As 2015 comes to close, many of us find ourselves reflecting back on the year and taking stock of our accomplishments, our shortcomings, our achievements, our losses. How did the year turn out? Did it meet the expectations you set forth at the end of 2014?

With a bright, shiny new year on the horizon what are your hopes and dreams for 2016?

"So this is Christmas, and what have you done. Another year over, and a new one just begun." ~ John Lennon

2015 brought a lot of change for me, most of it needed and good. Sometimes with transition comes turbulence, so we strapped ourselves in for the ride and for the most part handled it all pretty well. I look forward to a smoother 2016 although there are still some things to be worked out so there may be a few more bumps in the road.

I officially launched my coaching business in December of 2014 with the goal of getting it off the ground without putting too much pressure on myself. My aim was to get my website up and running and publish at least one blog per month. I am pleased to have accomplished both and actually posted 21 blogs! I also became officially certified as a Life Coach in April.

I am super thankful for my clients who put their trust in me to help them help themselves. My mantra has been and will continue to be "Be the window, not the light". ~ Martha Beck

Their willingness to be brave and vulnerable inspires me every day and has helped me step way outside of my own comfort zone.

2015 brought me a layoff from my full time job which gave me the summer off with my boys, a first for us and it was wonderful! Luckily a new job and career followed shortly afterwards and for that I am grateful.

As for 2016, I plan to kick my coaching practice up a notch and will be adding group classes, getting clear on what I do best so I can focus in on a specialty area.

Personally, my family is finally getting passports and we can't wait to discover all the world has to offer! We may only make it across the Canadian border this year but international travel is going to happen.

Self care is high on my action items for 2016 too, I plan on listening to my body and feeding my body and soul what it wants. Exercise and healthy food are what I'm craving right now.

Creativity is a priority in 2016 too. I'm not sure what it's going to look like but I'm feeling a need to really crank it up and see what happens.

The world seems so chaotic and crazy, there is a lot of political tension going on and sometimes it seems everyone has lost their minds. To walk the walk and be the change I want to see in the world, I am going to commit to doing random acts of kindness throughout the year. It may be small but it might just turn someone's day around.

Finally, 2016 is the year I am going to ask for help. As someone who tends to take on everything myself, I am going to "let it go" and I'm going to start by hiring a cleaning person. Woohoo!

"A very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear." ~ John Lennon

If you are looking to make personal changes in 2016 and don't know where to start, if you are feeling stuck, lost or confused please contact me for a complimentary consultation to learn if coaching is right for you.

I would love to hear what's on your agenda for 2016!!!

What is it with the carb cravings? The more I eat them, the more I want them. Ever since my youngest son was born 13 years ago, I have been on an up and down roller coaster ride with my weight. I tried everything from going Vegan to Weight Watchers to Atkins. I had success with most, but the problem was always the same. Keeping the weight off.

Each time I would say to myself “this is a lifestyle change, this time it’s going to be permanent”. Sometimes it would last a while, other times I was back to my old ways within days.

And it wasn’t entirely just about losing weight, I care a lot about fitness and nutrition too. It seems, for me, the two always go hand in hand. If I was eating better, I was also exercising. If I was eating crap, I was a couch potato. This all or nothing mentality is always a set up for failure in the long run.

Two years ago a friend introduced me to The Whole30 Challenge. It’s a very strict version of Paleo eating (aka the caveman diet). The Paleo diet is based on the premise that our bodies have not yet evolved enough to handle the refined foods that came along with the agricultural era and that if we eat a diet more closely aligned to what our ancestors ate, it would do our bodies good. With the obesity epidemic happening in America right now, it made sense to me.

I like the idea of clean eating (real food, no ingredients created in science labs, no highly refined or processed foods). Counting points, calories, or fat grams is not something that has ever interested me. When following those programs I would find myself looking high and low to satisfy my cravings with lighter, fake versions of already bad food. (100 calorie packs anyone?)

So I gathered a group of pals and embarked on the Whole30 Challenge.

I dusted off my workout dvds and embarked on p90x3.

Instead of my morning trip thru McDonalds for a bacon egg and cheese biscuit, I started my day with green smoothies. I gave up grains, dairy, and bad fats and started eating lots of vegetables, a little fruit, lean meats, and good fats.

I got up a little bit earlier and exercised for 30 minutes.

That was 30 days ago, here’s what happened:

Day 1 – I am excited and ready for this. I have been feeling puffy and bloated lately. I have almost gained all the weight back that I lost 2 years ago (25 lbs!). This is just the motivation I need. We are going to do this!

Week 1 – I am still going strong and feeling motivated. I weighed and measured myself the day I started. Even though the official rules say not to weigh or measure until the end, I want to know what's happening. I have lost 6 lbs so far! I realize a lot of it is water weight and that’s ok! My puffiness has subsided and I am already feeling more energetic. I need to find some new recipes, getting a little tired of the same things.

Week 2 – Still going strong. I lost another 2 lbs, so I’m down 8lbs in 2 weeks. There were a few days this week where I felt a little tired and less energetic. I had my first challenge, a business luncheon. I made it through ok but realized I need to plan ahead and be prepared in case there aren’t many whole30 approved choices available (there weren’t).

