WHOLE30 COMPLETE!

Wow, I can honestly say I never thought I would be able to say these words but... I HAVE COMPLETED THE WHOLE30 program!!!!!! Today is day 31, and surprise I haven't cheated! haha... it's only 7:04am but honestly I really don't have a desire to eat anything bad. My journey has come full circle and I feel accomplished, healthy and on my way to a complete lifestyle change. 

I will briefly break down my journey by week and again if you are interested in doing the program definitely check out the website! 

*pictures from pinterest.com

Yep, this about sums it up. I really wouldn't need to write anything else! ;)

Week 1-2

I felt exactly like the picture above. My body couldn't decide if it wanted to cry, be angry, be alone, eat a jar of butter, fall flat into a box of donuts and every emotion in between. I don't say that to scare anyone, I say that to show food has a powerful hold over you and you don't realize it until you take those foods away! Overall the first two weeks were no bueno for me. 

Week 3

I started to have an increase an energy but still struggled a bit with digestive issues. I can say I never had a stomach ache like I always used to, I think it was more my body was getting used to digesting such dense foods. This was the week I started having CRAZY dreams. Like I would be eating a piece of bread with jelly on it and wake up freaking out! phewww. only a dream! ;) This happened a lot! Some days I would still struggle with energy but the biggest change was my emotions! I saw such a change in how I felt, like a fog had lifted and I was back to being "normal feeling!"

Week 4

Easy peasy. Cravings pretty much subsided (ok, minus Easter. I was pretty bitter that I couldn't eat my Easter candy). But... besides that cravings have pretty much gone. I really look at food differently, energy has increased and I can tell slight changes in my body. I don't think I lost a ton of amount of weight thats noticeable but that honestly wasn't my goal. My overall goal was my get rid of the junk in my body and start bringing my body back to a state of healthy/normal/no stomach aches!

I am really happy and excited to have completed the program and I can't say enough good things about it!!! Give it a try. What are you waiting for? Is it hard-yes. But, it's worth it. 

Tips:

**Plan & Prep! These are probably some of the most important tips I can give you. I will say by Week 4 the thought of cutting veggies or cooking food was reallllllly starting to weigh on me. haha. I was over it. But... you just push through. 

**Grocery bill definitely increased. Were we eating out as much, no. But... our grocery bill definitely increased so make sure you are aware of this. Huge difference, no. So, don't even think about using that as an excuse.

**This next tip is helpful but not necessary. Complete the program with a buddy. I can say having my husband do the program with me was so helpful! We held each other accountable and it was nice knowing we both could really only eat out at the same places and buy the same foods. Definitely a plus!

So, there you have it. My whole30 journey! Have a great week!

Happy Monday & Day 22!!!

Happy Monday! It's almost April and officially Easter week! I love Easter! Time is flying and I am trying to cherish every waking moment because before we know it summer will be here! The weekend weather was fabulous and I was semi-productive; organized the pantry to be more "paleo", went on a walk outside, spent time with friends and prepped food for the week. 

We are here at Day 22 and I cannot believe it! A little recap of how my Whole30 Journey has gone:

Week 1-2: 

Major detox for me, hormones were balancing out/shifting as in (I was a little hormonal hot mess), but thankfully that has balanced out. Bloating and overall feeling like my pants were just a little tighter than normal (which is normal, read the book). I also had a little bit of breaking out on my face, exhaustion/tired, and really just overall out of sorts. I was not feeling too hot, still having some digestive issues and really in a nut shell my body was trying to re-figure out what the heck was going on. Let's just say, I am very glad the first two weeks are over! :)

Week 3: 

Hitting my groove, as I like to say. Energy increased, waking up early to workout was still hard at first, but had more sustainable energy throughout the day, started seeing physical differences in my body, hormones/emotions started balancing out and the mental process of eating "healthy" did not and still does not seem foreign to me. I am starting to hit the point where eating "whole30/paleo" is just what I do, it's what I eat and I know it makes me feel better. 

