel authentic and show up as me without all the body trash.

But, God didn’t make our journey out to be easy. If it was…then we wouldn’t have the opportunity to show up as our BEST self.

It is only through trial and error that we find our BEST self.

Even as I write this I pray that God is gentle with me. :O) 

I realized through my journey of pain and fear that #1 God is there no matter what…cheering me on and stepping in when necessary. #2, I have in me all that I need to be the BEST me possible. I don’t NEED to read the next best self-help and don’t NEED to learn any new techniques.

Do I still do those things? OH YES! I love to learn. But, now I read and learn for an entirely different reason. Now I read for knowledge instead of “I NEED this in order to fill-in what’s missing” mentality.

The answer was in me all along.

Now what I read and learn is icing.

How about you? Are you cramming as much health and fitness information into your brain as you possibly can so you won’t binge eat today?

Are you cramming this information in so that you will stay on track with your current regimen of food and exercise?

Are you avoiding things you love because you are afraid they will pull you off track of your current desire?

I understand…I’ve been there.

I gave up eating out.

I gave up eating period…. because I was scared. Scared and afraid to BE with ME. That I couldn’t handle the feelings flowing through me, that I couldn’t control my body, my body wasn’t ok as she was, she had to be better, and that I couldn’t handle a problem with confidence and assuredness AND that what I felt and what I did was not good enough or the “right” way.

That was too much to bear for me personally.

So I took my fear of living to fear of eating. I could control that! HA!!

Crazy huh?

God, Life, has a funky way of showing us the way. If it wasn’t for that experience, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

So how can all of this help you?

I want you to know, right now, that you are not stuck with all the gunk swirling around inside you.

Here is what I found to be true and worked for me.

First, I had to be present – this involved a nonjudgmental approach with myself. Whew!…this was the toughest step for me. Sounds easy…but not.

Second – I became the observer instead of the one experiencing the moment. This allowed me to step back and ask for truth.

Third – This truth allowed me to ask…what’s next?

Here is the kicker 🙂

This final step gives the observer a moment to put into motion a much desired nourishing pattern of play. (a.k.a. a habit)

A pattern of play mixes things up so your physiology doesn’t’ fall back into old patterns of self-destructive behavior with food or exercise OR beliefs. Which is the reason most people do not experience long term success with their fat loss; their self- concept –  the beliefs they have about themselves – won’t allow it.

It’s not about the food, it’s not even about your body hate, it’s all about YOU and YOU being PRESENT for just a moment.

In that moment is when the magic happens.

Share with me your magical moments.

   & hugs
Ashly

p.s. Hang tight for my Pattern of Play Class being held in September. If you want in on the fun, contact me today.

Mindful Moments at a Glance

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention in the moment. It is only by centering your full attention in the moment that you can become aware of the content of your thoughts.

Mindfulness gives you the awareness to make permanent changes in your eating patterns. It has been successful in stabilizing eating behaviors in persons with binge eating disorder. Mindfulness allows you the spaciousness to become aware of your internal state. It is this internal state that drives your emotional eating. With mindfulness, you can tune in to see if you are hungry for food, or if you are hungry for emotional nourishment.

Here is an easy to incorporate activity:

Begin with your eyes closed. The will center you and set the intention for mindfulness. You do not have to keep them closed the whole time.

Let’s start with the breath. With the mind centered on the process of breathing, take in a full breath. Feel how the breath comes into the body. Release the breath and notice how the breath leaves the body. Continue this process until you feel the muscles throughout your body relax. Stay mindful and present focused.  If your mind begins to escape, gently bring it back.  If thoughts begin to invade, gently shoo them away.  Imagine your thoughts are on a merry-go-round, when one jumps off, just gently put it back on the merry-go-round.

(Caution: do not let thoughts of irritation or frustration with self enter in to this mindful technique…practice grace for yourself and your ability to learn this technique)

Once you feel ready, allow the mind to open just a fraction to hear nature’s song around you, feel the environment, smell the aroma of the environment, in your imagination, what do these sounds and smells taste like. Now open your eyes and absorb what is around you.  Do your senses convey your surroundings?  What is happening in the moment? Take in the little nuances of everyday life in nature, life outside of yourself. Notice the details.

Spend several minutes absorbing the quiet; allow your breath to be your anchor in the moment.

When the mind gets pulled away, always come back to the breath.

Practice this technique daily, it can be incorporated into any event or happening in your life. Be present.

The fun part of this whole experience is that it will help to bring your body to the relaxed state where your metabolic power resides. Meaning, the more relaxed you operate your life…the more metabolic power you will have. OXYGEN is the key ingredient to mindfulness. OXYGEN is the key ingredient to increased metabolism. OXYGEN is life.

Go enjoy a mindful moment and bring more energy, vitality and strength to you, body and soul.

Please leave your comment below. I’d love to hear how mindful moments have helped you to reach this state of being.

Ashly

Stop ~ You Really Gotta Stop

My hubby and I got to enjoy a getaway together over Memorial Day weekend. We went to Branson, MO. Neither one of us has ever been there before, so we thought, why not? We had the best time; saw a couple of shows (by the way…The Haygood’s are phenomenal!), we also enjoyed the Titanic Museum, rode the Ducks and of course relaxed.

I highly recommend getaway weekends. They support our body’s ability to burn fat. YES! You heard me correctly. You want to get your body in-sync and burn fat efficiently….all you need are a few days to relax, unwind and have FUN!

How is that possible? Like I have shared with you before, when the body is relaxed and operating in para-sympathetic mode, it naturally utilizes fat for energy. WAHOO!

Wouldn’t it be nice to adopt this style of operation even when not on vacation?

As we were driving through town, I saw the most interesting stop sign. It says, STOP ~ You Really Gotta Stop.

This really grabbed my attention.  I guess a lot of people roll through the intersection….you have never done that, have you? :O)

As I let that mantra sink in, I began to see how I have used a stop sign in my mind whenever I need to stop the mindless chatter, negative thoughts, or grazing through the pantry or fridge, etc.

The mental stop sign works…you ought to try it whenever negative thoughts flow through your mind or you find yourself choosing and eating foods that are not nourishing for you.

But what about those times that the stop sign doesn’t work?

I can just hear myself saying, “No, Ashly, You really gotta stop. NOW!

That is why this sign in Branson resonated with me so much.

The insanity of continuing poor behavior patterns has really gotta stop. Do you have poor behaviors or habits that are keeping you from living in a body you love?

Is it hard for you to change these life–taking habits to life-giving habits?

Well, STOP ~ You Really Gotta Stop! Put this in your mind’s eye.  The only person who can do this is you. You are the one in control of you and your habits.

I love creating new life-giving habits. It is challenging and it is an opportunity for me to see how badly I really want something.

Habits are unthinking, automatic choices that we make throughout the day. AND there is an easy to implement step by step process that the researches at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology discovered in the 1990’s.  There is a neurological loop at the core of every habit that consists of 3 parts: cue, routine, reward.

You can read more about how to create a life-giving habit in my article posted on November 4, 2013. Enjoy the article and create life-giving habits that can help you live the life you want in a body you love.

https://www.ashlytorian.com/habit-vs-willpower/

In the meantime, use the stop sign to stop you in your tracks. This is my process:

1. Mental Stop Sign triggers awareness
2. Ask important Q like…What in the world am I doing? How is this going to help me achieve….? What do I really need in this moment? What can I do in this moment to turn this around?
3. Take action and do the turnaround.

Easy Peazy, right?

Not all the time. Some days you will be successful at turning it around and following through…and at other times you won’t. But that’s ok. It is all about practice. Experiment with different outcomes…see which one resonates with you the best.  You will also see what your needs truly are. It is never about the food or the toxic chemical rush you get from negative self-talk, it is ALWAYS about something much more important.

The more times you practice and experiment with different turn-arounds, the greater the chances are to drop the life-taking habit and implement one that is life-giving.

Chaotic Perfection

Clinton and Brandon, our sons, just moved off to school this week. We filled their cars and our truck and trailer full with all they need to make a new home for themselves at school. It was a fabulous 19 hour day moving them in to their respective apartments and helping them to set up their new homes. As all of this occurred, I began thinking back over the summer and how absolutely p-e-r-f-e-c-t it was, with all of the flaws, noise, chaos, laughter, spills, jokes, hugs, tears, embraces, hellos and goodbyes. It was perfect.

This summer is one I will never forget. It has been 4 years since the Torian 4 have lived together under 1 roof for any length of time and it was absolutely FANTASTIC!

You see our eldest son, Clint, chose to work full-time and go to school at a local junior college in order to complete his basics after high school graduation. Our youngest son, Brandon, chose to join the Marines right after high school.

Jump forward 4 years and once Brandon’s release date was coming near, he began making plans for college. Together the boys made a decision to attend MSU in the fall.

Not only did we have the joy of having our adult children live in our home for the summer, but Brandon adds a 9 week old German shepherd puppy to the mix!! Oh and one other thing, Robert and I had just adopted a 6 month old boxer/bulldog puppy back in January. So we now have 2 adult sons AND 2 puppies living under our roof. Now you are getting a clearer picture of the chaos here, aren’t you?

I had to COMPLETEY let go of the way I like my home to look and smell.   My home is not show room material by any means, but I do like cleanliness and a ‘messy’ sort of order. This was a challenge for me.

This is kind of how letting go of having the perfect body is for most of us.

I feel truly blessed to have had another summer with my sweet family all together, along with the adorable new canine members.

But, to be honest, it was very chaotic, messy, noisy, crazy and fun, fun, fun!!

Not perfect

But perfect with all the imperfections.

The home had become used to quiet, slow, easy, calm.

This was the complete opposite!

It was ABSOLUTELY perfect!!!

I love when my life experiences line up with something I am working on in my own life or teaching my clients.

This is all about perfection.

The perfect family, the perfect home, the perfect wardrobe, the perfect body to wear the wardrobe, the perfect car, the perfect dadadadada…etc. The list goes on.

Society strives for this false perfection. Not just in body. It may start there, but it trickles into every aspect of life. Pretty soon the desire is perfection straight across the board. This is exhausting and extremely harmful to the psyche. This pulls the body into a stress response and you lose all ability for the metabolism to burn the amount of calories needed to maintain your body’s desired and natural weight.

The challenge here is that we understand perfect to mean flawless. When truly it is the flaws that make us and our experiences perfect.

If we can shift our perception to what perfect really is, then p-e-r-f-e-c-t would be something to strive for.

