'New Year New You' Group Health Coaching Program

First 3 Monday’s of every month from January 2016 - April 2016

Duration: 12 sessions

Day: Starts Monday, Jan 4, 2016

Time: 6:30pm

Length: 75-90 minutes per session

Location: Grotta Di Fuoco Restaurant (960 W Beech St, Long Beach, NY)

How often have you made New Year’s Resolutions, went hard core for a couple weeks, and then fell off? That’s because Resolutions don’t work. Lifestyle shifts do. This interactive, hands-on workshop will teach you how to turn your New Year's Resolutions into a New You Lifestyle. Enjoy complimentary refreshments, tea and healthy snacks. Each participant also receives a free tot, notebook and pens.

By the end of the course, you will have learned how to:

• commit, stick to and fully follow through with your goals in a way that is fun, flexible, and free of denial and unhealthy discipline
• the fundamental ins and outs of basic nutrition to properly support your body
• the truth about "fat" and weight management
• healthy on the GO
• upgrade your food and lifestyle choices
• improve your physical, mental and emotional well-being.
• mindful eating and the correlation between food and mood
• ditch the Diet Mentality
• improve the relationship between you and food
• feel better in your body
• improve sleep, energy and digestion
• deconstruct and manage food cravings
• make self-care a priority
• slow down and stress less
• the power of positive thinking
• prioritizing vs time management

Investment per participant

Early Bird: enroll by Dec 14th- $850

by Dec 21st- $900
by Dec 28th- $950

after Dec 28th- $1000

Payment options: PayPal, Square, Credit Card, Event Brite, Check or Cash
A 3.2% increase will be added to PayPal, Square, Credit Card
A $35 processing fee will be added to Event Brite
Payment plans are available!

Buddy system works best! **Bring a friend and they get HALF OFF their enrollment fee**

Max Seating 15- Spots filling up fast

For more information and to get started please email Stephanie Marino at realfoodpurelove@gmail.com or call 347-392-7872. 

Get tickets here

FAQ:

Session Outline:

Session 1- Welcome and set SMART goals

Session 2- Healthy Eating: #1 missing food in modern diet

• Primary Food and Integrative Nutrition Food Plate

Session 3- Protein and Sugar Cravings

• Primary Food- Exercise

Session 4- Cravings: navigate, deconstruct, and upgrade

• Primary Food Circle

Session 5- Food and Mood: mindful eating

• Healthy Fats and Grains
• Primary Food- Spirituality

Session 6- Relationships and Nurturing the Self

• Primary Food- Relationships
• Organic foods

Session 7- Intuition and Digestion

• Lifestyle suggestions- slowing down
• Power of Positive Thinking
• Primary Food- Career

Session 8- Body Types

• Ayurveda and 5 Phases
• Primary Food- Exercise

Session 9- Healthy On The Go

• Slowing down
• Primary Food- Relationships

Session 10- Visualization, Career and Lifestyle

Session 11- Desires and Self Expression

Session 12- Program Completion

2. What is a Health Coach?

As a Health Coach, I am a professional guide, mentor, accountability partner, and personal advocate for living an energized and passionate life. I guide people through the process of becoming an active participant in their health and happiness. I empower individuals to take responsibility for their health and support them in making sustainable lifestyle choices. I do not prescribe one diet or one way of living. Rather, I help people develop a deeper understanding of the food and lifestyle choices that work best for their bodies. Through a comprehensive approach of diet, lifestyle, and consciousness, and in a way that is fun, flexible and free of denial or discipline, we work together toward finding Food Freedom and weight loss, improving your health, reorganizing your diet, and taking consistent action toward cultivating a fulfilled, purposeful and balanced life of less stress, more optimism, greater joy and increased energy.

3. Group Coaching vs One-on-One Coaching

Group Health Coaching is more affordable when compared to 1-1 coaching. Statistics show an increase in productivity and commitment to goals when worked toward in a group setting. Just like having a gym buddy helps you stick to your routine, having a group of supportive people helps you make changes and stick to them. Group Health Coaching is a life changing experience because you get the commitment and support from one another- and your coach- to achieve your goals with enthusiasm, excitement and determination.