Do I feel 100% yet? No, but that's because I'm not done. I still have a little over a week and I'm excited to see what these last 8 days hold for me. I am so beyond happy that I am doing this program, and to see and feel the difference in my body has been so rewarding. As you all know I have wanted to do Whole30 many of times.. and failed. But this time, I was determined and told myself, it's 30 days. It's going to change my life, and so far it has. 

Whole30 Tips

As many of you know I have entered the world of Whole30 and am LOVIN it! I can't say it enough, if you are wanting to update your lifestyle habits please give this a try. Is it hard, yes. Will you want to quit, probably but is knowing you are making your body healthier forever worth it, YES. 

I wanted to give a few tips on what has helped us stick with the program.

*images from pinterest.com

1. I highly recommend reading the book. It gives you so much detail on why food is good/bad for you, how to do the program, recipes, tips and so much more. This really helped me because it helped me understand WHY you are doing this program. Knowing that I was making food choices because it impacted my health has really helped me stick with the program.

2. PLAN AHEAD. I can almost guarantee that if you do not plan/prep ahead you will not be able to complete this program. Don't quote me on that and I'm sure there's some super human out there that's able to wing it, but not me folks. I need to have food in the refrigerator, lunch planned out and "emergency" snacks in the event that I won't be home. This is key, and this is one of the most important things. I always make sure I have bacon pre-cooked in the fridge (we bake the entire package for the week and then warm it up on the stove when getting ready to eat), veggies pre-cut, fruit ready to go and chicken, beef, sausage ready to go.

3. If possible, buy in bulk. If you have a Costco or Sam's membership I highly suggest buying in bulk. You can buy organic eggs and meat at Costco and I think the price is much better than if you were to buy that much at a regular store. Just saying.... 

4. Be patient with yourself and the program. I'm not done yet, but going through the detox, slowly seeing results and some days still feeling tired are all normal... for me ;) Be patient with yourself, your body and the program. We are so used to "quick fixes" today that we don't even give things a chance to see results. This is your life. 

5. If possible, do the program with a partner! This is just a bonus, but for me, having my husband do the program with me has been so nice and extra motivating. Having someone right there to eat the same foods as you, help you when you're feeling down and just encourage/motivate you along the way has been an extra bonus, and I'm loving it!

I hope this has been helpful! If you've started, way to go!! If you're thinking about it- do it! 

Day 15- a huge breakthrough!!!

Today marks day 15 of my Whole30 Journey! Wow, I have good news people, today I feel NORMAL. Today I have reached a different level and I am beyond thrilled to tell you there is light at the end of the tunnel. I actually feel happy. Literally, I actually feel like I like people again! ;) 

My husband and I are officially 1/2 way through the program and I am truly proud of us. I am not going to lie when I say the past 14 days of detox have been absolutely horrendous, painful, psycho/crazy awful. Today, waking up and looking at the world in a happy manner again makes me realize how insane these last 14 days of detox have been, I truly don't think I realized it until I reached the "light" today. This may sound totally dramatic, which it probably is, but honestly I have feel so.much.better. today. And to think, I'm not even finished with the program yet! WOOOHOOO! Eating healthy foods is not as hard as it was, I still get the occasional cravings, but I've decided, it's not really that I crave unhealthy foods, sometimes it just seems easier to eat unhealthy. Especially in social settings, but it's really not even that the foods look appetizing. 

Over the weekend I still had low energy, mood swings, some food cravings and bloating. Today I woke up with some detox stomach issues again, not stomach aches (like I used to have) just going to the bathroom....

Today I have:

energy

clarity

happy mood

motivation

*cleaned my house

*worked out

and it's not even 9:00am. ;)

I encourage anyone who reads this blog, which is probably all 5 of you, to read through the whole30.com program and consider it for yourself. Our meals have stayed pretty simple, quick and easy, that just works best for us. Here's an example of a typical food day:

Breakfast:

Tea

Eggs

Bacon

1/2 Avocado

Potatoes

Spinach

Lunch:

Chicken Sausage

veggies (cucumber & carrots)

potatoes

avocado or green olives

If hungry: 

Larabar (apple)

Dinner:

Chicken

Sautéed broccoli

potatoes

1/2 avocado

apple

WATER. WATER. WATER. WATER.

