Stress & The Battle of the Bulge

Let’s face it – we are an overstressed society.  Too many commitments, too many things to do, too many obligations, and too much work.  While many of us have mastered the art of multi-tasking (and take pride in doing so), we have spread ourselves much too thin and because of this, our health is starting to plummet and our weight is skyrocketing.

Stress is not easy to control, let alone get rid of.  It’s in our blueprint and our hectic lifestyles perpetuate the problem.  But what is it really doing to our bodies???  You may be the type of person that exercises frequently (at high intensities for that matter), eats healthy, and does all the right things to maintain a healthy status quo.  The only problem is that your weight is not budging.  You can’t seem to drop the excess lbs, especially in your abdomen.  This is the moment to re-evaluate your lifestyle and figure out if stress the confounding factor.  

5-Hour Energy – What’s in it Anyway?

I‘m sure you have either tried a 5-hour energy or have seen those ridiculously silly commercials on TV.  Regardless, I get asked often about what is in these little bottles of energy and what it is doing to my body.  So let’s discuss….

Eating Healthy on a Budget

One question that I get asked quite often is how do I eat healthy without breaking the bank!? First of all, health is not cheap. Un-health is cheap. Case in point – fast food restaurants and the junk food aisles in the grocery store. Right now, Jack in the Box is offering 3 tacos for 99 cents! McDonald’s has an entire meal for $3! And don’t get me started on all the deals offered for cookies, chips, candies, sodas, fruit juices, sugary cereals, and crackers. On the other hand, shopping exclusively at Whole Foods www.wholefoodsmarket.com can really put a hole in your bank account, regardless of the healthy variety they offer. Now don’t get me wrong…..I love shopping the aisles of Whole Foods – it’s such a wonderful experience! But I have learned after many receipts totally over a couple hundred dollars that I only need to buy CERTAIN foods there. Not everything. Remember – they still are a humongous corporation making a pretty penny off their grocery items.

Juice – The Elixir of Life!

About 4 years ago, my wonderful mother, Linda, took me to this incredible spa and wellness resort, Miraval (www.miravalresorts.com), outside of Tucson, Arizona.  It was a very special experience I shared with her and while I was there, I was introduced to juicing.  The menu at the juice bar listed all of these interesting concoctions made with fruits and vegetables.  I was never a huge fan of juice and couldn’t imagine drinking vegetables but I figured why not.  I can’t really remember the first juice I tried but I instantly felt this “electric surge” go through my body and I was so energized!!!!!  I tried everything on the menu and by the time I left, I was glowing.  Literally.  My skin was clean, fresh, and radiant and most importantly, I had never felt happier, healthier or invigorated in my life.  I was hooked!  I immediately went home, bought a juicer, and started on this amazing journey of designing my OWN fruit and vegetable concoctions.

In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

I read this fascinating book in its entirety on the plane from Miami to Los Angeles.  It was a quick read and I found it chock full of interesting information about the food industry and how to simplify your health and nutrition in this over-processed, over-regulated world of food.  How can we break down the mess we have created into a straightforward and uncomplicated way to feed ourselves?  How can we change some of our ingrained eating habits and go back to pure, unadulterated foods?

Journalist, Michael Pollan (http://michaelpollan.com), offers a clear outlook on why we are all beyond confused about what to put into our bodies.  Whether it is the advertising agencies, the government, food companies, or our own desire and impetus to eat healthy, we have digressed from the basics.  The fundamental and most basic idea he proposes is to “Eat Food”, “Not Too Much”, and “Mostly Plants”.  It’s as easy as that.

And my motto is very similar.  “Eat Clean.  Eat Small.  Eat Often.  Eat Healthy”.  Don’t rely on the quick fix.  It ultimately leads to disappointment.  Slow and steady always wins the race.