4. Top 7 Reasons for Joining a Group Coaching Program

1. A Personal Support System - Group coaching gives you the opportunity to share your feelings with others and develop deeper connections, making your sessions more meaningful. Knowing you are not alone in your journey will help you develop the confidence and motivation to address your challenges and succeed.
2. Higher Likelihood of Achieving Goals - Group energy. When individuals are part of a group, they procrastinate less, accomplish more, and reach their goals faster. 
3. Benefit from Collective Wisdom - You’ll brainstorm solutions, open creativity channels, and uncover opportunities you may not have discovered working solo. Having the group dynamic will help you master new concepts like a pro! 
4. Gain a New Perspective - When you work alone, you examine situations from one perspective – yours. But when you work in a group, you’re exposed to a variety of insights that empower you to see a situation from multiple angles and motivate you to develop new solutions. Being able to shift your perspective is an invaluable tool.
5. A Great Value - Get the same quality coaching, but at a fraction of the cost of individual coaching. Group coaching is a smart and affordable way to receive life-changing guidance. 
6. A Team Invested in Your Success - When you work in a group, the whole team celebrates your success. The momentum of an individual’s win is a natural catalyst for further individual wins within the group, resulting in a powerful flow of group energy.
7. Turn Work into Play- Working with a group is a social event that participants look forward to. You’ll join a close-knit group that is energizing, motivating and fun! Group members often become lifelong friends. 

The True Release of Weight.

It's amazing how much weight can be lifted when the absolute most difficult thing to say, actually leaves your lips. The toughest truth. Your deepest fear and vulnerability. The thing that makes you feel ashamed and embarrassed. The thing that you hate to feel, that you judge yourself for feeling. The thing that you hope will just go away if you ignore it enough, but somehow gets stronger and louder the longer you ignore it. This silent struggle.

After working with my powerful, goddess coach and equally as powerful colleague over the course of several months, as much as I was developing and growing immensely as a coach in my own practice and in my personal life, somehow feelings of inadequacy had begun to develop (perhaps surface). I had to acknowledge this silent struggle. Within the container of our safe, secure space of deep trust, love, honesty, and integrity, I acknowledged those true feelings. It was my truth at that current moment that I felt not good enough as a coach compared to them and that harbored fear and uncertainty.

This took a shit load of courage to say. But I knew somehow deep in my core that it had to be released. I am a truth seeker and healing junky and I knew I needed to heal from those negative, self-depleting and limiting thoughts. And as much as they were my truth at the moment, I knew again deep to my core that those thoughts were not my ultimate truth.

It is not easy to expose your deepest vulnerabilities and fears- let alone write about it! In fact, it is and will be the toughest thing ever that we will do in this human experience. I knew, however, that these thoughts left untouched, left to the devices of the mind would continue to stir, linger, marinate, grow, intensify and shift shape; and thus taint every experience in every other area of my life, as I looked on the world through lenses of feeling "not good enough," for as long as I chose to ignore it.

Once I said the words and released them from that mental whirlpool, and put them into physical space of verbalization- with complete trust that I was in a space to speak my truth- they instantaneously dissipated in weight. The intensity and truth these thoughts held in my mind were now a fraction in size, virtually non-existent anymore. The belief of the power those thoughts held was immediately deflated.

When you release negativity in this way, space is created where it had not existed before and had been consumed with negative energy. The space that I created in releasing those self-depleting thoughts had the opportunity to then be filled with my real truths. I gave them permission to exist without judgements and resistance of their presence, and I evaluated their validity. Through this process, the weight was released. That's power. That's clarity. That is deeply honoring your truth, in all it's difficulty to do so. It's raw. It's real. It's shattering. It's not easy. But it's powerful.

As a coach it is in my highest capacity of service to meet each client exactly where they are, loving them and accepting them for exactly who they are, where they are; fully perfect, whole and complete just as they are. Yet, there I was not giving myself the same gift I give to my clients. The universe will always present us limitless opportunity to practice self-awareness and apply concepts of healing, so as long as we choose to accept. And here the universe was again, tapping me on the shoulder, as I sat there on a coaching call with my coach and colleague, asking me to show up. And I chose to accept. I showed up for who I was truly being in that moment. I showed up and chose to acknowledge the silent struggle and uncomfortable truth. I chose to be courageous, honest, accepting, and own my shit. And I chose to not only trust it, I chose to illuminate it- in deliberate search of healing. And wow was it healing! I released the weight and I created space and exposed the real truth which was at the root the entire time. That I am perfect whole and complete just as I am right now. I am enough. 