We switch out our meals, always try to stick with organic and if we eat out we end up at Chipotle for a salad. Here's to a great week! :)

DAY 10!!!! WHOLE 30 JOURNEY.....

People of America... this is an urgent announcement. I am officially on DAY 10 of my Whole30 Journey! This is officially the farthest I have ever gone and I'm feeling pretty darn excited about it! (Minus the Shark Tank episode I watched this morning where the product was Cake balls.) I may or may not have wanted to jump through the tv and eat every.single.one. 

But... anyways back to my post ;)

Ok, where were we. I left off with Day 8 which was Monday. I had slightly more energy but Day 9 and Day 10 (today) is when I have felt an energy shift. I am still having random cravings but I feel fully invested this time. 

*What I am about to write next is slightly TMI but... if you're annoyed you can click out. ;) The major difference and I think hurdle I am facing so far with this Whole30 Journey is that it has thrown off my cycle. (NO, NOT PREGNANT). My hormones have been ALL KINDS OF CRAZY! I can literally go from happy-sad-emotional-irritable-irate-annoyed-crying-laughing, all in about 3 seconds. I'm not kidding people, my hormones are out of control. I have done eating plan similar to this before and the same thing happened to me, so I know this is a tell tale sign my hormones need a firm correcting, which is another huge reason I must stick to this plan. I can tell I am literally re-wiring my body- for good!

These last two days, like I said I have seen an increase in energy but I have definitely had some of the bloating, gas, stomach issues they said would happen. I will leave it at that and let your imagination take over. ;) I haven't had my sparkles/sunshine/aha moment yet, but I know it's coming.

Last 2 days recap:

1. More energy
2. Emotions still crazy
3. bloating/gas
4. still some food cravings, but no actual desire to eat the bad food
5. still working out

Whole30 Journal... Day 8

Happy Monday! I am not gonna lie, I was not excited about this Monday, the weather and weekend were all just too perfect! Can you believe this weather we're having?? Well, here we are ladies and gents, day 8. If you haven't read the beginning of my journey click here. 

Let me recap from day 5. The weekend wasn't too bad, and I definitely feel like I am hitting a rhythm. Foods definitely still look delicious and I crave the strangest things still, that I don't even normally eat to begin with (donuts?!) but now that I'm starting week 2 it just doesn't feel natural or normal to even eat something bad or unhealthy. This may just be the "moment" I'm in right now...

I am still pretty tired, actually I take that back I am like a walking zombie that hasn't slept in centuries  I could easily go to bed around 9 every night and sleep till 9 every morning, obviously that's not happening as I have to get to work and we workout in the mornings BUT whatever. We are still waking up and working out in the morning, and if we're not able to get up early we at least workout sometime during the day. I am excited to see what changes I have this week, if any. 

Not gonna lie, the emotions have still been on a roller coaster ride, that's probably been one of the biggest (next to being EXHAUSTED) change I have felt. Imagine PMS hormones on steroids, that's pretty much how I have felt. Yea, I know it's bad. 

If you are on the edge of thinking about doing Whole30 definitely give it a try. Visit their website and you will be convinced that this is definitely worth every minute of torture re-wiring your body for health and success. Start spring with a bang. Start Whole30 and change your life. You will not regret it.

Have a great week! And Remember: 

Day 5- Whole 30 Journey

Happy Friday!!! I LOVE me some Fridays!! If you are new you can read my first post here about starting Whole30. It has been a long time coming, but this time I really am determined to complete an entire Whole30. My husband is doing it with me, so support system is key.

I promised I would keep an updated journal of my whole journey, so today I am recapping Day 5. Well, technically today is day 5 but you get the point. We started on Monday and this week has been on/off what I thought it would be like. To be honest I thought it would be a lot harder. Headaches, check. Cravings, check. Exhaustion, double check. Yes... all of these have been symptoms this week and it has been a pretty low energy week. Or maybe it's because my husband still makes me wake up at 5:30 to go workout?! 

