It has been a while since I shared on my blog, and for that I apologize! So much has been happening in the past little while that I have had to prioritize my time; and unfortunately, writing and blogging has not been my immediate focus. I promise to get back to it very soon because it is definitely one of my passions! 

This past summer I wrote the Board exam for my Natural Nutrition program and earned my Registered Holistic Nutrition (R.H.N.) designation. Enrolling back in school and setting a goal to graduate within two years was one of the greatest challenges I have undertaken in my life, and I was determined to not only complete it within that time frame, but with a +80 average! Not an easy task, but I did it!! (I would probably have to hang up my Coach hat if I couldn't accomplish my own personal goals, wouldn't I? LOL) The confidence and knowledge I gained through this experience has been invaluable and I am so proud of what I achieved. Helping people, especially when it comes empowering them to improve their health, is something I am very passionate about, now more than ever. 

So what next? Well, I am now working at Shift Family Health Centre with a great team of like-minded people committed to helping individuals and families obtain optimal health through holistic services. It is such a welcoming and professional environment and such a great fit for a girl like me!  As well, I am available to clients in Elora on Mondays (by appointment only) through Definition Fitness.  Of course, as always, I am happy to offer sessions with my clients through Skype. 

So what exactly does a Resisted Holistic Nutritionist do? Simply explained, I work with clients to first identify imbalances in the body that may be contributing to health challenges; and then I develop a personalized program promoting live, natural, good quality foods and appropriate natural supplements that focus on balancing body systems; thereby restoring their body towards health. 

If you or someone you love could benefit from this, give me a call and I will be happy to discuss the process with you; and if it feels natural and comfortable to do so, I would appreciate it if you would share my information with friends. Receiving a referral from a trusted friend is the best introduction for a Holistic Nutritionist. 

Aside from clinic hours, I have many exciting plans and ideas in the works! Workshops, public speaking events, lunch & learns, and networking opportunities. I am also, once again, facilitating the 4th Annual CW Women's Expo in February 2015! So much abundance, and so many opportunities to meet some very cool people! I am filled with gratitude! 

Live Well,

Jennifer

I want to feel healthier.

I want to be stronger.

I want to look better in my clothes.

I want to be able to play with my kids without running out of steam.

I want to be able to live a long, healthy life.

I want to be healthy enough to travel when I retire.

I want to feel more in control.

I want to be able to get the most out of life.

I want to be happier.


So what will you do to achieve those goals? What has to change? 

We are all guilty of sitting on a throne of wants and wishes; as days, weeks, months, even years go by, and regrettably, we live in a comfort zone of apathy...ironically, uncomfortable as hell; sometimes even miserable.

We blame work, our lack of time, lack of will, lack of education, our partners, our kids, the weather, friends, society, money, the government, sometimes we even blame the dog. Excuses are little lies we tell ourselves to make us feel “ok” about our choices. They pacify us. Soothe us. Free us from guilt (temporarily). But they also hold us back. There...there... you can “try” again tomorrow...
 
Does that make us bad people...Nope, it is just human nature. But as long as we allow ourselves to continually make excuses, deny, blame others, pass the buck; we will alter nothing.

If you want things to change, you have to do things differently; take 100% ownership, 100% of the time. Make excuses to succeed!

Start by visualizing yourself at your goal every day (maybe even hourly!)  What will you be doing? How will you be feeling? What will you be wearing? What will you be thinking? Who will you be connected with? Where will your goal take you?  How will things be different for you? 

Think it. Really feel it. 
Believe it.

Allow yourself to create energy around your goal.  Allow yourself to feel a true connection to the future you. That energy is the catalyst for change. 

When faced with choices, connect to that energy and ask yourself “What would future me choose in this situation?” “How would I handle this?” Visualize (imagine) yourself solving the situation, choosing wisely, and coasting through with confidence and ease. 

That is YOU doing it! YOU making the best choices! YOU making it happen instead of waiting for it to happen. Become that future you...now.

Live your life TODAY like you have already succeeded, that you have already surpassed your goal. Think like that person. Act like that person. Feel like that person.

That energy has momentum! It is powerful!   Tap in.