Thank you Sara and Kelly, from the deepest depths of my soul. The work we do together is tremendous and life changing! I'm eternally grateful. I love this journey.

You Are Enough

I recently watched Jim Carrey’s commencement speech to the 2014 graduating class of Maharishi University of Management. It was both profound and hilarious.

The universe sure does have an uncanny way of presenting exactly what is needed at the right time. His intention for that graduating class entering the world was to convey one simple message.

You are enough.

Let me explain…

The mind loves to tell stories. There’s an internal dialogue going on inside of your head every single day, and for most it just stays on repeat. It’s static background noise that you may have gotten used to by this point. These stories and thoughts have a huge impact on not only every single area of your life, but every decision you make in every single moment. 

And chances are these stories and incessant thoughts are nothing but negative…

Therefore, more often than not, you probably tend to make a lot of decisions based out of fear.

Why? Because you fear not being good enough. Because your mind has told you so, and it must be true.

I’m not good enough.
I’m not smart enough, pretty enough, funny enough, [whatever] enough
Who am I to think I can achieve this?

Sound familiar?

“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life,” Mark Twain once said, “…Most of which never happen.”

Much like the constant worry in our heads, stemming from fear of not being enough, all the thoughts and stories are bullshit. They are nothing but fear- a little game the ego loves to play.

You are not what you think. You are not the stories of your mind. Nor are you your fears.

Fear is nothing more than a false, mind-made up script playing over and over again in the mind, tricking you into believing it’s actually true. There’s no story that the mind can’t create. And the more you identify with the stories- believe them to be true and to be you- the deeper intertwined you become in the inner workings of the ego and subsequently allow fear to dictate the choices you make in your life.

So long as you continue identifying with the ego and acting from a place of fear, there will always be someone better than you, smarter than you, more talented than you, more successful than you.

But guess what? Chances are, that person is also operating from a place of ego and fear and so they are thinking the same thing about the next person. And so on and so forth.

Where does this really get us? Absolutely no where. We stay stuck in a place of dissatisfaction with self and thus projection onto others for our self-perceived lacks and flaws.

“Our eyes are not only viewers. They are also projectors that are running a second story over the picture that we see in front of us all of the time. Fear is writing that script. And the title is I’ll never be enough.” -Jim Carrey 

So what happens when you actually question those fears of not being good enough? When you bring them to light and allow them to surface and really feel them? When you ask yourself, 

How is what I am experiencing externally a direct reflection of what’s going on internally?

It’s extremely uncomfortable! It’s painful. It hurts like hell. There’s nothing easy about facing that part of ourselves- that vulnerable, insecure part that we keep hidden, at all costs.

We think by hiding it, it’ll just go away. Fortunately- or unfortunately (however you look at it)- the universe has a funny way of presenting situations in life which will continue to challenge our growth in those specific areas over and over and over again until we finally get it. Until we’ve reached a point of exhaustion only to challenge those assumptions about ourselves, and rise above our self-inflicted limitations so we can truly free ourselves from that pain and experience growth.

Now, as cliche as this sounds (and it doesn't matter because it simply speaks volumes of truth), there is no growth without stepping outside of your comfort zone.

That is the only place where you will experience monumental change in your life. Ever. It’s in the unknown- that deathly frightening place where you think you have absolutely no control over and will go to great lengths in order to avoid.

Because, it’s scary. Stepping outside of your comfort zone doesn't feel good.

You know what also doesn't feel good? 

Stagnancy. Being stuck in situations that don’t serve you or anyone else around you.

It’s in moments like that, when you’re stuck between where you are and where you want to be, when situations (opportunities) will arise which will challenge your fears and false mind-made beliefs and negative self-assumptions. Where you’ll be faced with the decision to act in fear or to act in love. To stay stuck in those self-limiting, negative beliefs, tricking you into thinking you're not good enough resulting in an avoidance of the unknown out of fear; or to question those bullshit stories your mind has on repeat, and embrace the unknown choosing to act in love despite the fears.

It’s right there- outside of that comfort zone (stagnancy zone) that will stretch you and allow you to access a part of yourself which you probably have forgotten even exists- that courageous, resilient, fearless, self-loved you. 

Because, you are enough. You are not what you think, nor are you the stories of your mind. You are greater than that. You are limitless. Everything you desire is achievable. When you open your mind to the possibility of it, you simultaneously open yourself up to receiving it and the opportunities will present themselves, effortlessly and continuously. It will then your choice in each moment to make a decision that will be based in fear or based in love.