#1 I have definitely noticed low energy this week. I am exhausted by 9pm and can barely wake up in the mornings. I am hoping over the next week my energy levels increase!! Cravings have been good and bad, it depends on the day and what we've got going. When at work and on a "regular" schedule cravings aren't too bad, it's when we're out and about that I just want to eat anything and everything in sight. It's pretty funny actually- things I never even crave I am drooling over! 

I will say the key for me is having a partner to do this with. I am so thankful my husband decided to do the Whole30 with me, because to be honest I probably would have caved by now. It makes it so much easier knowing that the meals we make we both are eating and we can keep each other in check. My emotions have been.... crazy, psycho, hormonal, emotional a little off. To say the least, one minute I want to be left alone, the next minute I want my husband to hold me, the next minute I'm hot, then cold. This guy... he gets an award ;)

I am writing all of this NOT to scare you, but to be honest. And really it excites me to feel this way because it shows me my body is truly trying to detox and correct itself from all the crud I have filled it with. Knowing that there's another side to this and looking forward to the "shift" in how I feel is what excites and motivates me!! 

If you have started or are thinking about starting: you can do it. Trust me when I say, if I can do this, you can too!! PLAN AHEAD. Stay focused and remember the reasons you want to complete this program!

Pictures found on Pinterest.com

Whole30 Journey... for real this time.

Let me preface this post by saying I am 100% aware that I have said I am doing Whole30 many times before, but this time is for real. This time I have no excuses. This time I am prepared (slightly dreading it) but ready for the journey. I am tired of having stomach aches all the time, I am tired of being tired, I am tired of inflammation in my hip, I am tired of random acne breakouts and I am tired of my excuses. I am so excited because my husband has decided to do it with me this time, so we are tag teaming it and it is so helpful! 

We went grocery shopping yesterday (easiest grocery trip ever)! Meat, vegetables, eggs, fruit and healthy fats. Done.

I will be documenting my Whole30 journey on this blog and give my honest opinions, feedback and difficulties. I will be honest throughout my journey and when I say I feel like crap I will truly mean I feel like crap! ;)

Today is Day 1. Today has been easy so far. Although it's only 10:30 in the morning... We woke up, worked out and had our first meal.

Meal 1:

Eggs cooked with ghee

Avocado

Bacon

Sauteed spinach

tea (unsweetened)

Water

There you have it ladies and gents. Our first meal and 2 more to come. If you are on the fence or have absolutely no desire to complete this plan I challenge you to change your mind and give it a try. I highly recommend reading the book because it helps you understand the reason/point of completing this program. 

Gut health

Happy Wednesday!! Hope everyone is having a great week! I decided to give some healthful tips for anyone else who suffers with a yucky stomach. I have had stomach problems most of my life, I am always "that" person who can't eat normal foods when out with friends because of my stomach. I actually get severe anxiety when I see people eating cheesy/smothered burritos, or milkshakes or ice cream sundaes or anything else that would cause me hours in the bathroom....... TMI? 

I wanted to give a few helpful tips on what has helped me with my stomach, hoping that it will also help you!

1. Probiotics! Probiotics make a huge difference for me and is something I need to be more consistent with. They help regulate all the gut flora and keep things healthy in there. I'm not a scientist so that's about as "technical" as I get. Make sure you are getting a good/strong probiotic, I really do think it makes a difference. This is probably my favorite brand and I usually will buy these or these. I think either work great, for me honestly it just depends on which ones are on sale! ;) You can find these at WholeFoods, Vitamin Cottage or Sprouts. I know they make a huge difference for me, and whether you have stomach problems or not you should be taking a probiotic! (Again, I'm not a doctor so my statements are not FDA approved) ;)

2. EAT HEALTHY! This is pretty important and something I really struggle with doing on a consistent basis, but I know for me if I"m eating junk then more than likely I feel like junk. I'm a huge paleo fan and STILL want to complete a whole30.com! I mean, when there's donuts, cookies and chips right in front of me I doubt I'll grab the apple instead?! Just saying... 

But in all honestly, for me, staying away from grains, dairy and processed sugar makes a world of a difference for me. If you have never read this blog or heard of Whole30 I challenge you to check it out and give it a try. If you can complete it, you are stronger than me! Really, someday I'm going to do it! ;) No... seriously. 

3. Essential Oils. I am a HUGE obsessed, slightly borderline crazy essential oils fan. I love my essential oils! That's a post in itself, coming soon. I have used both DoTerra Essential Oils and Young Living. Right now, I'm currently using Young Living and I love them! Peppermint and DiGize are great oils for the stomach and I know help SO MUCH when I do actually have a stomach ache. Put in with water and drink or rub on your stomach and I swear it works. Don't knock it till you've tried it!! If you are interested let me know! I could talk to a wall about my essential oils, that's how much I love them! ;)

4. HYDRATE! For me keeping myself hydrated (with water) truly makes a world of a difference for me. If I am getting a stomach ache the pain truly is worse if I'm not hydrated. I have no science to back this up but I know from my own experience keeping myself hydrated every day helps my stomach a lot! 

I hope these were helpful tips for you as I know they've helped me! For those of you with stomach problems... I am right there with ya! You're not alone, we can tackle together!

Health & Fitness 2015

Wow! Can you believe we're almost 1/2 way through January already?! Time goes so fast I can barely keep up!! The first half of January was a little rough... never say "Oh, we haven't gotten sick in so long..." Because before the words can leave your mouth you will inevitably get sick. Both me and my husband got the dreaded flu and it was awful. Like truly awful. But... back on the mend and I am ready to tackle my 2015 goals. I'm not gonna lie, I have really thought long and hard about this post because I 1. Have a tendency to go wayyy overboard and then fail to meet my goals and then feel defeated 2. I do not want to obsess over health/fitness this year but incorporate a balance in my life 3. I was feeling lazy. Don't judge.

Ok, now that I have confessed my blogging dilemmas I am here to spell out my 2015 health & fitness goals and hope you join me! :)

(All pictures from Pinterest)

1. Remember that obsession is bad one way or the other. This is key for me this year because I tend to be the typical girl who will OBSESS over every single bite, every single workout and to me that is the complete opposite of healthy. BALANCE is my #1 goal this year. It's ok to eat a piece of cake and it's also ok to strive for a fitness goal. Everything in moderation.

2. Run a 1/2 marathon. I have only done one and I swore I would never do it again. But, here I am a glutton for punishment. I miss having a fitness goal, something to strive and train for. Without a goal I tend to slack on my workouts. So, here I am vowing to run a 1/2 marathon this year. I mean... I have 11 more months, I'm sure I can find the time ;)

3. Complete Whole30. Now, for those who know me are probably laughing at this right now because I have honest to goodness started and stopped whole30 at least 4 times. hahaha. But... I am vowing to myself to complete once because... well gosh darn so many people have done it so why can't I!?! I want to complete it for health purposes. Reset my body and also to feel the accomplishment. When I will start... not sure? But I will and I will update you on my progress.

Honestly, that's it. Those are my 3 goals and I feel good about them. I could sit here and say I'm going to not eat sweets, workout 5x/week, stay away from chips but in all honestly that would last all of about 3 days. Not even. I don't want to put restrictions on myself because that feeds into the mentality  of obsession. 

What are your 2015 health & fitness goals??

2015 GOALS

2015 GOALS

(pictures from Pinterest)

Hey y'all!! Can you believe it's 2015?! Let me preface this post by saying I will be rambling for 99% of it, so if you can have patience with me... here I go ;)

I know people say this all the time but I honestly felt like 2014 was a blur. One minute we were ringing in the new year and the next it was Christmas. I have never had a year fly by so fast, and it made me realize 2015 I want to slow down, cherish moments and stop looking forward so much. That sounds strange since I"m writing a post about 2015 goals, but one of my main goals this year is to not plan and look ahead so much. Stop, focus on the moment and be thankful. In 2014 I turned 28 and at first I thought... ugh so.old. (I know, don't judge me, that's still very young) and then someone said, be thankful you're 28. Some people never live to see that age. SO TRUE! Why would I ever complain about being 28?! This year I want to focus on first and foremost my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am learning every moment of every day that without Him I can do nothing. Without the Lord I am nothing. Without his Grace and Love and Faithfulness where would I even be? To me, that is the most wonderful place to be in, looking to Him for all things in my life. 

Now you're probably wondering when the heck I'm going to write about my goals... ok ok. Here I go:

1. Study and focus on the Lord every day, even if it's for 5 minutes in the morning.

2. Be kind. Choose to show God's love towards people. Everyone has an off day, so I want to learn to cut people slack. (Unless you're that idiot driver who cuts me off... then no.) ;)

3. Focus on HEALTH (A whole different post). I don't want to look at health as skinny, or a # on the scale this year. I want to feel good. Feel healthy. Have energy. Exercise. Look at food as nutrition.

4. Workout as much as possible. I don't want to necessarily put a # per week on this because I don't feel like that's realistic. Every week or day will hold a different challenge, but I want to focus on working out as a somewhat priority in my life this year.

5. STOP PLANNING AHEAD! Now I know there is a degree of planning that is necessary as an adult, I get that. But I have a tendency to plan so much that when things don't go exactly how I think they should it throws me in a fit. No, seriously. I throw grown-up tantrums. It's a problem... ;) I want to just take each day as it comes. Enjoy every single moment. The good, the bad... everything. I know who holds my future and I want to rest in that.

6. Be more spontaneous. I have a tendency to stick to a schedule, go to bed around the same time and during the "work week" prefer staying "on schedule" I do find this to be important but I also want to be more open to randomly doing different things even if it's on a "work day" :)

7. Travel! I LOVE traveling and experiencing new and familiar places. I want to travel more even if it's a short weekend trip!

That's all for now. I'm sure there's bigger and smaller goals but for now this is good. I will update as the year goes on!! :) What are your big and small goals for 2015?! 

Back on track...

So... I feel like everytime I write a post about being healthy I eat 5 cookies before I even publish the post!! Ok- slightly exaggerating but with life being so busy and fall creeping out all I've wanted to do lately is... Eat. Junk. But... this week I decided to jump back on track and feel healthy! Now with jumping back on track it didn't just happen in the blink of an eye. It took planning and thought so below are a few of my tips if you are wanting to make healthy choices:

pic from Pinterest

1. Plan ahead!!- if you are ready to make healthy choices this is so important!! I like to take a few mins and write down or plan my meals for the week along with specific exercises I know I want to do! 

2. Meal prep!!- this is another MAJOR part of making healthy choices!! For me, if I don't prep my meals for the week I will not stick with it! For me- I'm not a great cook and I don't like spending my days or nights cooking which is why I choose simple prep meals and eat the same things throughout the week! If you like cooking all the power to ya but for me the simpler the better! 

3. Exercise- I'm trying to get back into a workout routine so for me exercise means trying to get 3x/week in and move up from there! Set goals that are realistic! 

4. It's ok to still enjoy treats!- I really try and stick to a clean diet but if I have a little treat here or there I don't let it derail me! I've learned being too strict with myself results in major... MAJOR binge eating! 

5. Eat healthy for health not a size. When I make healthy choices for an overall healthy lifestyle vs. a dress size I stick to it! Health is so important and something not to take for granite!

I hope these help- I know they definitely help me!! 

pic from Pinterest

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?  

I didn't but I'm glad I found out so I could share with all of you and hopefully join in the fight against childhood cancer.

Cancer sucks no matter what stage of life a person is in, but to me, it sucks even more for a child.  It raises the question, how on earth could someone so innocent, so "pure," and too young to comprehend what challenge their body is facing, be faced with such a battle.  It makes no sense and it's heart breaking.  For some, it may be a quick battle, and for others it may last years.

A few years ago I crossed paths with a sweet and spunky little girl named Haven.  Just as I was getting to know her at the preschool I was working at, she went in for a doctors appointment, and the outcome was not good:

Kicking cancer's a$$!!! Go Haven!

"Haven is a 4 year old little girl who has been diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma in the adrenal gland that has metastisized to her spinal cord and her chest.  She was diagnosed April 2012, 2 weeks after her 2nd birthday.  She has endured 27 rounds of chemo, MIBG therapy, an auto stem cell transplant, 20 rounds of standard radiation, 2 rounds of antibodies, TMA in her kidneys, 3 round of intensive high dose radiation, and now will be starting the fenretinide trial." 

-http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/havenanderson

Just reading what this girl has been through makes my heart SO heavy for Haven and her family.  But at the same time, I can't help but to think that this little lady is a warrior (and a hero to so many) who has been fighting like a champ for over 2 years now.  That part is amazing.  We should learn a lesson from such little lives.  She has taken on a challenge that most of us will never see in our life time, and while I'm sure there have been many moments Haven and her family have felt defeated, they all keep on fighting this nasty disease in hopes to give it the big middle finger!

Haven & her biggest fans!

Um, I'm pretty sure she's the cutest thing EVER!!!

Haven recently, look at this super hero!

I could ramble on about how much childhood cancer SUCKS (because it does), but in the end I have NO CLUE how much it really sucks, because I'm not dealing with it first hand.  I'd just like to help spread awareness and support to the families who are going through this daily battle for their child's life, health and well-being.  

To learn more about Haven and her battle, & to donate visit:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/havenanderson

or

https://www.facebook.com/ihearthavenbelle

To read more about childhood cancer, and donate visit:

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Also, if you haven't already, register yourself on Be The Match

You could be the match to someone in need of a life saving transplant!

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Well, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is all the craze right now, and it was bound to hit me eventually.  Thanks to my friend Sam, I was nominated and gladly accepted the challenge but not before reading a bit about ALS first. Have you educated yourself before taking the chilling challenge?  Here's what the ALS association has to say…

What is ALS?

En español

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

This challenge is definitely raising awareness and money for ALS.  I think we should all do something like this for every other horrible disease out there!  The more we all know, the more we can all do.  Now, here is my challenge video….

For more information on ASL visit their website, and take the challenge by donating and spreading the word!

http://www.alsa.org

Dining with the King

I have a lot of friends who I'd consider MORE "religious" than I am, and I respect them for their commitment and devotion (and understanding) towards their beliefs.  I also admire those that use their talents, education and passion to humbly support people that may need them.  

With that I introduce you to Melia Moore!

Melia and I met through a friend at an Isagenix conference a couple years ago.  I instantly loved her because of her calm and happy demeanor, not to mention her incredible beauty on the outside but more importantly on the inside!  She is a genuine soul which is hard to find anymore.

I noticed through her Facebook posts that she was up to a new adventure, "Dining with the King," and I wanted to know more.  The following is an interview between Melia and myself, read on to learn how she is supporting woman through emotional eating/binging with biblical based coaching and nutritional support!

What is Dining with the King?

Dining with the King is a biblical based coaching program for those who struggle with emotional eating or binging. But really it’s pretty simple; it’s hope and an opportunity for freedom. It’s not however a quick fix program and in 30 days you’ll be rid of every unhealthy eating habit. That’s just not realistic. It’s a journey to PRACTICE the art of worship through how we take care of our bodies.

“Dining with the King” was also a calling for me personally to let go of my own struggles with binge eating so I could be more effective for the Kingdom. It has been a long time coming for me to finally let go, and it’s been a ride!! Haha

What is your job as a coach/counselor?

My job as a Psychology of Weight Management Coach is to guide people toward a healthy mindset about their bodies and food through truth, based on the living word of God and practical strategies they can implement into their lives. It’s not my job however to tell people exactly what they need to do, but more so to help equip people for a life long practice in wellness, to help them realize they can find the balance of overcoming unhealthy mindsets of food through their relationship with Christ and being proactive in educating themselves about wellness as a whole.

How did you learn about this program?

The “Dining with the King” program I created myself after receiving my AACC Certification from Lighthouse University. It’s a collaboration of what I learned over the time I spent getting my certification and research I had done on my own. I felt there was a need for a specific guideline, one in which there was structure for the client and the coach so I created an interactive guidebook filled with 4 sessions that I go over with my clients. This book is filled with, assessments, strategies for the future, encouragement, scripture and homework.

What drives you to help people with these struggles?

I know what it feels like to wonder if there is ever going to be hope. The hurt is real and I truly believe that it can keep us from living the life God has intended for us to live. And truly, nothing is more important to me then to lead people to Him. He’s the ultimate healer and to just be a small part of that process blows my mind. That’s what drives me.

Who benefits from your coaching?

I think at this point in my career women of all ages can benefit from this coaching. I want to expand with a team of coaches and my hope is that we can focus on men as well!! I know dozens of men who struggle just like us ladies. This struggle doesn’t discriminate about your gender.

How do you coach? (a series of meetings? Lessons? In person/not in person…etc.?)

I coach in person or over the phone. The program as a whole is in 4 sessions detailed below. There are different program options as I do provide a source of nutrition I believe is extremely beneficial for the client. People can do the program with our without the nutrition provided through IsAgenix.

Session #1
Going over Assessments:

-Multiple Assessments are given to discover exactly where you are in your health journey. I will also be coordinating with your Doctor (by request) so I can receive notes from them on your physical and blood panel, in case there are concerns such as the raise of diabetes you my not have realized was there. I am certified in specific areas of health that your Doctor might find you need some guidance with. They are:
Physical Fitness
Stress Management
Sleep
Brain Health
Chronic Pain Management
Men's and Women's Specific Health
We will also go over goals, motivation, the covenant prayer agreement and scripture based homework.

Session #2
Psychology of Weight Management and Nutrition:

-An in-depth look on God’s heartbeat about our health, food and purpose of honoring our bodies. Everything else comes secondary to this.
-In-depth personal coaching relating to your background with food as well as your current mental state with food and strategies for success for the future.
-A personalized nutrition plan and implementing IsAgenix. We will discuss what will work for you personally so that you can create an environment for yourself, your family and for your relationship with Christ without fear or discouragement.

This session also ends with biblical based homework and my favorite the "Dining with the King" Note card.
-Your program comes with products from IsAgenix in two options:

 A 30-day supply or 2 week supply

Session #3
Exercise:

This session we develop an exercise routine that fits your needs and discover how to implement your relationship with God with some of your routines.

Session #4
Closing session with the opportunity to continue session in the future if necessary. This is a time to re-evaluate goals, write new ones, fine tune your personal program ask questions.

What did it take to get your certification?

I chose to go through Lighthouse University and AACC because of my mentor Deborah Berry who is a Christian Counselor in Silver City, NM. We had discussed multiple times how many of my clients in my other health and wellness vocation including myself were struggling with emotional eating. It was the number one thing that was sabotaging my clients success as well as my own. I knew we weren’t dealing with the real issue for so many people. She contact me one day letting me know that I could receive a Wellness Certification that focused in part with the Psychology of Weight Management, I purchase the courses and did everything over the internet.

How can people contact you?

I currently have a facebook page at www.facebook.com/melialanimoore

Those who are interested or just want to reach-out can personal message me there call me at 575-654-0566 or email me at diningking@yahoo.com

I take applications monthly so anyone can apply at anytime. At this point I’m full until October that’s when the next sessions are available.

What changes have you seen in peoples lives?

What a great question!!

The change I see is hope and the knowledge that they can absolutely overcome anything with God’s help and leading. I’ve seen people also come to terms that they have a responsibility in this and that it doesn’t have to be daunting but empowering. My first client ever was actually one of my best friends. We cried a lot during our first session. It was such a cleansing feeling, she’s equipping herself, physically, mentally and spiritually and I can see that confidence in her. Especially with the realization that this is about a journey, about PRACTICING wellness, perfection is not required.