Week 3 – I only lost ½ lb this week, but it’s OK because I have gained muscle! I have been working out 6 days a week and luckily when I started I documented my weight and measurements so I could record my progress. In the last week I have lost ½ an inch to an inch off of ALL SIX body parts I measured. So while the scale didn’t change much, my body composition certainly has.

Week 4 Day 30 – This week was pretty good. I am no longer thinking about all the things I miss. I don’t have cravings for my old favorites. I can even watch people eat pizza and not want it. I lost 1.5 lbs this week.

Overall, I lost 10 lbs and 16 inches...not bad for 30 days! I obviously can't see what has happened inside my body but I am sure it's all good!

I am feeling brave, so here are my before and after pics:

What I learned from the challenge is:

With a little planning, making high quality meals with fresh unprocessed ingredients is not that hard.

We spent more time eating together as a family at the dinner table.

I can eat as much as I want and I don’t have to count anything.

Within days my cravings for processed carbs vanished.

I wasn’t as hungry, the meals I ate were nutritious and satisfied my body.

I forgot how much I love fruits and vegetables,.

After a couple of weeks, I wasn't living to eat, I was eating to live...I wasn't constantly thinking about food.

This challenge was only meant to last for 30 days, it is uber strict. So what now? Paleo eating is a little looser but follows the same basic principles, eating lean meats, lots of veggies, some fruit, and good fats. Plus it allows alcohol (isn’t wine a fruit?)

I'll be back with another update in 30 days!


Please share what works for you, would love to hear it!!

It's February, we are one month into 2015. How are you doing with your resolutions and goals? Whether you made a New Year’s resolution or not, most of us at least have some idea of what we want to do differently or to accomplish this year.

How did you fare in the first month? Are you still going strong or did you already give up? Kudos to you if you are on track and no worries if you aren’t. Don’t beat yourself up or feel like a failure, just get back on the horse. Accomplishing your goal is up to YOU and YOU alone.

Here are 10 tips to keep you going, get back on track or get started to making 2015 your best year yet!

1. Write it down
   
Put your goal in writing, it sets your intention. It puts it into the universe and allows you to see it regularly rather than just think about it. Put it in a place where you will see it daily, like on the bathroom mirror or the refrigerator. Better yet, put it on your smartphone and set a daily or weekly alarm to remind you to check in with yourself.

A study conducted by Dominican University showed people who write down their goals perform significantly better than those who don’t.

2. Say it out loud to someone else

State your goal out loud and share it with someone else. By saying it out loud, you make it real because you have to get clear about it. If you tell a friend you are writing a book, they will want to know more about it and will check in on your progress. It solidifies your commitment.

The same Dominican University study proves that having a buddy to help hold you accountable will yield more success than just thinking about your goal.

3. Break it down

Break your goal down in to small, actionable and measureable turtle steps. Focus on one step at a time to make it more manageable. This will also give you a sense of accomplishment, which will fuel you to keep going. Set a timeline for completing each step. You will get there slowly but surely!

4. Create a mantra

A mantra is a short group of reaffirming words that can help center your mind and transform your life. Words have power, but YOU have the power to choose the words you speak to yourself.

Remember Stuart Smalley from SNL? His mantra was “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!”

Create something positive and affirming for yourself and say it on a daily basis.

5. Reward yourself

Accomplish one of your turtle steps? Give yourself a reward. You’ll get a feeling of satisfaction when you've conquered each step and will be motivated to keep going. Just make sure your reward is not something that will sabotage your progress.

6. Create a vision board

Vision boards are used to clarify, visualize, and maintain focus on a goal. Why did you choose this goal? What are you hoping to accomplish with it? What feelings will achieving it invoke? Create a vision board to keep your eye on the prize. Look through old magazines, find images on Pinterest or the internet and make a collage around your goal. Dream big, what do you want to create for yourself? What does your ideal life look like? Ideal day? What will you be doing? Get specific.

7. Track your progress

If you feel like you have a long way to go, it helps to see what you've accomplished already. Trying to exercise more? Looking back at what you have done in the last week or month will give you encouragement, if you did it before you can do it again today!

8. Investigate your thoughts

Ever hear the saying “Change your thoughts, change your life”? Negative self-talk will get you nowhere. Pay attention to what you are telling yourself. Your thoughts create your feelings and your feelings drive your behavior. What stories are you telling yourself around this goal? Become aware or your self-talk and keep it positive.

9. Get support

Find people with similar goals so you can support each other. Want to run a marathon? Join a training group. Trying to get a promotion? Find a mentor. Hang out with positive people who have accomplished or are trying to accomplish the same thing.

10. Practice gratitude

Be thankful for what you already have. Recognize it, acknowledge it, and be grateful. This is important. Take a look around and give thanks for what you have already been blessed with.

 

So, whether you want to get in shape, drop a few pounds, get a new job, work on a relationship, or something else, following these tips will help you get where you want to go.

And if all else fails, remember the wise words of Dory....

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming!