Give Your Body Time to Shift

Coaching people on the path to improved health is an interesting and rewarding experience. Each client presents with their own unique combination of history, physiological circumstances, lifestyle habits and preferences. No two clients are alike, so I feel a little like Mr. Dressup going into my tickle trunk of natural health modalities to pick and choose what will work best in each situation. People who work with me are familiar with my excited expression of “I'm getting goose bumps!” - my common reaction when a client shares positive feedback about their health improvements. I am as invested in their health goals as they are.

A lot of my clients come to me seeking assistance with weight loss. I so enjoy sharing the journey of weight loss with a client and being along for the ride of physical and emotional transformation that occurs. A challenge with coaching someone in weight loss is gaining their time commitment to the process so that they achieve the results I know they are capable of. All too often, people give up prematurely, frustrated with the sometimes lengthy process. What they deny themselves, and their bodies, is the experience of the many “shifts” that occur during the weight loss process. These “shifts” are the body's response to the release of fat and the toxins stored therein: it is a gradual process of the body finding a new, healthy equilibrium where organs and processes are able to function as intended. The body is working 24 hours a day to keep the body in a state of equilibrium and optimal health. This becomes difficult if the body is regularly taxed with too much fat and toxicity. The body's reaction to the adoption of a healthier lifestyle takes time: some changes occur immediately while others may happen months down the road. It differs with each person. Therefore patience on the part of the client is required. But the rewards of being patient are tremendous.

I have one client in particular who is a wonderful illustration of the results of being patient with one's body during the weight loss process. Over the course of 10 weeks, she has released a total of 30.5 inches. (I focus on release of inches instead of pounds because the inches represent the release of unhealthy toxins and fat stores.) Her results are impressive and are the result of her steadfast commitment to follow the weight loss program and get through the highs of weight loss and the occasional lows of some discomfort as her body shifts into its new form. Her commitment to both herself and the program make it such a rewarding experience to coach her. She is available for the coaching call appointments and measures herself on the agreed upon dates. She is open to advice and shares important information that I need to know to suggest changes as we go along. But above all, she understands that her body needs time to adjust and work through the release of the excess fat. She sent me an email recently sharing an unexpected “shift” she had experienced: “One thing I noticed is that my memory is so much better. I find I am remembering things very well and that I do not need to write reminder notes. I use to be like this in high school and during my undergrad.”

The body is a miraculous thing – thousands of processes are occurring in each moment that we are not aware of. So this can make it difficult to be patient with a weight loss program when we are perhaps less than impressed with ourselves naked or desperately want to fit into our old jeans. Be patient! Losing weight is not just about the end result. It is about the journey along the way. It is about reconnecting with your healthier body. It is about rediscovering yourself. And it is about giving yourself the time and space to become the person you want to be... whatever that looks and feels like for you.

Why All the Talk about Cleansing?

I recently attended a screening of the documentary "Living Downstream".  Based on the book of the same name, the film follows author Sandra Steingraber, PhD, as she travels across North America speaking about cancer and its environmental links.

As a health coach and someone who not only does regular cleansing myself but coaches others in cleansing, I kept thinking about the importance of regular nutritional cleansing as I watched the film.  We are exposed daily to a barrage of environmental pollutants in our air, water, and homes.  Did you know that chemicals and toxins are the primary cause of illness, disease and obesity?  And disease and obesity, in turn, are two of the main causes of premature aging.

What's important to understand about man-made chemicals such as those found in our cleaning supplies, is that the body simply does not know what to do with them.  The human body isn't designed to process toxins.  So, what does it do with them?  Well, if the body is not supported by a nutritionally rich diet and regular cleansing, the toxins get stored in the fat tissues. The more toxins, the more fat the body manufactures in which to store them.  As toxins and chemicals accumulate over time, the body's organs, including its main filtering organs, become overworked and weak. 

Regular nutritional cleansing supports the body against the daily onslaught of environmental pollutants.  We can't avoid them, but we can help our bodies better cope with them.  65% of the world's population cleanses on a regular basis.  Do you?

Watch my video on cleansing at Start Cleansing Now

For more information on the Living Downstream documentary, visit the website at:  Living Downstream    Check out the trailer at the YouTube link below:

Living Downstream Trailer

Addressing the Obesity Epidemic with Cleansing & Nutrition

There is mounting evidence of the links between toxicity, obesity, the environment and ill health.  But this evidence goes back decades to the early pioneering work of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.  We ignore the realities of these links at our peril.  Watch my new youtube video featuring a presentation I delivered last year wherein I discussed these links and the importance of good nutrition.  (I apologize for the video quality - future videos will look much better.  My excellent film editor Danny Edmondson did an excellent job with the limited film quality - thanks Danny!).  

Let the Ease into Your Life

“Ease” has been the dominant theme for me this past week.  I attended a leadership training day on Saturday and the trainer, Kevin Smith (check him out on facebook – he does great work in his community and Africa), had us write down intentions for our lives that began with the words “Why is it so easy…?”.  My husband and I began Kevin’s homework on Monday of writing down an intention each day for 30 days.  We’re beginning each intention with “Why is it so easy…” and it certainly is helping us start the day in a mindset of ease.

I did a yoga class today and the teacher (and owner of kalico healing arts centre)* encouraged us to ease into the postures and also to simply be at ease and open to what comes from the yogic experience.

So much of our everyday existence is rooted in thinking that life either is or must be hard.  We say we want to achieve our goals but then get bogged down by our reflexive thoughts of perceived or imagined obstacles that may have to be faced.   Rather than shift into a habitual state of ease, we make things appear too hard in our minds before we even get started.

Instead of looking at things as being too difficult, see them instead as challenges that can be met with a mindset of ease.  Challenges push us outside of our comfort zones and encourage necessary growth.  Challenges are best faced head on – whether you do that with a mindset of ease or difficulty is up to you.

*Any name dropping is purely intentional for promotional purposes of my business associates.  Hey, I’m big on referrals – they make the business world go round in a wonderfully karmic way.