Marc David with the Institute for the Psychology of Eating says, “seeking perfection is a virus and something to fight.” Don’t let the virus of seeking perfection infect you. It can and will eat you alive.

During the first years of my marriage, I sought perfection in every aspect of my life. I had to be the perfect wife, mother, daughter, sister and personal trainer. I had to have the perfect body, too. I was never happy with mine. No matter what size or how fit, I was never happy. It truly was a virus that I was infected with.

Once I exhausted myself emotionally, anxiety over not being perfect began to lead my life.

A client of mine had this same type experience. Instead of anxiety, her experience led to binge eating.

How is your desire for perfection infecting your life?

Because of this experience with my sons this summer, it continues to remind me that perfect isn’t flawless. Perfect is flawed and beautiful.

Shift your belief of perfection.

When you look in the mirror, see your beauty, your flaws and how perfectly they align to make the one – beautiful – you. There is no other like you. You are perfect in every way, for your life’s journey!

Stop seeking this false perfection that can never be reached. Enjoy your life, your relationships, your family, your children AND your body. Love on her and she will love you right back.

The Least Talked about Game that Women Play: The Comparison Game

Do you play the comparison game? You know the one…your best friend shows up at your door and she looks beautiful. In the face of this beauty, you begin to doubt your own beauty and start down the rabbit hole of self-criticism by picking yourself apart.

Not only does this effect the way you see yourself, but your every experience is judged by this one thing….do I look good enough? Am I skinny enough? Do I look too big compared to my friend?

Your memories of this fabulous night out with your friend is clouded because you were so busy measuring yourself up against everyone else…you forgot to have fun.

Now that is a bummer!

I used to be filled with so much self-criticism, that I would have sharp pains in my stomach the whole evening. It would not only be painful…but my stomach would swell as well. That is what you call emotional pain being reflected into physical symptoms.

As you may have experienced, the comparison game leads to self-criticism and judgement. Next on the emotional circuit is shame and unworthiness. Then we get to finish up with a plan for future restriction and punishment.

You devise a great strategy to eliminate this enemy, your body. The next day’s schedule consists of an early morning run, followed by fasting with the intention to shrink the stomach, followed by another form of exercise because the run wasn’t enough to make you feel bad enough for not measuring up. In your eyes, you haven’t earned that right yet. At this point you are so hungry that you give in to your intentions of fasting and you overeat, not just mildly, but punishingly overeat.

The result is shame. Shame that you can’t even go 1 day without eating. Shame that your body isn’t what you want. The cry for mercy is “why can’t I have a cute figure like everyone else?” “Why can’t I eat whatever I want and not gain weight like everyone else?”

Do you see how shame is taken to the extreme? The rampage started with only 1 friend and it ended with “everyone”. The result of this tirade is a feeling true aloneness.

This is disconnection.

Not with your friend but with yourself. Once you are disconnected with body and soul, you take on eating and exercising behavior patterns that do not get you where you want to go. In fact, in this place your body responds in only 1 way, a stress response. In a stress response, the body stores fat and burns muscle along with a host of other physiological reactions that sabotage your goal.

As Don Miguel Ruiz says in his book The Four Agreements Companion Book, “we believe about ourselves what everyone and every mirror has ever told us about who we are and what we look like.” We can’t see our self, so we take everyone else’s word for it.

All of these perceptions are distorted. They are UNTRUE. Yet, we believe them anyway.

So, how do we overcome this tendency to rate and judge our own body? After all, she is rather lovely J and truly a miracle of a being.

First, understand that we are all made differently. We each are blessed with the physical body that is needed for our own personal journey on this earth.

Here is the logical point of view using physiological fact:

There are 3 main body types: ecto-morph, endo-morph and meso-morph.

Ecto is long

Endo is curvy

Meso is power

In short, an endo will never be an ecto and a meso will never be an endo and an ecto can never be a meso and all vice-versa. There are combinations of all of these and these combinations make us who we are individually. Not only physical shape but our likes and dislikes as well. It is really quite fascinating.

In the case of my example, the friend that comes to your door is long limbed and you are curvy, it is unrealistic to be critical of yourself. You, being curvy, will never be long limb…no matter what stretching machine you put yourself on…it – will – not – happen.

So the big question is…Why are you not happy with the way your body is now?

The more Soulful point of view is:

It is time to give your belief system an overhaul. You cannot continue to live your life in judgement, comparison and criticism. The body cannot withstand this type of anxiety and stress and not be affected by it later.

First, meditate and mull over this beautiful scripture, Psalms 139:14: I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works: my soul knows it very well.

This verse shows the incredible and unique essence of our physical body. Each individual is created differently, each having their own characteristics, curves, strength, power, length, breadth and so on. Each one is unique and very special. Once you see yourself from your creators eyes, things will begin to shift for you.

To solidify this, I teach my clients to integrate body love rituals into their day. For example, a mindful shower where you bring all the senses into play from prepping for shower to applying lotion after the shower.

Use body love rituals to integrate the connection between body and soul so they coalesce in a beautiful dance. This is how you stop the comparison game.

Be embodied, one with your body.

This brings love, appreciation, gratitude and forgiveness.

This has you operating from your heart. When our heart guides us, we see the world and the people in our world differently. Most importantly we see ourselves differently and only then will we begin to treat ourselves differently. We begin to take care in how we eat, move and exercise, how we treat and show honor to others.

Dropping the comparison could change your life.

When the heart leads our mind isn’t on our physical body tripping us up on judgement and criticism. We can finally Experience Freedom from the Comparison Game.

The next time your girlfriend shows up at the door, open the door with your heart. Not your head.

Are you DONE?

Just Stop It!

Are you DONE?

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When Robert and I wrestle around, I get to a point where I can’t “fight” back any longer. I am weak with fatigue…I just can’t hold out. So, what do I say… “I’m Done!” This lets Robert know that I no longer want to play 🙂

Do you ever feel this way in life?

Do you feel this way in your dieting efforts? I know I did and I have several clients that can attest to this same feeling.

When you are done…you are DONE. You don’t want to have to think about it anymore.

And now you don’t.

As you know, I am encouraging all of the ABB tribe to take advantage of the 25% off Summer Sale for the Home-Study Course/Group Coaching Program. This is your opportunity to follow through and END your Diet Drama and get out of Body Jail.

I am going to teach you all you need to know to live in FREEDOM!

Check out Nicole’s Recorded Testimony. She got to a point where she was DONE, too. Listen to how she FREE’D herself.

Recording found here.

If you are done with the Jail Cell….Then JUMP out with both feet!

This is your last opportunity to get 25% off the Experience Freedom Home-Study Course and Group Coaching.

Click NOW to join

Nicole’s incredible and inspiring story- audio and PDF.

Love and hugs to you,
Ashly

Is your rhythm turning you on?

I LOVE being in rhythm! I love it because when it comes to dancing and singing…I am always off rhythm. It is ok to laugh with me :o) I don’t know what it is…but staying in rhythm to music can be very difficult for me. I have to relax, be present and in the moment and REALLY be in my body.

That is why I like circadian rhythm so much more…it is easy-peezy for me. Being in rhythm with the sun for eating & sleeping is rejuvenating and invigorating. I love the ease with which life flows in this rhythm, this pace, this format. It brings our body to life. Our metabolic machine hums and burns when we honor the CRS (Circadian Rhythm of the Sun).

In this place you will burn fat, gain more energy, increase your body’s immune system and have healthier bones and digestive system; just for scheduling your day along with the sun’s cycle.

HOWEVER, in the summer, it is more challenging.

Listen to this video I made that helps you with your Summer Rhythm – eating, planning and sleeping.

Enjoy….then check out the ABB Summer Special.

Only 2 weeks left to cash in on this savings for the summer.

4 modules

8 group coaching sessions

12 models for living Inspired, Happy and FREE from Body Jail

And so much more…check it out here!

I will see you soon!

Love & hugs!

Ashly

25% off E.N.D. Home-Study w (8) Group Coaching

One to one Clients also get 25% off 

E.N.D. Retreat 1 Day Event August 29^th – get 50% off when you participate in the Home-Study Course this summer!

Check out Ashly’s Bio~Balance Radio Show on Pegasus Netwaves– Wednesday at 1:30 pm and 7:00 pm AND Fridays at 3:00 pm

Your summer support is here

I love my support team! They keep me on task, inspired, comforted, & empowered. Do you have a support team like that? Mine is made up of my Hubby, my sisters, friends, body talk practitioner, mentors, & colleagues.

It is vitally important to have a team of people that support you on your life’s journey, which includes your journey to living happy, inspired and free from your body jail.

Finding your way through the convoluted maze of diets and exercise routines all alone is trying on the emotions; especially when you have been riding the dieting roller coaster for most of your life.

This summer I am going to help you develop a support team, one that is experiencing the same trials with food and body relationship as you. AND now you can finally partake in the E.N.D. Home-Study Course and meet all these beautiful women and soon-to-be friends.

The ABB Summer Sale is underway for the next 3 weeks. First, I want to gift you with 1 of 12 models that I coach in this home-study course and all my one-to-one clients: The Kitchen Cleanse!

You don’t want to start this adventure without first cleaning out your kitchen. Take this opportunity to get it done now!

Get your free Kitchen Cleanse today!

Now for the FUN part! From June 22 to July 12th, I am promoting the E.N.D. Home Study Course for 25% off its regular price. The value of the program is $2285. But you will not pay that. You won’t even pay the regular price of $297!

Today it is only $223.

That is 25% of the regular price PLUS instead of 4 group coaching calls you will receive 8 group coaching calls. AND that isn’t all.

The beauty of this program is that you do this at your own pace. You have 4 modules that you view on your own time, then 1 time each week we will meet for a group coaching call where I will solidify the teaching of each module. There is a time for Q & A and sharing.

There is so much more with this program. Get the details here!

Call me if you hit a glitch or hiccup. I am here to help you 🙂

‘Tis the season to be jolly!

Are you feeling jolly? This time of year can be a little twisted….emotionally speaking. There are charities to work, gifts to buy, parties to go to, baking to be done, money to be budgeted, relationships that are rocky and need to be mended, etc… The list for all that is racing around in our mind is a never ending cycle of to do’s, to wants and to wishes.

I say STOP and simplify.

First, breathe. Then take a moment to list all that you are thankful for. This includes those moments and experiences that you aren’t really thankful for, too. Those are the ones that keep you from feeling jolly. To turn this around, rest in that moment and show gratitude for your trial… and all that you learn from it. Then watch out…this gratitude process creates a different dynamic between you and the source of your trial/tribulation.