Choose love.

Get out of your own head, and into your heart. Out of worry, and into trust. Out of compare and despair, and into self-love. Your fears will keep you stuck and stagnant forever, as long as you let them.

So, what does your internal script sound like?

Can you make the distinction between the thoughts you have, and who you truly are what you really believe to be true?

I invite you to try the only diet I’d ever recommend…

The Negativity Diet

1. Monitor your self talk for a short period of time- for 5 minutes. Just listen to it, without any judgement or resistance. Just let the thoughts flow. It may feel very uncomfortable. That’s OK. Just go with it. What does it say to you? What is it saying about you? If you find yourself judging the thoughts coming in, simply be the awareness behind those thoughts, as well. What are the judgements saying?

2. Now say out loud, “Cancel. Cancel.” By recognizing the negative internal dialogue as nothing more than just thoughts that come and go, you grant them permission to pass instead of linger. As you start to realize you are the awareness behind the thought and not the thoughts themselves, you begin to free yourself from your negative mind.

3. Restate it in a way you'd speak to someone you love, using the specific words, “I am… [insert something positive, uplifting, and loving]”. Say it again, out loud. And again. That may feel very uncomfortable. You’re probably not used to complimenting yourself out loud. In fact, you probably find a great discomfort in even accepting compliments from other people. If so, good for you! You’ve found your specific place of growth and you’re stepping outside of your Stagnancy Zone.

4. Say it out loud again, until that icky, weighted resistance you feel toward the positive words starts to lift a little. You’ll notice how the positive restatements begin to make you feel lighter.

As you become more consciously aware of your internal dialogue, a practice which takes times getting used to and a muscle which takes time in strengthening, you’ll start to be able to catch yourself automatically throughout the day whenever a negative thought comes in.

Although initially uncomfortable, it gets easier very quickly.

Take time every single day, at least for 5 minutes, to practice this. It will condition you to speak positively about yourself, and in turn about and to others. Within weeks you will notice a simultaneous significant change in many areas of your life.

What does your internal script sound like?

Try the Negativity Diet on for size.

I welcome your feedback.

Please leave a comment in the comments section below.

8 Foods That Detox Your Body

8 Foods That Detox Your Body:

1. Leafy Green Vegetables

Greens are the most commonly missing food in the modern diet. What better time to start getting them in than now, since green is associated with spring- the time of renewal, refreshment and vital energy. Eat them raw, steam or sauté, add to soups and broths, juice them regularly and add to smoothies. This high alkaline food is loaded with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, micronutrients and phytochemicals. They help build a strong immune system, purify the blood and respiratory system, detox the liver from environmental toxins (heavy metals, pesticides), aids in digestion, breakdown and elimination of excess waste, and protects against cancer. They are high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. Aim to add greens to every single meal: in your smoothies, on your breakfast plate, at lunch and dinner, and for snacks. Pick a vegetable and plan your meals around that vegetable. Think: vegetables as dishes.

2. Lemons

Lemon, as we all know, is full of vitamin C which keeps the immune system strong but is also an excellent detox for the body. Drink hot water with lemon first thing in the morning to boost metabolism, clear your skin and help flush toxins out of the body. Add Apple Cider Vinegar and a dash of cayenne pepper to boost the benefits.

3. Garlic

Garlic is a natural and powerful anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-biotic. Not only does it offer incredible cardiovascular benefits, but it also aids the liver in filtering out toxins and wastes. A little bit goes a long way, so aim to add it to everything as often as possible: salad dressings, sautés, eggs, greens, sauces, spreads, even smoothies and juices!

4. Radishes

Radishes are a super food in melting fat from the body and aiding the liver in releasing stored fat. A little bit goes a long way. Slice them on salads, chop and throw into a sauté, add with eggs in the morning, or just eat them raw.

5. Dandelion Root

Known as a food for the liver. It improves the appearance and health of skin, cleanses the liver to support the release and elimination of toxic waste in the body, and is a natural source of protein, calcium, potassium, and A, B, C and E vitamins. Aim to drink one cup of Dandelion Root Tea every day to support your liver in naturally detoxing the body.

6. Ginger

Raw ginger is a powerful digestive soothing aid and anti-inflammatory. When inflammation is high in the body due to poor diet, stress, or illness, the organs don’t function properly- especially the gut, which is responsible for elimination and keeping the immune system strong. It also alleviates headaches. Add slices of raw ginger to your tea, chopped up in sautés, add a thumb sized piece to your smoothies and juices. Ginger is another one of those powerhouse super foods where a little bit goes a long way.

7. Detox Tea

The main ingredients in detox tea is burdock root, ginger, fennel, cinnamon and dandelion. All of these ingredients help flush out the liver and kidneys, and optimize digestive function allowing you to assimilate nutrients more efficiently leaving you less hungry, more energized and with greater mental clarity. Aim for 2 cups of detox tea a day.

8. Raw Organic Unpasteurized Sauerkraut

Raw sauerkraut contains billions of beneficial bacteria which aids your gut in eliminating properly and keeping immune function at peak. Seventy percent of your immune system lives in your gut, which is why it’s important to keep the amount of good bacteria in there at a high. Eat a fork full of raw sauerkraut at at least 2 meals per day. It’s also a great way to ward off relentless sugar cravings!

This was a sneak peek into some of the materials offered in my 10 Day Clean Eating Spring Cleanse, kicking off Monday, April 20th. Want in? Make sure to sign up soon to start receiving the Recipes, Shopping Lists, 10 Day Meal Plans and more. The cleanse is designed to kickstart your body into weight release! Are you ready to welcome spring looking and feeling great!? Let's do it!

Sign up now!!

Spring Cleanse! 10-Day Clean Eating Guide

As promised in my last post, I'm excited to announce my.... :::drumroll:::

Spring Cleanse! 10-Day Clean Eating!

Why?

Because it's been a long winter of more than desired hibernation and more than desired winter layer weight gain. I'm ready to bust out the juicer, bust out the blender, and start chopping up some salads. I'm ready to shed that winter layer.

Are you with me?

On April 20th (exactly two weeks from today) my Spring Cleanse: 10-Day Clean Eating kicks off! I've designed this program to help kickstart your body into weight release, increased energy, and feeling freaking amazing mode!

This quick 10-Day cleanse will optimize your digestion and support you in quickly releasing excess weight and bloat. Not to mention eating clean is going to make you feel- and look- great! When digestion is healthy, your immune system is healthy, skin is healthy, and you are healthy! It is absolutely essential for a vital body and a vital mind.

Here's why Spring is a perfect time for cleansing, detoxing, and cleaning up the diet.

Spring is all about renewal- a seasonal change, growth, new life. And our bodies respond the same exact way, perfectly in sync with the seasonal change. Have you noticed that in the winter, you crave more grounding foods- hearty soups, pastas, sweets, root vegetables like potatoes and squash? And in the summer, you eat less of that stuff and more light, refreshing foods- like salads, sautéed and steamed veggies, fish, smoothies, and fresh pressed juices- and your portion sizes are smaller too. This isn't coincidental or by accident. It's because we are a part of this natural cycle of seasonal change. We require less energy from food because we are getting more energy from the sun, and our bodies shift from fat storage mode into fat burning mode (I love the sound of that!), hence why we desire lighter foods.

Let's welcome Spring looking and feeling GREAT!

Spring Renewal

We will be reaching a high of sixty-two degrees today, here in NY! Can you believe it? Spring has literally crept up on us, and I couldn't be more excited! I’m already feeling the effects of “Spring Ahead”. I’ve decluttered my home office space, cleaned the house top to bottom, began reorganizing my bedroom, cleaned out my car and wallet. It feels great to declutter and get organized!

When my physical space is organized, my universe is too!
 

I am able to think straight, my natural energy is through the roof, and I can truly focus my energy on things that matter most without that little nagging “chore” voice inside my head distracting me. You all know what that sounds like:  I gotta do this, I gotta do that, I have to run this errand, I need to get this done...

Having that little nagging voice interrupting my focus decreases my productivity and greatly increases my chances of getting sidetracked, resulting in never finishing a project! And there’s nothing more that I hate than that- starting something with full intention of finishing it and then not finishing it just to start something else. NO BUENO.

Multi-tasking is detrimental to the soul.

So, with all that being said and with Spring in full swing and Summer fast approaching, I’m sure you have already felt the full effects and have began- or plan to begin- some Physical Space Spring Cleansing.

If not, here are some suggestions to get things in order in your living space- allowing you more free time and mental energy to focus on the things you love- and detox from the things that aren't positively serving or contributing to you feeling your best self.

• 1. Keep your home in good order. Your home should be a reflection of your best self! Dedicate specific time- lock it into your planner (and if you don't have a planner I suggest you get one immediately). Choose a time on a specific day that you plan to get specific things done. The key here is specific. Determine how long the task is going to take, and dedicate that allotted time to that task- and that task only. This way the goal is measurable. And remember- multi-tasking is not efficient. 

 

• 2. Freshen the air by including green plants in your home. Not only does it look pretty, but it feels good, because having earth elements inside the home ground us, balance us, and encourage an overall feeling of well-being.

• 3. Open a window daily to help circulate fresh air. This one is especially beneficial, considering how cooped up we've been all winter. Side note- even in the winter, I still open the patio doors for fresh air, because it gets all the stagnant air moving.

• 4. Watch television sparingly. Television is a time suck, at least in the way the majority of America utilizes it- as a distraction, something to do while eating, or an aid to fall asleep. This is counter-productive. Take the time you'd normally watch TV and do something else instead. For example, before you go to sleep, read a book, or put on relaxing, meditative music (YouTube has tons of free audios- and I guarantee you will fall asleep quicker and sleep sounder than you ever had in your life). Eliminating your dependence on television feels great! 

• 5. Create space where loved ones can gather for meals and spend quality time together. I can't stress this one enough, and it goes hand in hand with Tip #4. In my home, I try to do this as often as possible and it feels great! Just the other day, my roommates and I had a few people over, and we all sat down to a home cooked meal without the TV on and just talked. It was lovely. And I recall people commenting, "I just noticed the TV isn't on. This is nice to be able to just sit and talk."

 

How does it feel to implement these tips and clear your mind?

What are some other ways you de-clutter and cleanse your physical space?

Let's keep the conversation going!

Please share in the comments section below.

 

P.S. Stay posted for upcoming tips on Spring Renewal Food Cleansing and an upcoming Group Detox Cleanse just in time for this beautiful warm weather!

5 Simple Tips to Overcome Compulsive/Emotional Eating and Eliminate the Self-Sabotage that Ensues

I came home Sunday afternoon starving!…

As soon as I walked in the door, sitting on my counter was a batch of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. I didn't want to “give in” to the immediate temptation because I had decided just 20 minutes prior to arriving home that I was going to start my day with a fresh pressed juice or smoothie to get back on track.

This past weekend was a bit hectic between work and social gatherings, and so my “diet” (I like to call it a Live-it) had been severely derailed. I had been eating a ton of sweets (mainly Edel’s legendary Banana Bread Foster, and delicious homemade Ezekiel bread pudding prepared by a very talented chef) and a lot of refined, processed white carbs (pasta upon pasta upon pasta). Because I had been eating so much of that stuff, naturally I was eating so little of all the other stuff- fruits and veggies!

Now, two things happen when you eat a lot of simple, white carbs (pastas, breads, cookies, cakes, chips):

1. You end up crowding out all of the other good, healthy stuff- the leafy greens; cruciferous veggies; anti-oxidant berries; sweet succulent apples; grounding, warming root veggies (sweet potato, squashes); the fibrous and protein packed whole grains (quinoa, kasha, millet, amaranth), the omega fatty, heart and brain healthy, super-foods (avocado, walnuts, wild caught salmon).

2. You crave more of the carbs and a lot of sugar too, because white carbs turn into sugar very quickly in the body, spiking blood sugar levels and then dropping them drastically, leaving you hungry again quickly and wanting more sugar. What you put into your body, your body- and taste buds- will crave.


So, this is what happened. I was starving, I hadn’t been eating nutritiously, so my body was craving the same stuff that I had been giving it; and I gave in. I ate not one cookie, but three. Then a handful (or two) of chocolate covered pretzels. Ahh… That instant gratification, that feeling of euphoria as the sugar instantaneously released seratonin, and then… Immediate disappointment in myself because I failed to stick to my commitment.

Can you relate to this? I’m sure you can. We’ll all been there. We say we’re going to do one thing, then somehow end up doing the complete opposite, and then we feel really bad about it...

But how long do you let yourself feel really bad about it?

Just as quickly as those feelings of instant gratification had fleeted to be replaced by the disappointment, so did that same self-inflicted disappointment. I was able to snap out of my self-sabotage rather quickly.

What has awarded me the power to do so is many years of practicing self-love (which is still- and always will be- a work in progress). I took a deep breath, allowing me to escape all of the negative self-talk in my mind and became present again (as opposed to the previous unconscious inhalation of sugar). I drank a huge glass of water and just Let It Go.

Here are 5 Simple Tips you can use to Overcome Compulsive/Emotional Eating, and Eliminate the Self-Sabotage that Ensues:

1. Sit down: HOW we eat is just as important as WHAT we eat. I find that if I am eating standing up, I am not pacing myself; I am shoveling and I am not relaxed. The most important part of eating is creating that relaxing space for yourself to thoroughly, slowly, and mindfully enjoy your food. When you add this how element to what you eat, your body is going to be able to digest properly, you will get fuller faster, and you will be less likely to crave seconds, as well as sweets afterward. You will have given your stomach ample time to send the signal to your brain that you are satisfied and no longer hungry.

2. Drink water: I didn’t have any water that day when I woke up (which is never like me, but it happens), and by the time I got home in the afternoon I was twice as hungry. If I had drank a glass of water before I put any food into my mouth, I guarantee I would not have been so inclined to grab the first thing I saw- the sweets. Water fills the belly. Most times when we think we are hungry, we are really very thirsty. Drinking water on an empty stomach allows your body to assimilate the hydration, stabilize blood sugar levels, and control appetite; consequently motivating you to make nutritious food choices.

Extra tip: It helps to have healthy food on hand, so if you do happen to be starving and reaching to grab the first thing you see, at least it will be one of these top 10 heathy staples.

3. Take a deep breath: Mind-body connection. Deep inhale in, deep exhale out. Repeat. Get present. Bring attention back into your body. I was out all morning running around, and all I needed when I got in the door was just to sit down, have a glass of water, and take a moment to relax and gather my thoughts. Had I done that instead of grabbing the sweets, I would have been more present in my body to make a healthier food choice.

4. Let it go: Don't let your mind linger too long with self-defeating thoughts. Speak to yourself the way you'd speak to a cherished person in your life, or the way you'd want a loved one to speak to you. Allow yourself to Let. It. Go. Tip #3 helps with being able to do that.

5. Remember the 80/20: Once you've mindfully and gracefully "let it go," recommit to the 80/20. Eighty percent of the time you stick to your “Live it”- engaging in health-enhancing behaviors and eating foods that energize you, make you feel good and look good. Then the other 20% is for the flexibility of life. There’s no reason why you should be holding yourself back from indulging in sweets and beer, or feeling bad if you've missed the gym. That 20% is built in for you to be OK with stuff like that, because you know that the other 80% you're doing great for yourself.

Rigidity won’t take you very far. It will only keep you stuck and in your own way. Be gentle on yourself. Life is meant to be lived and thoroughly enjoyed. Let yourself savor each step.

Can you relate? How does this resonate with you?

Which one of these tips can you begin to incorporate into your life today?

I'd love to hear from you.

Please share your comments in the space below.

Bacon. Bacon. Bacon.

Everyone knows instinctively, when they stop worrying and obsessing over all the contradictory, conflicting information out there, what their body needs and wants not only nutritionally, but also emotionally, socially, physically, and spiritually. 

It is encoded within our DNA, as our ability to survive and seek pleasure. We know when we're thirsty, when we're hungry, the lungs know how to breathe, the heart knows how to pump blood through the body, our eye lids know how to blink to keep the eyes lubricated and functioning properly. So why is it that when it comes to food, we are so confused? This fundamental human instinct of nutritionally supporting our bodies with food has become so difficult for so many people to do. For so many reasons. 

Here is where Health Coach Steph comes in. I help you tune out all of the other shit- all of the confusing information, fad diets, quick cleanses; and I help you get in touch deeply with what your body, mind, and soul is truly desiring when it comes to food choices, lifestyle choices, and social-relationship choices. Because I've been there. On and off crash diets, on and off binges, food disorders, body image dysmorphic syndrome, compulsive-emotional eating. Food was my outlet. It was the only control I had in my life- or so I thought at a young age. Then over the last 10 years, I've become empowered, educated, and thus passionate about helping others heal and move through these difficult obstacles.

Now, I help guide my clients in determining what is positively serving their life and what isn't; and how to remove what's not, and increase what is. I empower you to trust your instincts when it comes to not only nutritionally supporting your body, but physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually supporting your life. Because believe it or not all of these areas are interconnected and they all impact each other. This is what I call Primary Food- all the stuff that feeds our soul and drives us to enjoy the life we live. Then comes Secondary Food- the food that we put onto our plates.