Live Well,

Jennifer

Wonder why you are obsessed with food? Why you think about it constantly? Don’t worry, you are not the only one. Think about our ancient ancestors and what they had to do in order to survive? Their entire existence was about shelter and food and water. Nothing else mattered. Almost all of their activities were geared around food; as well as their rites of passage. Where they lived (cave, hut, modest homestead) was relevant to where the food was. The men would go out and hunt/fish in groups and the women would study plants and harvest/forage them to balance out their nutrition. It was hard and sometimes dangerous work! You had to be “cognitive” or you could wind up eating the wrong berries, poisoning your tribe or mauled by a ferocious boar. You had to think ahead towards the seasons and what food would be available. You had to know how to conserve, preserve and store your food...like all animals do. 

Makes sense that we are both “cultured” to think about nutrition/food and genetically inclined ~because our very survival depended on it! 

Now fast forward to modern day times. We are probably no more than 40 feet away from food at any given moment. Through evolution we have made it simpler, easier, and “safer” (one could argue against that) to provide food for our families. We no longer have to plan weeks in advance for a hunt, follow the herd, know when the salmon will spawn, wait for harvest season... we just have to get in our car and drive 3 blocks to the grocery store where we can find ANYTHING we need. There is no more feast or famine...it is just feast, feast, feast. 

So herein lies the challenge we face. We are still programmed to think about food ALL THE TIME...but since we no longer have to go to the extremes of hunting and gathering...we have lost that necessary balance. Most of us aren’t tucked away in our furs when the sun goes down, exhausted from a day of HARD labour; and up at the crack of dawn ready for another marathon. We don’t have to chase after our food or walk 3 days looking for herbs, plants, and berries. We don’t utilize every calorie we consume.

In addition to our genetics, food is actually manufactured to be “addictive” with the refined sugar (addictive) and refined flour (addictive) and don’t forget the high-fructose corn syrup (super addictive); so that now not only do we think about food all the time (normal) but we now physically crave those highly processed food like products. Oh, and just in case you forget how addicted you are...television advertisements will remind you at 10:00pm...just as you are ready to nod off...that you haven’t fed your addiction for 2 or 3 hours! No wonder we are all out of whack! 

You bet...we are obsessed with food. 

So stop beating yourself up about it. The obsession will never go away (although we can learn to manage the addiction). Embrace that preoccupation and channel that energy in a positive way and think about food differently. If you are going to think about it constantly anyway, be cognitive about where your food comes from; READ LABELS; what ARE those ingredients anyway; how does your body respond to different foods; what do you need to eat in order to thrive; how can you start to prepare your food in a healthier, tastier way? LEARN, QUESTION, DISCOVER...and then TEACH your children to do the same. Think of it as modern day foraging.

Don’t stop thinking about food...it goes against your nature and it is an impossible task...but rather adjust your focus. It is called "mindful eating". (Sounds nicer than obsession, doesn't it?) 

I appreciate that life is busy; maybe you don’t have time for all that...but you don’t have time for illness either. If you are already suffering from ailments, it is an even better reason to be mindful. 

We must eat; nutrition is essential to life.

...you get to decide the quality of that life. 

Live Well,

Jen

At Anchor Wellness we focus on the individual as a “whole” person; body, mind and spirit. We understand that it takes a combination of healthy eating, activity, and a focus on positive self talk and refocusing our minds on a vision of healing from head to toe, inside and out; in order to be as healthy and vital as we are meant to be. Activity and healthy eating is not reserved for “dieters” or “health nuts”...it is for everyone! Adopting a lifestyle of clean eating and daily activity will offer you confidence, courage, and true contentment; and your body will flourish. 
This is how you are meant to be!
 What does it take to move things in the right direction? Action. It is one thing to plan and desire and hope that things improve...but without action, this can easily turn into chronic apathy and a whole lot of negative self talk. So we offer you this challenge:

30/30/30

• 30 Days
• 30 Minutes of Daily Activity (minimum)
• 30 Healthy Meals 
  

From February 18th to March 19th we invite you to join us in this challenge to improve your life one day at a time. So how does it work? The challenge is for 30 days...don’t let this intimidate you...think of it as a fun challenge that any one can participate in! You can include your whole family (imagine how much fun you can have as a family if you let everyone pick an activity or plan a meal?)...or you can just focus on challenging yourself. 

30 minutes of daily activity...and it can be anything that makes you move! Go for a walk, cross-country skiing, shoot some hoops, or have a snowball fight! Don’t be afraid of exercise...make it playful and fun. Find walking dull...so take a camera with you and take pics along the way! Haven’t skied in years...it is ok; dust them off, wax them up, and get out on the trail! Remind yourself how good it feels to breathe fresh air.

Don’t want to be outside? Ok! Get involved with some classes at your favorite gym or try DrumFit!  Head on over to the rec centre for a family swim! Look for something fun, playful and unique! It doesn’t matter how you choose to spend your 30 minutes, as long as you are moving! This challenge is not about hard core exercise (unless you WANT it to be)...it is about creating new healthy habits...and once you start moving everyday, you will see how good your body feels...and you may never want to stop! So pull out your calendar and start writing down your activity plan! Do not allow yourself to be bored...keep changing it up and the challenge will be easy!

30 Healthy Meals... It is simpler than it sounds! Assuming you eat 3 meals a day, there are 90 meals in 30 days...the challenge is to make 1/3 of those meals as healthy as can be! (Now if you want to bump that up to 40 or 50 healthy meals or more...that is totally your call!) The challenge is 30. Now this will take a little planning...but it can be fun! Pull those old cook books out from the back of the cupboard and...wait, this is 2013...we don’t need cook books! We have the internet! Literally thousands and thousands of healthy recipes on line and all you have to do is GOOGLE! Take an hour or two over the next few weeks and do a little research...plan those 30 meals...and make sure to include lots of raw, crunchy veggies! Print off or save those recipes to your hard drive; do an inventory of ingredients in the cupboards and fridge; write up a grocery list of items you are going to need, and then stock up! 

It is easy once you have a plan. Using your calendar, write down “what’s for dinner” on each day, print off the recipes and tuck them behind the calendar so they are handy! Preparation is KEY! If you are not prepared it is all too easy to be complacent. If you are serious about meeting this challenge, make sure you have a workable plan! If you are going to be out for dinner, then plan to make breakfast or lunch the healthy meal of the day. Get your family involved and let them plan a few meals too. If everyone is invested in the challenge, they will be much more committed to succeeding (and it will be more fun!)  
See file at the bottom of this blog-it is a menu planner to get you started!

So why do the challenge? What is in it for you? Making a few small changes to your daily routine will change your focus. It will allow you to develop habits that will promote more vitality. It will bring you closer to your loved ones and more importantly, closer to yourself. Too often there is a “disconnect” between the mind, body and spirit...we get so caught up in work and taking care of our responsibilities that we forget about our relationship to ourselves and how vital it is for our health. This leads to depression, negative self talk, and ultimately it could lead to illness. At the end of the day we are “spent” because we have invested our energy in everything and everyone else...it is time to start paying attention and investing in you, your healing and your happiness. 

If you “look for the time”, you will never find it...you have to MAKE the time...make it happen. Use the 30/30/30 challenge as a stepping stone to a healthier, happier you.

We are going to play along with you! Visit www.facebook.com/AnchorWellness and “like” our page! We will post our favorite healthy recipes throughout the challenge...and we invite you to do the same! Take pictures of your daily activities and share them! Encourage others and be encouraged. Inspire others...and be inspired. From February 18th until March 19th our Facebook page is going to be dedicated to the 30/30/30 challenge! Tell your family, friends and co-workers about the challenge! Be a part of it!

Let us know on our Facebook page, or comment below, that you are participating or send us a private message! We want to be able to encourage you (and congratulate you) personally!

We also invite fitness centers, instructors, or sports groups to get in on the challenge too! Encourage your clients to participate in the 30/30/30 challenge. Then, on our Anchor Wellness Facebook page, post your tips, tricks, and suggestions for daily activities! Maybe you can plan different activities geared towards the 30 minute challenge and invite people to come play!

Live Well!

Jen

P.S. After the challenge, we invite you to share your success stories with us...tell us what you learned, how you changed, what you experienced....and of course what your next goal will be! 

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Cool Yule...May the New Year bring you peace, joy, and abundance mixed with gratitude and good health. 

Live Well,

Jen

Welcome Readers, Clients and Friends!




The holidays are a wonderful time of year to celebrate life, love, family and friendships. We embrace the warmth, the sharing and the beauty of the season…but for some of us, actually most of us, it is also a time of additional stress. We worry about money, getting the shopping done, putting the decorations up, cleaning the house, planning a menu, baking the treats, wrapping the gifts…the list seems to go on and on…and this is in addition to earning a living and raising a family. Is it any wonder why our health and wellness goals get put on the back burner this time of year? Food is in abundance, time is short, parties go long…and those damn sugar plum fairies are dancing in our heads. 

For many of us, this time of year can be sensory overload. We get overwhelmed with the abundance of food and drink and it just seems easier to give in to all the temptation and just “start fresh in the new year”. That mantra seems to be as much a part of the culture of Christmas as Santa Claus. The holiday binge…the 10 pound “gift” you give yourself, along with all that negative self-talk, self-pity and of course the bow on top…guilt.

The truth is, most of us are not even aware of what all that excess sugar, fat and alcohol does to our body. Those ten pounds are just the icing on the proverbial cake…it is just the damage you get to see. It is our body speaking to us and sending a very clear message that it is NOT IMPRESSED with us. In order for our body to gain 10 pounds over the course of one month, we need to consume approximately 30 000 additional calories (that is over and above the nutrition our body  uses just to breathe, beat our hearts, walk to the fridge etc.) So what we are asking our bodies to do is to ensure that it still does all the important things…like keep us alive and maintain a strong immune system while it has to sift through the "garbage" we are feeding it just to find nutrients it can actually use.

Our digestive system and immune system take a huge spanking from us this time of year, thanks to our over indulgence. Our healthy digestive flora (the good bacteria our body needs to keep us healthy…) gets nearly swallowed up whole by the naughty bacteria that feeds and thrives on sugar and fat…and in turn, our livers have to work extra hard to keep our immune system functioning…Imagine what can slip through the cracks when our liver, that amazing life saving filter, is over worked and under paid? It can literally take MONTHS for our bodies to recover and that is assuming that we go back to a clean, healthy way of living.

So considering all of this…why don’t we take a moment to consider the alternative…a healthy holiday. Does Christmas have to be a total junkfest? Do we have to indulge so excessively? Will taking an hour out of our day to move our bodies and be physically active REALLY interfere with the celebrations? Please, go to your calendar right now and count the days over the holiday season that you know you will be celebrating, especially the days that you will have no control over the menu.  Now count the days that you will be at least 15 km away from your favourite gym. Probably not as many days as you thought, right? Now that you have your calendar handy, schedule in your work out times. Yes, go ahead and write it down. 

Planning ahead and being prepared is the first and most important step to ensuring that we meet our wellness goals, especially during unstructured times, like Christmas. You can also plan your menu for the next few weeks. Take a blank menu planner and start filling in those “free” dates with healthy recipes! Print those recipes and tuck them in behind your planner…and while you are at it, start to make a grocery list of the ingredients that you will need in order to cook those healthy meals.  Keep all of this handy! Take the guess work out of “What’s for Dinner?”  You'll be amazed at how easy it is to stay focused when you are well prepared!

I know you are busy, but your wellness goals are important; and there are no short cuts or easy way outs. Ignoring your goals means you stop moving forward; or worse, step backward. Taking just a little time each day for yourself and making choices that honour your goals will keep your spirits elevated, your confidence strong, and your body healthy. This is the best gift you could possibly receive this Christmas.

I challenge you to create a new culture around the Holidays. Make it about living well. There is enough temptation outside your home…there will be no shortage of tasty treats just about ANYWHERE. Make your home a cookie/chip- free zone. If you have guests coming for dinner, then make a “healthy” dessert that is sure to offer no leftovers.  Make sure you have a bowl of colourful fruit on your table and keep it replenishing it! Nothing is prettier as a centrepiece than a bowlful of healthy goodness!