Next, simplify where you can. Make a list of all that you “need/want” to do this holiday season. Categorize each item A-1 to A-3. Eliminate or change up A-3’s. For example, instead of baking 10 different items to give away as gifts, choose your favorite 5 recipes and double the batch.

Pick and choose what is MOST important to you and your family; the most nourishing and the ones that solidify the reason for the season.

The FUN thing about the 2 steps to simplify is that they completely change your physiology. You will go from a stressed state (burning muscle) to a relaxed state (burning fat), just by slowing down, breathing, showing gratitude for EVERYTHING in your life and cutting out what you don’t need. When we do not feel at a disadvantage or threatened, our body complies and returns to a state of healing, repair, ENERGY, and full digestive power.

Woo! To burn FAT during the holidays is a big plus! To feel energy during the holidays is a BIG plus, to digest all the wonderful goodies during the holidays is a BIG plus!

So why not stop and simplify? What have you got to lose?

NOTHING!

Warning…you will be extra JOLLY though! So enjoy!

 Ashly

The Holiday Creeper

Suzie was fed up with the holidays. She knows that she “should” be excited and thrilled that they are here. But truthfully she couldn’t wait for them to be over. She knew at the end of the holidays she will be feeling tired , bloated, frustrated and just plain wore out from keeping up with the intense schedule, eating rich foods and not getting any sleep. She wants to get motivated for the new year so she can lose weight, but to be honest, she doesn’t have the energy for that either. She is at a loss and feels defeated.

All of these things led Suzie to feeling hopeless. That she will never feel the way she wants to feel: happy, joyful, inspired, energized, and ready for anything life brings her way.

Do you feel that way? Do you feel that you are ready for anything life brings your way?

Do you have energy? Confidence? Know-how? Inspiration? Direction?

The Holidays are a beautiful time of year filled with love, joy, peace & grace. But at the end of the year, when it is time to start a new one, we don’t feel this way. We are wore out and defeated because of the weight that has collected over the last 8 weeks or more.

I am here to tell you…this is not in your future anymore.

When you are able to shift your perspective around the holiday foods, you are able to adopt a new way of eating during the holidays. Most importantly, you’ll be eating what feels healthful. You should be eating what leaves you feeling vibrant, alive, joyful, and well. And still have those wonderful holiday treats and celebrations to enjoy. It’s about finding that balance, the middle ground; taking on the understanding that you are perfect just as you are.

Several studies have shown that depression and stress increase during the holidays.

In addition, the individuals that decide to go on a diet for the new year, to help their stress and lose weight, will be unlikely to achieve those goals. Only about 20% of individuals that make weight loss goals or New Year’s resolutions are shown to follow through with those goals.

This doesn’t have to happen. All it takes is a shift in your perspective- from punishment to nourishment.

Leap into the Holidays with Confidence… living in a way that brings peace to those around you.

This year I challenge you, no, I beseech you, to walk through the holidays differently.

Decide now the NEW feelings that you want to attain by close of the year; the core desires that live in your heart, but you have been too stressed or too defeated to put forth any energy to seeking them. Then, invite in activities, experiences, foods that will bring about these core feelings, these core desires.

If you walk through the holidays the same way as you did last year, you are going to wind up right back where you are now.

It is going to take action and shift in your perspective. You can do this. You can make this shift using the E.N.D. Zone method for keeping the holiday weight OFF.

You will have to do things differently to get the results you are looking for. To do the same thing and expect different results is insanity, right?!

If this is something you want so badly, then why not make that shift, make that conscious choice, conscious decision, and conscious step forward and walk through the steps of the E.N.D. Zone.

Leap into the Holidays with Confidence with ME. Check out this holiday info product. Then reach out to me. I would love to hear how if made a difference for you. Comment below or let me know on Facebook.

Enjoy November and December. Live these next 2 months like you never have before, with excitement, anticipation, inspiration, joy and love.

May peace be with you and fill you up,

Ashly

Take Action

 If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today.

– E. Joseph Cossman

The number one reason people don’t take action for something they truly want is they are afraid they won’t receive it. In my conversations with people, I hear this a lot. “I know I need to lose weight but…” or “I know this is bad for me but…” These are excuses followed by NO ACTION. Do you find yourself reciting these sentence starters? And then never following up on the good intentions to change the way you are living?

These sentence starters are worry makers. Thoughts without action take up much needed thought space in the brain. Worrisome thoughts plaque most of us; thoughts of money and health i.e. body weight, can keep us awake at night OR take up much needed brain power the next day. When the mind is tied up in knots over something, it keeps YOU from effectively and efficiently living your dream.

Take a moment and think back to last fall. What were you worrying about? Were you concerned about gaining weight during the holidays? Did you check out every diet to see if it would be the right one for you come January? Do you even remember how the mind was flooded with thoughts of the number on the scale, clothes are tight, do I look ok, etc.. Did that worry make a true difference in your life? Did your health, weight and money issues go away?

Just as a binge can’t take place when you adopt slow into the process, worry doesn’t exist when you Take Action. Here are 3 steps to stop the worry and live intentionally.

• Write up a detailed plan around what worries you the most. Here is an example for health
  1. Exercise life – what type, how much time, how often
  2. Food life – processed or fresh, grains or no grains
  3. Soulful time – how often, how long

Hint: be reasonable… develop a detailed plan that you can stick with for the long term.

• Short list of exceptions to this “rule” – In other words, what occurrences/situations have to happen to keep you from sticking to your action plan? For example: getting a massage, body talk and being sick are 3 exceptions to my exercise plan. And I stick with that. If something else comes up that could keep me from my exercise plan, then I reschedule the event or I move my workout to a different time for that day.
• The KEY to Taking Action is STICK TO IT. Stop making excuses and just do it. There are a million reasons why you can’t and only 1 reason why you should…and that is the most important reason that surpasses all the millions of reasons, YOU are important. YOU are worthy.

The gist of this is…STOP WORRYING. It doesn’t solve any dilemma’s for you. All it does is take up vital energy that is better spent elsewhere. Like, living your reason for being; that is where the action is, that is where sustainable weight happens, AND that is freedom!

Take Action:

Map out a plan

SHORT list of exceptions

STICK TO IT!

See you in the E.N.D. Zone!

Movement for the Soul

Exercise is not for everyone. Do you agree? Not everyone likes it. Why do you think that is? The structure of the human body was made to move; leap, skip, jump, walk, run, balance, bend, arch and stretch. Do you do any of these on a daily basis?

As many as 50 million Americans (35-45 % of the population) are living sedentary lives, putting them at an increased risk of health problems. (American Psychological Association)

On the other hand there are those that seek exercise for a thinner body or a sense of control or accomplishment, instead of seeking it out to create a healthy lifestyle and gaining pleasure from it. For some of these individuals, exercise can be addictive and taken to the extreme. Which is very similar to the way extreme dieting leads to eating disorders, in extreme cases it is an activity disorder.

Over-exercising or punishing exercise are as detrimental to the health as a sedentary lifestyle. The former causes the body to operate in a sympathetic stressed state the majority of the time. Which as you know from my previous articles on stress, this is damaging to the digestive system, the musculoskeletal system, the cellular system, and muscle to fat ration.

Here are a few “sure signs” that you are over-exercising or participating in punishing exercise.

1. Obsessive concerns with body weight and body fat
2. Excessive, purposeless physical activity that goes beyond your normal training regimen
3. Punishing exercise – meaning you have to work-out because you ate “too much” or in your mind you haven’t done enough activity to deserve relaxing.
4. Uncomfortable with rest or relaxation
5. Dependent on exercise to balance mood
6. Rationalize activity level to protect involvement in said activity
7. Exercise no matter what…even if experiencing physical exhaustion

All of these cause the body to reside in the Sympathetic Stress Mode, which kills the body’s ability to build muscle and protect bones. If you are going to spend all those hours exercising, don’t you want to build lean tissue and maintain good bone health?

Where do we find the balance in our exercise regimen or what I call movement for the soul? It comes from with-in. Only you know what form of movement will be nourishing for you. Experiment. Don’t settle for something that doesn’t bring joy, excitement or energy to every fiber of your being. It must be an activity that you look forward to and that nourishes you for your life purpose.

Moving for your Life Purpose takes the pressure off. Now you can move with the soul intent to gain a healthy body and soul. Healthy movement is so vital for the soul (mind/heart/emotions). When time is set aside for movement that is nourishing, the soul comes to life; a balance is reached. And when the soul is nourished, you are unstoppable.

The 1 thing to remember is to MOVE. Don’t live a sedentary life, the body was built for movement. The 2^nd thing to remember is to move for the soul….with the sole purpose to nourish, strengthen, calm and restore your health.

The Belly Fat Obsession

Belly fat obsession is ever present and takes up a lot of energy! No matter the size or shape of a women, obsession with the size of their tummy is at the top of their list of what they would like to change. My belly obsession began at the early age of 8.

My sister and I played with another set of sisters that lived in our neighborhood. We were at their house hanging out on the back patio eating a snack. We had just finished playing in the sprinkler so we were in our swim suits. I remember noticing (while we were sitting there enjoying the sun and a snack) that their stomachs were flat. As I glanced down at mine I saw 3 little rolls. This was my first moment of awareness at age 8, that my stomach was different than most girls my age. This was the beginning of my obsession with my belly.

As I look back on pictures of me at that time, I realize how silly I was because I was utterly adorable! Just a cute little innocent girl. No weight problems, just an insecurity around my body.

When these thoughts are left unchecked, they spiral out of control. My whole life was centered on my belly. I had an obsession. The only time I ever felt like my tummy was flat was when I was in a high anxiety state. But then I’d get happy and secure and BOOM! The tummy came back.

So what does all this mean? How do we take our focus from what we hate about our body to something that we love about our body?

Honestly…this can still be a struggle for me. Especially now, as I am closing in on 50….things are changing. Oh yikes! Did I just say that! It seems like yesterday that I was 8 years old. I love and appreciate my body. She has held up for me through all of my “stuff”. So my desire is to honor her (me) through whatever changes my physical form takes.

So what is the deal? Why do we, as women, obsess over our bellies? The “why” is not nearly as important as the “what can I do now”.

Causes of Belly Fat

Belly fat can be imagined….yes, believe it or not it can. This is body dysmorphic disorder. If you dislike and pick at a part of your body often enough, you will begin to see fat where there isn’t fat. Check in to see if this is you.

Belly fat can be caused by the traditional reasons of eating too many carbohydrates and/or sugar, lack of cardio exercise, overeating, hormone imbalance, etc….

But we know all this…right?

If you have tuned into any of the articles that I write or my book, you have heard me “preach” for you to lose the negative self-talk. But what about the negativity of others?

According to a study from Northwestern University published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, hanging out with negative people may be a culprit of belly fat.

Woo!!!

It all boils down to stress. Spending time with negative people often leads to developing coping behaviors. You feel sad and beat down, you may turn to food to relieve the “pain”. And, the cycle begins. You begin to see “you” in a different light; judgment and criticism become a part of your vocabulary.

When you feel those around you support and love you…the tendency is to nourish yourself in a positive way through the food you eat, movement AND how you talk to and see yourself.

Release the toxic relationships and you just might release some belly fat! That isn’t something we traditionally consider to be a weight loss technique, but we are finding that STRESS, in all its forms, plays a significant role in our digestive response.

Check out how you can come into awareness….

How much time do you spend beating yourself up over your belly?

Spend 3-5 days getting a baseline. See how many times you look in the mirror, store front window, car window, to check yourself out…& to make sure your belly is ok. Note the number of times each day. This number may shock you.

Take a deep breath, it is going to be ok. Next step is to work to reduce this number. Here is what you do:

The next week, set a goal, a reduced number of times that you will look at your reflection, to check out your body/belly in a negative & judgmental way.

Each week reduce the number, and replace it with the following steps to empower and boost your self-confidence.

1 – Shift your focus! When you look in the mirror – look at body parts that you do like and sing your praises!

2- Face it! Go ahead and look at your belly, instead of putting yourself down, ask yourself “what is this about?” “How will staring at my belly, wishing it would go away, help me be a better human being?” In this step we are shifting the focus from the physical you to the authentic you.

3 – Change your course! Instead of taking every opportunity to judge yourself in the mirror, try breathing instead. Take a deep breath. OR better yet, bring your mind to the present…be aware of what you are experiencing in the moment, who are you talking to….etc…pay attention. Really take a look at your life in that moment and jump into it. Be ALL-IN your life.

It doesn’t matter if you do not have the waist line of Sophia Loren or Jessica Biel. What does matter is if you love yourself enough to let go of the negative feelings around your belly and embrace it? Embrace it so that you can then release the weight?

Be ALL-IN!

 Ashly

What language do you speak?

Showing our love to those in our life can sometimes be challenging. How many times have you “complained” that your spouse didn’t spend enough time with you or help out around the house? How often have you wanted to connect with a friend and felt better for the time you spent together? Have you run into times when you would reach out to give someone a hug or to hold onto their hand for a moment and they quickly pulled away OR you are waiting for the affirmation that you are awesome?

These types of occurrences happen quite often. The reason? We come from our “me” spot; meaning: when we want to show someone that we care or love them, we tend to show them in the way that is easiest for us….in our own Love Language. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, states “Each of us has our own primary way in which we accept love and affection from others, most people tend to show others love using their own love language instead of the love language of their loved one.”

15 years ago I went to a love language seminar and discovered that I had been showing love to my husband in my love language…no wonder we had communication problems. I didn’t understand why we had discord when I expressed words of affirmation to him. That was all well and good, it was kind….but he didn’t understand how much I loved and appreciated him because I wasn’t communicating it to him in his language.

My love language is words of affirmation. There is nothing that builds me up and shows me love more than affirmations from my loved ones. Robert, however is quality time. Spending time together, just hanging out…doing anything, affirms that Robert is loved. In this case, he thought just by spending time with me that I would feel loved. This wasn’t the case. Robert and I were miscommunicating love, BIG TIME!

The same goes for our children. Figuring out the love language of my boys at such a young age and expressing this to them, allowed us to build a strong mom/son relationship AND most importantly, they knew they were loved beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Fill up your loved one’s tank by expressing your love for them in THEIR love language.

The 5 love languages are:

• Words of Affirmation
• Quality Time
• Receiving Gifts
• Acts of Service
• Physical Touch

Some will know instinctively their love language just by looking at the list. I did, but took the test anyway and became aware that Acts of Service was a close second.

It is a fun and intriguing exercise; to figure out the language of those closest to you. Check out Gary Chapman’s book, The 5 Love Languages or go online and take the test at http://www.5lovelanguages.com

It isn’t easy to adopt the expression of your loved ones love language when your own love language comes so naturally. This is the moment when we step outside our “me” spot and put the other person first. See life from their perspective. This is right in line with The 5^th Agreement by Don Miguel Ruiz and Don Jose Ruiz. It is up to us to be discerning and respectful of another’s desires and needs.

For greater detail AND to see how you can EMBRACE your body and soul through your own love language join me Tuesday June 10^th at our monthly renewal meet-up in Flower Mound OR hang out with me on a FREE Webinar Thursday June 12^th at 7:00pm CT. Register here for the FREE Renewal Meet-up or Register here for the Free Webinar.

Enjoy your Journey!

Maintaining Focus

This second half of the month is all about maintaining your focus point.  Our intention at the start of a month is strong, but as the month progresses, sometimes that focus can waver. So, I have included a quote that will bring you back to your intention. Stay present focused and rooted and you will succeed.

“Determine what is true within; that truth does not vary. Life is what varies, shifts and changes form, but truth does not change. Rely on it.”

-Ashly

 What does this mean for you? Please leave your thoughts below. I would love to know how this resonates in your life.

Guest Post by Angela Adkins

I absolutely love to travel.  The experience of  new and exciting cultures, trying exotic foods and learning a different  language are all high on my list of favs. But, one of my most favorite things to do when I travel is go through customs.

I know that may sound strange. Facing a grim faced, serious immigration officer does not usually bring forth ideal images of a friendly encounter.
Standing in long lines after a 24 hour flight doesn’t either.

The questions are always the same.

Have you ever been to (insert country here) before?   How long is your stay?  Here for business?  What do you do?  (This is the best part)

My answer is always the same.    I teach meditation.  I don’t know when I began to describe what I do like that.  But after the response from the customs officer the first time I expressed it like that I have felt compelled to repeat it ever since.  What happens next is fascinating.

There is always a body posture change.  They tilt their head slightly to one side. Shoulders drop and relax. They take a breath , sometimes even close their eyes and seem to go away somewhere private and far away for a fleeting moment. They will often nod, smile and let out a “Hmm” or an “Ahh”.  Every now and then I will get full eye contact and a “Really?….That’s nice”.  Just the idea of meditation draws a response from even the most surly border patrol officer.

When I pass through customs in the airport I sometimes imagine what it would be like to work in that environment day after day after day. Always on edge.
Serious, guarded,suspicious.  Boring and exciting all at the same time.  Kinda sounds like life!

A good friend of mine says that “We all need our own quiet place.”  I agree.

Today…I hope that you can slip away and find your own quiet place.

Wherever you are.

Angela

www.alignwithenergy.com

Eat your greens!

Does your salad ever get boring? If you eat enough of them…they will. Do you use the same type lettuce along with spinach for every salad? It is so easy to run in the store and grab a bag of greens. Unfortunately, we end up eating the same type greens over and over and miss a lot of good ones out there. They have helped us a little by providing the spring mix…but it doesn’t contain all the greens we could be eating. We miss out on a lot of tasty and nutritious greens by limiting to the same rotation of lettuce and spinach.

Do you walk into the produce department, look around and don’t know half the names of the greens you see? You are not alone. During the last several decades gardening went by the way side and was replaced with convenience. Luckily the next generation is learning all about gardening, so the art of it is coming back. However, right now, you need a lesson on greens. Add variety to your salads by integrating these greens into your diet.

Collard Greens
 

These are fantastic! Prepare them the old southern way (steamed) or use them as a lettuce wrap (more sturdy than a red or green leaf lettuce). Click here for Ashly’s recipes. Research shows they lower artery-clogging cholesterol better than spinach. So whether you are making yourself a green smoothie, fixing a sandwich or need a hot veggie for your meal…try the collards.

Kale

This is an earthy, bitter green. It is a winter vegetable so you will find it is sweeter during that season. It is packed full with Vitamins A and C. in only 1 cup AND six times the daily requirement of bone-boosting vitamin K. Kale is very nutrient dense. Because of its strong flavor, I have 3 serving suggestions

1. green smoothie (start small)
2. Sautéed in olive oil with mushrooms…divine!
3. Dehydrate into chips. Recipe here (thanks Lisa for this fantastic recipe)

Turnips

Turnips are a bit bitter. The tops are loaded with Vitamin K and fiber. 1 cup provides 20% of RDA for vitamin B6.

How to prep?

Blanching takes out some of the bite. Then toss with olive oil, garlic and lemon juice.

Bok Choy

Bok Choy is also known as Chinese cabbage. It is mildly sweet and is a big source of calcium. This is an interesting tidbit…it is a high source of calcium because it is low in oxalate which is a compound found in many other greens that blocks the absorption of the mineral. Bok Choy also contains 25 kinds of cancer-fighting antioxidants.

How to prep?

1. Great in stir fries.
2. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees for 5 min.

Watercress

Watercress has oval shaped leaves with a peppery smell. They are packed full of carotenoids (vision protecting nutrient) and compounds that inhibit the growth of breast cancer tumors.

How to prep:

Trim the stems and add leaves to salads, sandwiches, dress up the plate with this peppery leaf when serving beef and pork chops.

Swiss Chard

Eye popping colorful stems means FRESH. Swiss chard is a relative to the beet and is packed full of Vitamins A and C. Just 1 cup will supply more than 20% of daily need for Iron.

How to prep?

1. Soften the leaves; blanch in boiling salted water fir a few minutes, then sauté in olive oil, salt and garlic then toss with golden raisins.
2. Add them to a green smoothie.

Escarole

Escarole looks a little like romaine but has a firm texture and pale color with a slightly bitter taste. This green is nutrient dense with fiber, folate (good for the heart), along with Vitamins A,C and K.

How to prep?

The inner leaves are sweet, so they are very tasty in a salad. Cut off the end, remove the core and toss the leaves with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and salt; top with parmesan cheese. Use the outer leaves for soups and chili’s.

Including a variety of greens in your diet is essential for your health. Begin experimenting 1-2 times per week by adding a new green with dinner or in your salad. These greens are good cooked, raw or in a smoothie.

Enjoy!

Ashly

Farm Fresh Eggs

Eggs are a food that are rich in EFA’s and Protein. Great for breakfast or snack AND if you are like my family…we LOVE EGGS for dinner. It makes for a wonderful, tasty, light meal. Because of our love for eggs, I wanted to make sure we weren’t overdoing it.