You see, we are 99% the same and 1% different. But that 1% difference is huge and it's what bio-individuality is all about. What works for one person isn't going to work for another. A "diet" your friend is on may not necessarily be what your body needs. Every single body is different in what it requires to thrive at any given time. I have a dear friend; she can put down a 16oz steak in one sitting, and I think to myself how the hell can you do that? Her body just does very well with meat and she feels good eating it. My body, on the other hand does not require that at all and I'd feel like shit if I ate that.

Now that we're on the topic of meat, let's talk about BACON.

Years ago, if you put bacon in front of me, I’d feel repulsed. I’d be angry watching you cook it and eat it. It would seriously bother me. I hated it, believed it to be the most unhealthy thing you could put into your body. I had a serious moral discrepancy about it because I felt really bad for the piggies. I still do. (That's another topic for conversation for another time.)

However, fast forward a couple years, all of a sudden one day, I had the weirdest craving for BACON! I was like what the hell is this? So, I did what any Health Coach would do. I acknowledged the craving, dissected it a bit, and came to the conclusion that perhaps that craving was because I needed a little more salt in my diet, or some more protein. So I started adding more vegan sources of protein to my meals- beans wherever I could, more hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, more quinoa and kasha, walnuts, almonds, lentils, eggs, goat cheese!

But the cravings for bacon didn’t subside. 

It wasn’t beef, or chicken, or pork. It was specifically bacon. I hadn't eaten bacon since I was about 10, and now all of a sudden my body was relentlessly urging me to just EAT BACON! So I went to Trader Joe, and picked up Nitrate-free, hormone-free, humanely (as humane as slaughtering animals can possibly be, right) raised bacon. I went home (this was about a year ago) and put a pan on, but realized I had never even cooked bacon before. Needless to say, I fried that shit up, took one bite of that crispy bacon, and everything around me just stopped. It was absolutely delicious. My taste buds were having a happy dance party in my mouth. I stood still for a good 5 minutes, inhaling the smell of this delectable bacon, and enjoying every single bite I took. I savored that shit, like I’ve never savored anything else in my life. And thought to myself, "What the f%^* have I been missing all this time?!"

The moral of this story is:

1. Bacon is amazing.

2. Tune into what your body craves and desires.

I had to understand that what had once worked for me (not eating bacon), just didn't work for me anymore. You see, what works for your body at one time in your life, will not necessarily work for your body for all of your life. Our bodies are constantly changing and our minds are constantly changing, because life is continually happening; and as long as we are continually growing, we will require different things at different times. Especially when it comes to food.

Being able to get in touch with that is key. Knowing where your body is at at different stages of your life in imperative. This is an example of tuning in.. 

I still don’t have a high meat diet, but once in a while, my body will crave bacon, and I will acknowledge that craving and honor it, as mindfully and as wakefully as possible. Because that works for me now. And I don't feel bad about it, or beat myself up about it, mentally. Because the thoughts we have about eating something “bad” physiologically does more damage than the actual the food we put into our bodies. It’s the science of epigenetics. Our thoughts are pretty powerful.

And plus, new science has now shown, contrary to the belief of saturated fat being the cause of heart disease, it is now, in fact, sugar and carbohydrates which contribute greatly to heart disease and clogged arteries. The field of nutrition is amazing. It is constantly changing, with new information constantly emerging, debunking old ideas, supporting once debunked ideas, contradicting two things in the same study, confusing the shit out us, putting us into a place of paralysis where we don't know what the hell to eat. Believe me, I've been there. Hence the battle of anorexia and food disorders in my teens. 


This is more so of a reason to understand the utmost importance of tuning into your own unique body. This takes precedence over any fad diet, crash diet, paleo diet, vegan diet, whatever diet. Doesn't matter. Just listen to what your body needs and wants, and honor it. 

Now, as a Health Coach I'm able to teach people how to do this. I empower women to get in touch with their bodies from the inside-out, re-establish a healthy relationship to food and to themselves, and find their self-love, self-worth, and confidence; and thus start living their most desired life. It's truly incredible. 

How does this resonate with you?

How can you begin to tune into your body and develop a deeper relationship to what you truly need and desire?

Let’s talk.

I can help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.