I promise you that Christmas will still be special and you won’t have to stand in line in January trying to return those unwanted pounds, and you won’t need to wear those ugly sweaters  ~ Guilt and Shame.

My wish for you this season is a home filled with joy, laughter and love…especially self-love.
I want to thank you for all of your supportive words and kindness over the past year! Hard to believe it is December already! If you enjoy visiting my blog, please follow me on over to Facebook, and join the Anchor Wellness community! This is where we share inspirational messages as well as wellness tips and cool information on a regular basis! Join us!
Healthy Holidays!

Live Well,

Jen


P.S.  I have attached a free menu planner (below) to help you get started!

P.S.S. Visit the Eating Well website for healthy recipe ideas!

Thanksgiving kicks off the "holiday season". First comes TURKEY day, followed by Halloween...and then before we know it it is Christmas! You have three choices...hop on a plane and escape the madness for the next 3 month (which is probably not practical); fall into the pattern of chronic apathy and eat your way through the next three month...promising yourself to join a gym in January (not worth the negative self talk--trust me on this); OR my personal favorite, take things one day at a time and remember that you have the aptitude, capability, strength, courage, and knowledge to easily carry you through with the  kindness, grace and self care that you DESERVE. You can do this!

I have posted this before...but we all need gentle reminders sometimes. If all else fails...I am just an email away and am happy to remind you of how important your goals are and how amazing you are.

Happy Thanksgiving. I am grateful and thankful to all my readers, clients and friends! 

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Consider the calories in some of the common holiday foods eaten during this season.


Roasted Turkey - 6 oz mixed meat, untrimmed: 
350 calories 

1 cup stuffing: 
340 calories 

3/4 cup turkey gravy 
375 calories 

1 cup mashed potatoes: 
240 calories 

3/4 cup candied sweet potatoes: 
365 calories 

1 cup green bean casserole: 
180 calories 

1/2 cup cranberry sauce: 
210 calories 

1 roll with butter: 
120 calories 

2 glasses wine, punch or cider: 
200-250 calories

1 slice pumpkin pie with whipped cream: 
500 calories

1 slice pecan pie: 
500 calories 

1 serving (3.5 oz) peanut brittle: 
485 calories 

Lindt chocolate truffle ball: 
80-90 calories 

2 shots (3 fl oz) liqueur: 
300 calories 

2 small shortbread cookies (1.2 oz): 
120 calories 

2 small pieces fudge (1.2 oz): 
140 calories 


A meal including turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, a roll with butter, pumpkin pie and wine can easily add up to nearly 3,000 calories! That's not including any of the appetizers or after dinner sweets that are commonly served at this time of year.

Trimming the Calories of Holiday Foods... 

Reduce the portion of all the holiday foods that you eat – try to have a small taste of everything rather than filling up on all foods. This will reduce the amount of calories you eat and it will prevent you from feeling uncomfortable around the waistline at the end of the meal, too! 

Limit yourself to one helping. Planning what you will eat before you sit down to a meal can help you resist the temptation to have a second helping. 

Trim the skin and excess fat from your serving of turkey. 

Try to avoid the foods that you don't really care for – this way you can avoid consuming these calories and reduce your total intake. For example, if you don't really like to have cranberry sauce with your turkey, don't even put it on your plate. 

Avoid going to a holiday party hungry - this will help prevent you from making poor choices at the hors d'oeuvres or dinner table. 

Know your triggers. If you know that you cannot have just one piece of Lindt chocolate, avoid eating them as much as you can. If you decide to have one, make a deal with yourself that you will have one at a particular time of day (end of the day may be best for you if it is at the office, because then you are out of the office shortly afterward). Once you decide that you will have a candy, make it a deliberate event where your complete attention is on eating. This will allow you to savor the chocolate and prevent you from eating food while being distracted (while you work or watch TV), which often leads to eating more than you want or need. 

(In other words...eat with PURPOSE! Take the time to savour and enjoy. You will feel more satisfied and ultimately, you will need and want less!)


Above all else, always visualize yourself at your ultimate goal, plan ahead, and do not lose sight of what is most important; your well-being. This is a wonderful time to celebrate family and gratitude! Be grateful for your HEALTH and WELLNESS! 

Yes, my knee jerk reaction is to point out all the “flaws”…those wrinkles around the eyes, the roundness of my face, the waddle neck, the upper arms that have no real definition, the soft belly, and oh god look at those legs…but I stop myself and smile instead…

How many beautiful sunsets have those eyes witnessed, and how much laughter there has been, to form those gentle lines around them? How many loving embraces have my arms shared in, or offered comfort to others? Those arms carried my children until they could learn to walk on their own.  And that face and neck …ghosts of kisses past still lingering there. My belly once so round and full, as it grew and nurtured three beautiful, amazing human beings. Those curvy legs have supported me through 44 years of adventures…carried me up and down mountains, have walked thousands of miles...
and danced at my wedding.

This body has always loved me…without judgment or scorn, and I can’t say I have always done the same. It has taken me over 40 years to finally appreciate the care my body has shown me every single day since I took my first breath; the work that goes on behind the scenes; and how it has made the very best with what I have given it. This has not always been an equal partnership.  In the past I have been very selfish, often judgmental, nutritionally and physically abusive and quite critical…and yet my patient body still loves me…and beats my heart…

I have come a long way in my personal growth in the past few years and I finally get it. 
I am GRATEFUL. 
So yes, as hard as it is to break the habit, I DO stop myself from pointing out those “flaws”, and I take a moment to appreciate how far I have come, how privileged I truly am, and the miracles that await me.



Live Well,

Jen

Are you seeing enough beauty around you? Are you providing your eyes with visions of loviness, art, literature, flowers, trees, sunshine?

Are you hearing the sounds that fill your ears with sweet echos of laughter, music, or nature?

Are you breathing in the fresh aromas of the world? Scents that fill your spirit with joy and pleasant memories?

Are your hands touching nature…or giving pleasure to another, through a warm hug or a sensual embrace? Is your skin being touched by warm spring breezes?

Are you getting enough sensual nourishment? 
Or are you feeding these needs with food?

Taste is not our only sense.

Maybe your hunger is not about food.

Feed your soul.

So often we make empty promises to ourselves or we have good intentions that typically do not pan out. What happens as a result? Each time we do this we lose credibility to ourselves. This  almost always leads to negative self talk and "beating ourselves up". How does this help us accomplish any of our goals? It doesn't. It makes us question our own abilities and slows down our process. One of the first things I tell my clients is  "Never make promises to yourself that you have no intention of keeping".

I think all to often we allow our limiting beliefs to hold us back or slow us down. We second guess ourselves and ultimately talk ourselves out of reaching our goals because we are convinced that we aren't good enough or we don't have what it takes to succeed. 

But what if we do have "IT" ?!

Want to find out? 

For one week do your VERY best at everything! Not ok, or pretty good...BUT YOUR VERY BEST. Challenge yourself; raise your bar as high as it can go and DO IT! Keep a running dialogue with yourself...ask yourself "Is this my best in this very moment?" If the answer is no, or I don't know, the next question is "What is my best then, right this second, on this task?" The answer is in you...if you just quiet down the negative self talk...and listen to your cheerleader, you will hear it.

Then go on and do it.

Every moment that you do your best your energy level will raise; and so will your confidence. You may end up surprising yourself at just how amazing and powerful you really are...but more importantly you will connect your mind, body and spirit. That is where you are meant to live...in that joy.

So whatever your goals are, whether it is to move your body more; or to eat clean, healthy food; or even to be more loving and kinder to yourself...challenge yourself to do your very very best. 

GO ALL IN!

BALLS TO THE WALL! (Ok, maybe that is too much enthusiasm...but you get the point).

Prepare ahead of time by making lists of what you want to accomplish; make sure that there is only the BEST food choices in the house; set up times to get active!

It is ONE week...the DO YOUR BEST WEEK! 


Live Well,

Jen

P.S. What is your week? I want to hear all about it!  

Share the challenge with your friends and family! The more the merrier!