Past studies in the U.S. have indicated that eggs are high in cholesterol therefore they cause high cholesterol. Eggs are high in fat therefore that make you fat. Both of these couldn’t be more off base. There is a controversial “debate” going on between the Egg Nutrition Council and the Egg/ Chicken Advocates.

Eggs are a healthy food filled with vital nutrients. Take a look at this study done by Mother Earth News that shows the nutritional difference between eggs from the supermarket and eggs that are from chickens that are truly free range/pasture eggs.

 “Mother Earth News collected samples from 14 pastured flocks across the country and had them tested at an accredited laboratory. The results were compared to official US Department of Agriculture data for commercial eggs. Results showed the pastured eggs contained an amazing:

• 1/3 less cholesterol than commercial eggs
• 1/4 less saturated fat
• 2/3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 7 times more beta carotene
• 4-6 times more V-D

Full results of the tests are available in the October/November 2007 issue of Mother Earth News, or on their website at http://www.MotherEarthNews.com/eggs. Check Eatwild’s Pastured Products Directory to find free-range eggs near you.”

I find the data collected from this study truly amazing. Who would have thought that by simply allowing chickens the ability to be “free” would have this type of an effect on the egg itself? Food for thought…that goes for people too, I imagine. Break free from the chains that bind you, whether they are toxic beliefs collected throughout your life, spiritual, or emotional, break free from them and your metabolism will be set free as well.

Here are some other interesting tidbits about eggs that may help you in getting the freshest possible.

Some things you might not know about eggs

• No refrigeration required for eggs from pasture-raised hens (unless they were refrigerated before you picked them up.
• Do not pre-wash pasture eggs, the egg is naturally coated with a light layer of natural sealing agent called “bloom”. This coating protects the egg from “aging” by the air and from the bacteria in the air.
• The fresher the egg, the white will appear cloudy.
• Beware – the lighter colored the yolk, the chicken was corn fed.
•  A yolk w blood spots is caused by a breaking of a blood vessel along the surface of the yolk. This is not a contamination.

Nutritive information you may not know about eggs – they are loaded!

• Egg yolk supplies the cholesterol needed for mental development
• Eggs are rich in vitamins A and D
• Eggs are rich in Choline for mental acuity in adults. (Choline is a coenzyme needed for metabolism, choline exists in all living cells, but is probably best known as a major part of lecithin–the emulsifier that keeps fats and cholesterol from clumping together in the blood)
• Eggs are one of the few foods which contain all 8 of the essential amino acids (out body can make whatever non-essential proteins needed from the 8 essential ones)
• Eggs from free range chickens will not raise cholesterol. This study was in the New England Journal of Medicine. The factory supermarket eggs have a ratio of omega 6’s to omega 3’s, 20 to 1, whereas the eggs from free range chickens are perfectly balanced ǿ 1 to 1.

Eggs are one of the wholesome foods we choose to eat. Find a local farmer in your area. They typically post signs out on the drive in the rural areas. You can also try, http://www.localharvest.org/, they will have a listing of local farms in your area.

Would love to hear your comments on this article, please leave them below…along with where you get your eggs.

Enjoy!

 Ashly

Coconut Oil

Whenever I think of coconut, the Maui air invades my senses and it transports me to the beautiful islands. As I use my senses to draw it in, I become present-focused in the exotic and delectable nature of the coconut. The scent of coconut is so exotic and desired that companies put the fragrance in body lotions and suntan lotions.  Talk about “see the coconut, feel the coconut, be the coconut”!

There are many times that the smell of a favored food brings back warm and fuzzy memories, which makes you want to wrap yourself up in its delightful nature. That is what coconut does for me.  How about you?

Coconut is a favorite with vegans and those who go Paleo so you will find a huge supply of recipes out on the web, using this great tasting oil in alternative baked goods and as a part of everyday food preparation.

Coconut is known as one of the healthiest foods and strongly recommended to add to your daily diet. Its level of essential fatty acid is off the chart good! It is high in Omega 6 fatty acids and phytosterols (known to decrease LDL levels).  The bonus component of the coconut is lauric acid which converts to monolaurin, a fatty acid that helps you fight off viruses and infections.

Health Benefits:

Because of these components, there are many health benefits you may gain by adding coconut to your daily regimen, they include:

• Improves or reverses Alzheimer’s
• Improves Type 2 AND Type 1 Diabetes
• Improves or heals many skin diseases
• Provides peak performance energy
• Whitens teeth and boost oral health
• Kills candida fungus
• Helps w hypothyroidism
  • Increases metabolism and body temp.
• Conditions and strengthens hair
  • Kills lice, improves dandruff
• Kills bacteria and viruses
• Promotes weight loss

Not all coconut oils are created equal:

Pay special attention to the labels. When first selecting the coconut oil you want to bake/cook or use as a body moisturizer, choose one that is virgin or extra-virgin and unrefined. AVOID those that declare raw, cold-pressed and no heat. They are low in anti-oxidants. Also avoid hydrogenated, bleached, refined or deodorized.

Ways to use this wonderful oil:

• Take 1 T a day by mouth
• Sauté veggies
• Add to salads or hot tea
• Use as a body lotion
• Use as a daily facial moisturizer
• Rub a dime size amount on to the dry ends of your hair
• Oil Pulling – swish in mouth for 20 min daily for exponential benefits

Coconut is a super food and comes in many different forms: you can eat the meat of the coconut, bake and cook with the oil, PLUS it also comes in flour form so you can use it as a flour substitute (it is gluten free!). Beware, you will use less than what the recipe calls for and it makes baked goods taste divine!

Enjoy adding coconut to your dietary plan! Let me know in the comment section what you love about coconut 🙂

Ashly

Curb the crave NOW!

Food cravings; they can come at us quick as a wink. We are focused and ready to make changes…then BAM….all of a sudden it hits! Unfortunately, food cravings are unavoidable, and to deny their existence will make you more vulnerable when they attack.

The proactive way to combat them is to meet them head on. Here are some great tricks to curb those cravings. Keep them handy and easy to get to until you learn them. I suggest posting them under “notes” on your phone! I love that gadget! I post everything under NOTES…grocery list, affirmations, workouts…and now FOOD CRAVING TRICKS!

FIRST – Get to the Source of the Craving.

Cravings often occur when your body is missing some nutrient or type of food that your diet has been lacking. You can prevent them by making sure you’re eating small, well-balanced meals and snacks throughout the day.

As a matter of fact, if you’re eating whole foods every 3-4 hours, your belly will stay relatively full and your blood sugar will remain level. Without dangerous dips in your blood sugar, you’re less likely to crave quick fixes like simple carbs or bad fats.

Drink Drink Drink! WATER!!

Did you know that sometimes what our brains register as hunger is actually our bodies trying to tell us that we’re dehydrated? The next time a craving hits you out of nowhere, make it a point to drink a full glass of water. Not only will it fight “hydration pangs,” it’ll also curb your cravings by filling your stomach.

Distract Your Taste Buds.

Sometimes cravings hit because you’re stressed or bored and your mouth needs something to do. A great trick is BRUSH YOUR TEETH!  No one wants to eat right after they brush their teeth!  The burst of flavor will refocus your palate and nip that craving in the bud.  Send me your favorite ways to “Distract your taste buds” and I will post them on my blog!

Change your Course.

Sit down and make a list of 10 things that you can do instead of succumbing to your cravings. Keep the list close at hand and refer to it often. It may sound cheesy, but it’s a great weapon against those pesky cravings.

Your list might include going for a walk, gardening, taking a quick shower, playing with a pet, or chatting with a loved one. The point is to focus your attention elsewhere and recondition your mind to crave something more active instead of the food you don’t need.

Rule Your Cravings with an Iron Fist.

Sometimes it’s less about craving a particular food and more about general impulse control. The next time you are hit with a diet-busting craving, clench your fists as you tell yourself that you will not indulge. Research has shown that the physical activity of clenching your fists can help you assert control and be conscientious in your decision making.

Split –it!

Robert took me out to dinner on my birthday, it was divine! I had the best meal at Saltgrass Steakhouse, Grilled Pork Chops and Asparagus…yum! At the end of the meal, I am feeling good about what I chose to eat, it was filling and satisfying.  THEN the waiter asks if we would like dessert.  OH BOY! I have the best excuse right there to go all out…it is my birthday after all.  However, we made a good decision; we ordered cheesecake….1 slice to split. Thank goodness we did too, because it was FANTASTIC!  Splitting it with Robert allowed me to truly enjoy this wonderful dessert slowly and with relish!

So best advice, if you just got to have it…split it with a friend or spouse.

• You’ll get a satisfying taste, preventing you from feeling deprived and possibly opening yourself up to a dangerous binge later on.
• By splitting the portion you instantly cut down on the amount of food put into your stomach,  it will also bring your treat down to manageable levels of sugar, fat, and sodium.
• You get instant support PLUS the enjoyment of sharing time with a loved one.

Let’s design your personalized food and fitness plan together to fit your lifestyle and meet your goals.

Ashly

Feel Your Craving

Do you experience cravings? I sure do. In fact, I experience them every day; I am human after all. It is part of our genetic make-up; it is the part of us that comes through with insight, wisdom. But 99% of the time we deny ourselves this vital “learning tool”, a tool that better equips us for our journey, giving us a chance to get to know “me” a little bit better.

As a personal fitness trainer the way I dealt with my cravings is much different from how I do now as an Eating Psychology Coach. I look back now and realize all my clever tricks for “avoiding” the craving were really just me RUNNING from it. And sure enough….it just kept coming back.  We have all heard these tricks, ones like: drink a lot of water, go exercise, side-track the taste buds by brushing your teeth, or participate in another activity, the list can go on. When we do this, we completely avoid the “real” issue. Our cravings are tips that something a little deeper than “I want chocolate now!” is happening with in us.  It’s not the chocolate.

The chocolate is the cover story for the masterpiece that is ready to unfold. Cravings, also described as urgings, are feelings that lead us to the next step in our process of weight loss, loving the body or just being happy. When these urges are ignored, we tend to stay in the same place and not make any head way.

Are you tired of “working” the same weight loss techniques that you always have and not getting the results you have been told you would get or thought you could achieve?

Sometimes it takes getting quiet and listening. Listen to the cover story and see what unfolds. It sounds so simple doesn’t it? It is simple, it just isn’t what we expect will help us to reach our intended goal. We think we have to give up so much, hurt in some way to get what we want. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Listen to your craving. Let it out, feel the emotion it brings, the fear, the frustration, fully experience every sensation and arrive at the place where you will no longer give into the desire. This is where transformation happens. Get in to your cravings…see where they come from and what wisdom they hold.

 Ashly

Release your Goddess Energy!

I have just experienced the most fun evening. The short days and long nights, invite me to stay home in the evenings, however, when this opportunity presented itself as an invitation to the Premier Jewelry Spring Fashion Show, Diamonds and Desserts…I just had to go! Something called me to it.

I do plenty of self-care rituals…in fact…I am really “big” on it. I workout regularly, I relish long walks, stretch, enjoy yoga, I dance the jig to my favorite playlist playing in the background (in the privacy of my own home, of course!), lotion up my body with my favorite body lotion (Kiss my Face), Mirror Talk every day, spend quiet moments with God, filling up spiritually and spend time with self.

HOWEVER, what I shy away from is connection with others.

I don’t get out much, I tend to be a home body. I love my home, my family and that is what I am drawn to. This is where I am safe, comfortable and loved. So now you understand why going to this event was very off base and out of the norm for me. Can I just say….I am so glad I listened to the voice from within? This is the benefit of soulful time alone and checking in…you begin to hear desires and needs that you didn’t realize you had.

At this event the Jewelry Consultants were honoring those that have been a hostess for a jewelry show in 2013. My jewelry lady for the last 18 years, Angela Harmon, invited me to attend with her. This was a treat! They treated us like Goddesses. It was beautiful to be a witness to the incredible energies that were vibrating around the room, there was Feminine Energy, Goddess Energy, and Queen Energy and in some cases Princess Energy. Each one equally potent.

Another incredible experience was the thread of connection, commonality, support, and love throughout the entire Grapevine Convention Center.  As I watched the consultants model the Spring Jewelry Line, I was witness to the feminine unveiling her vibrancy as she would glide down the runway opening and expressing her goddess energy in a powerful and provocative way. It was contagious. I found myself utterly captivated by each one’s expression of self-love.

Because I tuned into to gut wisdom, stepped out of my comfort zone, I was rewarded with the experience of connection with women. I only knew one other woman at this event, but that didn’t matter.  I felt interconnected in a way that brought much blessing to me this night.

When the feminine releases her tight hold on her energy and power, she is rewarded with a lighter load; the stress that weighs her down, melts away.

Renew the mind through present-focus.  When a women lets go of everything that holds her back – in the present moment – she comes to life…her light shines. Her energy field is expanded. Self-Care allows you, as the woman, to shine your light, touch and connect with others, so you spread the unique and innate beauty from within to all those around you.

Take Self-Care seriously – enact a body love ritual on a daily basis so you may hear the whisper within that leads to a life filled with many beautiful experiences.

• Take extra time for make up or do it differently
• Catch a movie with a friend
• Take a full day, just you and pamper yourself
• Get a massage
• Wear fabulous jewelry you receive from you Premier Jewelry lady
• Wear an outfit that is completely different from what you would normally wear
• Take time to breathe, mindful present-focused moments
• Soulful time
• Dance
• Bubble bath
• Do something that brings out the feminine in you

The list can go on….Self Care is a ritual that you create that makes you feel good and allows your feminine, goddess energy to shine.

Take the present moment and renew yourself in you.

Enjoy your own unique journey,

Ashly

BodyTalk Seminar February 15- Join Me!

Motivation vs. Inspiration

Happy New Year!

Well it is January 1^st and if the patterns hold, you have been sent several dieting options for the New Year. Which diet did you decide to do? Which one has put a little bit of a spark or interest in you to do them? Maybe they have worked for others that you know…or you realize you ate more than normal over the holidays and want to get the weight off fast, OR a future event is “pushing” you to diet so you feel better about yourself at the time of the event.

Do you see what is happening here? These are motivators and motivators are the push to get you to go on a diet. And unfortunately, motivators are temporary. Being motivated my something is all well and good, there is a purpose there when used properly, but when it comes to body weight and how you feel about yourself, that success comes from Inspiration.

Motivation is temporary, it is an IDEA that you came up with, one that you are pursuing. Those fade with time; they lose the power they originally gave you.  Motivators also lose the ability to push you especially when you get stuck or hit a plateau.

Going on a diet because you hate your body…is an example of a motivator. That is a punishing motivator that beats a person down and eventually leads to failure. Trash Talk is the old way of getting the results you desire. This is the way that diets have been able to become a Trillion Dollar Industry. They have made themselves the motivator for you to lose weight…not only once but 2 maybe 3 times. With a motivator, you have to keep coming back to it. This is a never ending cycle of pain and disillusionment. Ad campaigns represent the idea that you will never be thin enough or good enough to “wear” a fit body. Think of it this way. Imagine you living in an abusive relationship, where the person is always putting you down; would that motivate you to lose the weight OR would it make you feel worse?

I hope you said the latter, because eventually this type of punishing behavior leads to binge eating and over eating.  So if you are abusing yourself with unkind words, this will not motivate you for long. It only leads to pain and suffering. This is how diets have stayed in business for so long. They bring hope and pair it with restriction which ultimately leads to a short stay in success followed by a long stay in failure.

In 2014 I challenge you to put an END to that revolving door of disappointment.

The goal is INSPIRATION

Where motivators are temporary, Inspiration leads you the rest of your life.

Where motivators are the IDEA you push, Inspiration is an IDEA that pushes you. It doesn’t let go.

Inspiration brings fire and passion. It leads to you to success not only with food and body but it leads you to success in your life with what you are choosing to do…a purpose filled life. That is where the power is. Inspiration never fades, it never dies.

So how do you discover what inspires you in life?  What is driving you? Remember an inspiration drives you…not the other way around. An inspiration will take hold of you and pursue you body and soul.

Look for inspiration when it comes to your body weight and how you feel about your body; this is where the power is. Inspiration is a life changing event, one that will leave you animated and influenced forever. Seek and find that which gives you life, purpose and a fulfillment in your life. What is it that makes you tick? And when you think about it, it sends energy rushing through you, purpose, and gumption rushing through you. Get quiet for a moment; ask the question, what drives you? What brings life and purpose to you? What inspires you to keep getting up day after day living this life?

When you discover this you will find success in your body weight and in how you love your body. You will find success in your relationships, success in life, in your career and family.

Live out inspiration in 2014.

Make that decision and intention; live through Inspiration NOT Motivation.

This is a method I coach at the END Retreat and the END Web Class. Sign up today to get INSPIRED!

Ashly

Lose the Weight Forever

For a limited time, I’m offering a New Year’s Resolution Special

“Lose the Weight Forever”

Lose the weight forever! Now that catches some attention. How many times have you lost the same weight over and over again? Are you tired yet? Frustrated?

If you could wave a magic wand and get the body you have always wanted, what would it look like? How would you feel in that body? What would your life look like? In what ways would it be different?

After being on the weight loss merry go round for years, have you begun to lie to yourself, tell yourself that you are happy, just as you are? If this is TRUTH, I am so very  happy for you. But most…are not happy with where they are at physically and that is where my help comes into play.

So for a limited time, I am offering this New Year’s Resolution Special “Lose the Weight Forever” Coaching Session 

A 1 hour Coaching Session (a $250 value) for ZERO COST.

During this powerful, 1-on-1 coaching session, we’ll work together to…

• Create a crystal clear vision for the ideal life you’ll be living in your new, fit, sexy, & confident body
• Uncover hidden challenges that may be sabotaging your weight loss efforts and holding you back from having the ideal body for your purpose.
• Leave this session renewed, inspired, and ready to finally lose all of the weight you want, once and for all.

 To claim your 2014 New Year’s special “Lose the Weight Forever” coaching session today, simply email ashlytorian@gmail.com and answer these questions:

1. How long have you been struggling to lose weight?

2. On a scale of zero to 10 how important is it for you to lose weight and keep it off once and for all?

3. What have you tried doing to lose weight in the past?

4. What happened with those approaches?

5. What do you see as your biggest challenge with weight loss?

Be sure to include your name, phone number and email address so someone from our office can get back to you within the next 24 to 48 hours to schedule your one-on-one “Lose the Weight Forever”  Coaching Session.

Contact Ashly (ashlytorian@gmail.com) today to schedule your “Lose the Weight Forever” Coaching session. It is Zero Cost to you!

2014 never looked so good~

Talk soon!

Ashly

PS: The sooner you send us your answers, the more likely you are to get a session.  Email ashlytorian@gmail.com  today!

Metabolic Power of Awareness

Stress and How it Effects Weight Loss

Stress and How it Effects Your Weight Loss Results

Someone breaks into your home and threatens your life.  Your reaction: SURVIVE!

You wake up late, in a rush to get to work, argument with spouse, careless driver in the next lane, work overload, not enough rest, anxiety, fear, death of a loved one, misbehaving child, stagnant weight loss, stress about the way the body looks, stress about the 10 pounds that won’t come off, dissatisfaction with position in life, afraid that you aren’t enough, guilt, etc.  Your reaction: SURVIVE!

Stress, real or imagined, big or small, is a threat to the body and causes reactions.  The reactions are major metabolic changes.   There are several changes going on, however, today we will just talk about the way it affects the results you want to achieve with weight loss.

The fight or flight response is known by everyone….But generally, we think of it in terms of a survival mechanism.  I am going to give you some bad news.  We abuse the natural fight or flight response of the body.  It is suppose to be reserved for catastrophic experiences. However, today’s society is in such a rush and has preconceived notions about how we are “supposed” to look and act that it is continually activated.  And YES…these all produce the same stress chemistry response as fighting for your life.

Ok…so you are probably asking….what is the big deal…adrenaline is raging through my body…it gives me more energy…what could possibly be wrong with that?

Are you ready for the list?

• Decrease in blood flow to the gut by 4 times
• 20,000 fold decrease in enzymatic output in the gut
• Decrease in thyroid and growth hormone production
• Increase in insulin and cortisol – the fat collecting hormones – signals body to store weight
• Die off of healthy gut bacteria
• Excretion of all minerals and water soluble vitamins
• Decrease metabolism of every function in the body
• Increase Inflammation – oxidative stress – aging and disease

All in all…the body is fatigued, it won’t burn calories, it excretes necessary minerals (calcium is #1), food is not digested, assimilated, or eliminated, and the body collects and stores fat. (These are the results of chronic low stress levels.) WOW! If your desire is to be healthy, fit and trim….that is NOT going to work in your favor!

If you are running for your life, protecting your family bring on the stress chemistry. BUT the self chosen stress and desire to “heap more on” is aging the body at a rapid pace.

In a nut shell, this is what is happening within your body:

• Stressor = feeling/emotion i.e. anxiety, anger, fear etc
• Leads to the activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System
• This causes Digestion shut DOWN.

      Now your calorie burning capacity is drastically REDUCED! YIKES!

No matter how healthy you eat during this time it will not make a bit of difference.  The body isn’t in a condition to digest, assimilate or eliminate food let alone absorb nutrients from food.

HOWEVER, there is GREAT news!

YOU can turn this around in 60 seconds!

HOW? BREATHE! Breathing helps short cut the physiological stress response.

Once the Para-sympathetic nervous system is activated – the digestive response is in full swing. Here is what to do:

Take 5-10 SLOW DEEP Breaths. Your body will shift into the relaxation response and begin to digest, assimilate and eliminate.

That sounds way too easy, I know…but the body is easy.  By the way…this can be done anytime, anywhere and in only 60 seconds.

I suggest deep breathing EVERY time before you sit down to eat.

Eliminate the negative effects stress and shift the body into the calorie burning mode so you can increase your body’s ability to get you results!

^{Reference: Mark David, Slow Down Diet and Nourishing Wisdom}

Pick Me! Pick Me!

“Oh my…there are so many diets out there, how do I find the right one? How do I find the one that I will be successful at? Which one will fill me with energy and vitality? Which one won’t leave me wanting more?”

When you hear on the radio every single day, a thousand times a day, to go on this diet, take this diet pill, it’s your hormones…take this pill to lose weight. It is like they are children at recess saying…PICK ME! PICK ME! PICK ME!

It is hard to know what to do.  You feel at a loss, you feel lost, confused and simply want to give up.

Well, don’t do that just yet. I may have an answer for you.

Not every person on this planet can be on the same diet. Think about that for a moment; no 2 of us are alike…we may be similar but not the same.  What works for one person will not work for another.  We make assumptions that because a diet worked for our friend that it will work for us. Then, when it isn’t successful, we feel frustrated and “terrible”….thinking that we failed when in essence it is the diet plan that failed. It has nothing to do with us. We, each of us, are uniquely and beautifully made. Your eating plan is waiting to be discovered by YOU! You are the only one who intuitively knows what works and what doesn’t.

A successful eating plan takes the following elements into account: genetic inheritance, geography and cultural beliefs.  Genetic inheritance is what is passed down to us from our ancestor’s i.e.  Biological characteristics like body type, personality, physiology etc.. Geography is where you live and the environment in which the foods were grown.  And cultural beliefs, the unique ways in which various ethnic groups see the universe.

Another thought is, “If “this” diet worked for me in the past, then surely I can lose weight with it now”. This is not necessarily true. Your body’s needs change over time. The 5 factors that influence your metabolism are

• Lifestyle
•  Environment
•  Season
• Age
• Health

So if the diet worked great in your 30’s, do you think it will be as effective in your 50’s? Maybe/maybe not.  Look at the 5 factors that influence metabolism again, have any of those changed for you?

Yes, they have and they will continue to change. This is why it is important to check in with your body from time to time. Keep a food journal for a month, make notes of how well the food digested, energy, mood swings, lethargy, clarity of thinking, bloating, change in body weight, skin tone, body pain, etc.. Once you do this, you will have a really good source of information about your dietary plan. From this you can create some “eating guidelines” to live by.  You want to feel good, right? Your body, the choices you make, will begin to shift as you recognize which foods bring you life and which bring you something else that is not desired.

In essence, you are developing a dietary eating plan that will work for your body instead of a diet that works against your body.   I like to call these guidelines.  I have my own dietary guidelines that I live by. They have changed several times over the years because of lifestyle, activity, work pattern, the natural change in the metabolism, food sensitivities etc… It is a ceaselessly changing diet.  To give you an idea of what guidelines are, here are a few that I have had in the past and a few that I currently live by:

Examples of guidelines:

• Avoid grains after 3pm
• Eat protein and essential fat with every meal
• 1 main meal 2 snacks 2 mini meals
• Dairy free
• Eat meal w friend or family member
• No snacking between meals
• Eat live foods
• Eat to the point of energy – meaning stop before the fill marker

There is no wrong guideline when it is intended to help your body to feel alive and energetic and to empower you with confidence.   When you see someone over and over through the years and they continue to look healthy and fit for the last 10-15 years, it is due to them living by their own guidelines.  They have found a balance and what works for them. Take the time to find this out for yourself. This could be the most important discovery you will ever make for yourself.

Once you have your guidlelines in place you will have the confidence that this is what you live by, so when on vacation or out to dinner you have no guilt when you veer from them….because of the confidence you feel with your normal everyday eating guide.

When you know what you eat…it brings empowerment and confidence. It lets you be you…Your health is not contingent on someone else’s dietary plan but on your own.

Invest this time in yourself.  This could be your answer… I know it was mine J

 Ashly 

Take It to the Next Level

Periodically I go through a phase where I feel the need to up the intensity of my workout routine.  I have only so many hours in a day that I can spend on my workout time.  And I know that if I spend 2 hours working out…I won’t enjoy it or stick with it for long.  So how to you get around that?

When you want to step up the pace of your workouts, I suggest HIIT training (high intensity interval training).   Working out at a moderate pace for 60-90 minutes is a thing of the past.  Recent studies show that High intensity training builds lean tissue, increases heart and lung strength, reduces injuries, BURNS FAT faster and longer than the long hum drum routines at a low, constant, boring pace.  In answer to what most of you seasoned exercisers are thinking….YES, the body does burn FAT after 20 minutes of exercise.   It would make sense to exercise 60 or more minutes a day. However, with HIIT training, the body burns fat for hours AFTER exercise. So imagine changing your whole routine to 30 min of hard, all out effort work….think of the TIME you could save and you would be doing your body a service.  Long slow workouts only cannibalize the body.   For example take these 2 body types, that of a Sprinter and that of a Marathoner.  Which looks healthier? Stronger? Tone? I agree! The Sprinter!

So, be like sprinters…add excitement to your routine, a child like zest to the workout.  Remember those moves you did as a child?  Add some of them to your workout, ie..skip, bear crawl, crab walk, walk backwards, jump, leap, jumping jacks… to name a few.  Add these in for 30 second to 1 min intervals throughout the workout.  Get creative and think of hard to do movements, ones that you did EASILY as a child.

Since I already do HIIT training in the early morning, I like to add in a 10-15 min workout at 3pm several days a week.  In addition to burning more calories, this is also a GREAT de-stressor.  It clears thinking, increases creativity, increases focus and just makes me feel good! Examples of activity: fast walking (so hard your shins burn), jogging and activity stations.  This mini workout is easy to fit into busy lifestyles. It only takes 10 minutes…you can do anything for 10 minutes.

Another idea is to do power minutes. These consist of performing any activity at 1 minute intervals several times a day.  For example: Skip in place for 1 min at a pace that is challenging for you, the idea is to get the heart rate up to 75-85% of maximum heart rate.  Other activity options are: dancing around the house 🙂 jumping jacks, high knees, flight of stairs, squat jumps or low impact squat jumps, Knee pulls (vertical or horizontal), or for those of you that like boot camp style exercising: Burpees, Bodybuilders, split lunge jump etc…

Please Note: these high intensity exercises are for the seasoned exerciser not the beginner. Please see my last article on “Is Exercise Really Necessary?” if you are just getting started.

What is stopping you?  Make the change and make your time and body productive!

Ashly

Is Exercise Really Necessary?

Never exercised before but KNOW that it would be good if you were more active?  Good for your heart, good for your mind, good for weight management, good for your relationships, good for your mood…and the list goes on.  There are great reasons WHY activity is beneficial.  BUT, and that is a BIG BUT….it is not easy for everyone.  Some can add exercise into their daily schedule easily and for some…. it is not so easy, in fact, it is downright challenging. So what are you to do IF you don’t particularly like exercise, getting sweaty and huffing and puffing!

First off, have a heart to heart with yourself.  You must get the mind wrapped around what you are going to do.  Otherwise, when the alarm goes off you are going to do what you have always done…push snooze. When you think about it, it doesn’t matter what your mind wants to do, eat or think.  It’s your HEALTH that is in control of this issue.  Have you been neglecting the health of your body?  God gave us the gift of the human body…it is a miracle machine and can do amazing things…BUT it can only take so much.

What is your body telling you?  Is it slowing down, stiffening up, aching, and collecting excess fat around the middle?  Are you feeling more tired than you used to? Weaker? This is your body’s way of saying…”HELP!  I need activity, I need good nutrition, I need sleep, I need anything but what you are doing to me!!”  It is time to take action.

• First step: accept the new behavior mentally.  Plan out exactly what you are going to do and make a pact with yourself that is UNBREAKABLE!  Write “exercise” in your schedule and keep it like it was a doctor’s appointment. You would never be a “no-show” for your doctor’s appointment …who doesn’t even hold a candle to you. 🙂 You are much more important.  So don’t break it!
• Second step: Begin exercising at the appointed time.  Activities can consist of walking, a drill of bodyweight exercises, stretching, yoga, dancing.  Start with 10 min/day.  You can gradually add more time each week as you begin to “like” exercise and form a habit.
• Third Step:  I don’t mean to steal Nike’s slogan but “Just do IT”!!!  Do not give your mind a chance to talk you out of it….roll out of bed and do it.  You CAN, believe that you CAN change! Visualize yourself exercising and being fit and healthy.

There is no “thinking” about it…you have to “believe” it!

 Ashly

Habit vs. Willpower

Where do you get your Success?

We are in the midst of the holiday season and typically stress along with it. You have desires and goals you want to achieve and now is the time to implement that desire. Don’t wait for January; this moment is the moment for you. But, how do we reach and strive for our goals during this busy time? What do we implement and how do we implement it? Some say it is all about willpower, others say it is all about habit.  I think it involves a little bit of both.

According to dictionary.com a HABIT is an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.

And Willpower is the ability to control oneself and determine one’s actions, a firmness of will.  Those with willpower demonstrate the unwavering strength of will to carry out ones decisions.

Do you have that, the ability to stick with an intention that you have set before you in order to attain that goal? I believe willpower is like a muscle, it has to be used and strengthened in order for it to take hold within your very being.  With habits, it is a matter of repeating the same thing over and over and eventually you won’t even have to think about it anymore…it will just happen.  The brain is actually looking for ways to save effort and forming a habit is one of them.

According to a 2006 Duke University researcher, 40% of our actions each day are not the result of well formed decisions but are the result of a habit.  How many habits have you implemented on auto-pilot today?  The brain likes to take sequence actions and formulate them into routines so we can do 2 things at once. For example, tying shoes and carrying on a conversation. These complicated motor skills along with the ability to develop deep emotions and memories are all stored in the basal ganglia of the brain. It is our auto-pilot mechanism.  Habits allow the brain to think less and take more action.

There are pros and cons to this. For instance, if you have a habit that is no longer benefiting you, you will find that it happens automatically without recall to do so. This can make it difficult when you would rather reach for a nourishing snack vs a candy bar. The habit is to have money in your pocket and get a snack from the vending machine when out and about. Whereas the new habit of carrying nourishing snacks where ever you go has to be implemented over and over for it to override the old habit of just needing money in your pocket.

Willpower steps in to this scenario when you have realized you do not have nourishing snacks with you, you only have money for the vending machine. Are you going to practice unwavering strength of will to abstain from the vending machine or will you give in with the excuse that you don’t have anything else, so you have no choice but to swipe a candy bar?

There is a downside to willpower, it is great and serves us until stress hits, and if you don’t have wholesome habits to back it up then the ease to default to unwholesome habits is overwhelming. You can have a strong will power muscle but when you find yourself in a stressful time, the brain defaults to unwholesome habits…it is just easier. Remember, the brain loves to think less and act more. “Habits persists even when we are tired and don’t have the energy to exert self-control” – Wendy Wood, PhD, professor of psychology and business at USC

So, how do you develop the habit and willpower to begin this transition of carrying snacks vs money?

HABIT

First and foremost you need a trigger, a cue, a signal of sorts that reminds you of the new habit you wish to start.  Have it set for the same time every day.

Secondly, develop a routine to implement the new habit.  Remember that the brain loves patterns and sequences. Also make the routine simple to implement, let it flow into your day so that it is easy to pick up.

Thirdly, Reward yourself; the brain uses this to determine if this “loop” is worth remembering for the future. For example, the feeling you get after any movement activity whether it is a hard core workout or dancing around your house, allow yourself the time to reflect on why you love this and the wonderful feeling it gives you. Enforce this reward every time you perform the new routine you want to adopt as a habit.

If you miss a day, don’t judge yourself

Simply breathe and pick it up in the next moment 

There is no perfect amount of time that it takes to develop a habit; some say 21 days others say 365. It really depends on the habit and the person developing the habit.  Keep your focus on what you want to implement and let the brain do the rest.

WILLPOWER

First, discover what motivates you? Write this on your mirror so you see if every day or post it on your refrigerator…someplace where you will see it several times a day.

Second, set a clear goal – short and concise, do-able and measurable

Third, monitor your behavior toward that goal. If your behavior doesn’t match the desired end point, then shift, make a transition so that it does. This is where strength of will comes into play.

Fourth, apply a never quit attitude. This also takes practice, especially if you have “quit” something several times in your life.

Remember too, you never fail, you are always practicing

 And some days are better than others.

(simply pull yourself up by your bootstraps and keep going)

Practice unwavering strength of will and develop habits that benefit you and your health for long term sustainable action in living at your natural, healthy and fit weight this holiday season. Don’t let January regrets sneak up on you, master habits that empower you and willpower that drives you now!

Does this topic ring true for you? Please leave a comment sharing your experience with us.

Ashly

Halloween Tricks!

Trick or Treat is the theme for October. Everywhere you go, candy is being sold and the ability to stay away from it is tested. The questions begin to roll through the mind…”Should I get it now and have it in the house or wait until the day of?” “Oh, but then they may not have what I like.” “But if I get it now, I will eat it all and then have to come back and get more.”…And the argument continues until you finally give in and buy it early…just in case.

The trick to Halloween and the holidays is a state of mind. I know, you thought I was about to unveil the master trick to maintaining weight and even losing weight during the holidays….OH but wait, I just DID!

When you think of a masterful way to come to the end of the holidays the same size you were at the start, the answer for most is to “DIET” through it. I say no. Diets only leave you frustrated, stressed, and frazzled. Picture this, you are about to go to a celebration and OH MY, they do not serve any food that is on your program. This is where the frustrated, stressed and frazzled state occurs.  #1 this is no way to get through the holidays and #2 there is a more enjoyable way.

If you recall, stress shuts down the digestive system. As Marc David states in his book The Slow Down Diet, “Eating healthy food is only half of the story of good nutrition. Being in the ideal state to digest and assimilate food is the other half.”  Complete digestion and assimilation happen in a relaxed state. When you are relaxed, oxygen intake is increased along with blood flow through the digestive system which increases thermic efficiency (your calorie burning power).

If you are constantly stressed through the holidays, especially about food, then your metabolic calorie burning power is shut down. This is no time for SHUT DOWN. So I recommend turning thoughts around, changing it up. Try something different this year.  Slow Down and enjoy the holidays. Have a plan so you can relax around food. It is all in your perspective, change the way you view the holidays and all the treats that are around.

They aren’t the enemy; they add spice to the season.

Here is a plan of attack that you can put to work:

1. BREATHE – breathe deep. This is something you hear me preach about on a daily basis. It is vitally important. It not only keeps you alive, it gives you thermic power (high caloric burn).
2.  RELAX and be aware of every moment and every morsel of food that you eat. If you are going to eat it…you might as well allow every taste bud to enjoy it. This awareness can bring 40% more digestive power.
3. SAVE UP – Store bought vs. home-made or something you truly want. Save the calories for the ideal meal or treat. Don’t settle for a food that doesn’t bring pleasure. You will only be seeking it out later. Save up for what you truly want and what will truly bring pleasure to the palate.
4. SLOW DOWN and enjoy the season. When the perspective has switched its focus to the event, the people and the experience, food takes a back seat. CONNECTION is the key.  Connection is what we are looking for when we search for food. So why not connect? Reach out to that loved one and express your love for them in words, action or expression.

Relax about the Halloween candy…is it what you truly want? That is the question that needs answering.

It’s not about the candy or the food. Seek out connection and enjoyment this holiday season and notice the change in you come December 31^st.

Ashly

Interest vs. Commitment

Are you committed to the goal you set for yourself when you joined The Transformation Movement with Bio~Balance?  OR did you just have an interest in starting a program?  There is a big difference in commitment to a goal and interest in a goal. The first…we won’t let anything stop us; the second…we tend to meander about without any real focus on what we set out to do.

Which one describes you and your intention?

Being committed to your goal and following through is key to getting there, to living it. And the key to getting there, to living it, it just that; taking action everyday and to keep it in the fore front of your mind.  We tend to “ forget”, we get sidetracked and we run on automation. Keep the mind focused and active on the goal via mirror messages, dream board (those are fun to make), gentle reminders on the pantry and refrigerator, tell a friend or family member what you want to achieve and let them help you stay accountable.

The successful way to maintain focus is to keep the goal VISIBLE, there must be a reminder present, or else it is forgotten and all of a sudden it is a month later and you are still in the same place you were when the interest hit you.

Affirm yourself every day with positive ACTION oriented words.  Post them everywhere, home, car, ipad, iphone…EVERYWHERE!

Affirm your commitment not only to yourself but what you want to achieve, EVERYDAY!

You CAN do this!

Ashly

The Hunger Hormones

There are two hormones that determine whether you feel hungry or full — ghrelin and leptin.

An easy way to remember the names of these hormones is Ghrelin sounds like gremlin, which is the same noise your tummy makes when it is empty and requires food. This hormone is sending the signal that it is time to eat.

The other hormone that is helpful to know is leptin; I love leptin because it sends a message from your stomach that tells your brain you are full. This takes up to 20 or 30 min, so it is best to eat slowly. This is where slowing down plays a major role in your weight loss efforts.

If you eat fast, the tendency is to eat too much because the signals from these two hormones become crossed and you don’t get an accurate reading.

Ghrelin:

• Ghrelin is produced in the cells lining the fundus (bottom of) of the stomach and pancreas
• Ghrelin increases before meals and decreases after meals
• Short term regulator of body weight…”When do we eat, I’m hungry’
• Stomach makes ghrelin when its empty

Leptin:

• Leptin is produced in the adipose tissue
• Leptin  induces Satiation – tells the hypothalamus that we have enough fat and can stop eating
• Long term regulator of body weight
• Can become leptin resistant due to too much body fat; signal is disrupted
• More body fat can screw up appetite signals and make you hungrier

Ghrelin and Leptin may be produced in different parts of the body, but they affect the brain via the hypothalamus (the control center for the autonomic N.S.)

For example: “When you’re hungry, ghrelin sends messages every 20 or 30 minutes. It takes 30 minutes to turn those signals off, so unless you take 30 minutes to eat, you’ll probably eat too much. If you have eaten some food and can wait 20 minutes, leptin will send the message that you’re full and you’ll get over the craving to keep eating. “

Sounds simple enough, right?

It can be until lifestyle, culture, and continued overeating quiets these signals. Then we could have a problem. The goal is for these hormones to work in synchronicity, so here is a line-up of meal ideas to keep growlin’ ghrelin and love’in leptin balanced.

Breakfast: Eat a high-fiber breakfast like oatmeal, quinoa, Ezekiel bread with nut butter, eggs or a protein smoothie w fruit and a cup full of greens.

Snack: Fruit or veggies

Lunch: Don’t think too hard about this; keep your favorites on hand for a quick and easy meal. If you allow yourself to get too hungry the gremlin will come to life and the tendency is to overeat.

For example, a good lunch would consist of BLT lettuce wraps or green salad w chicken and mushrooms w an olive oil dressing.

Snack: have a snack high in essential fatty acids, these tend to put leptin in full swing and you will feel satisfied and full. Example: nuts and seeds, fresh coconut or avocado.

Dinner: Be sure to not skip meals, this puts the ghrelin to growlin’ and you don’t want that by the time dinner rolls around.  Eat a dinner high in lean protein, a few fresh veggies. I like to add in the squashes like butternut or spaghetti, they give a satisfied feeling.

Timing: have your last meal at least 3 hours before you go to bed for the night, eat with circadian rhythm throughout the day eating your largest meal at high noon and smaller meals at breakfast and dinner.

Where you eat matters: sit down at the table at meal time, relax with some music, and allow the senses to come to life so you may not only benefit from the nutrition of the meal but from the experience as well.

Good Luck!

Ashly