by Caroline | Sep 9, 2015 | Self Care
Last Sunday I sat down to watch Dr. Wayne Dyer on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday. I began to take notes and draft a blog post about his teachings, which have greatly influenced my life, as well as millions of others. His beliefs aren’t focused on religion, but on love, kindness, and conciousness. I thought to myself how much I would love to see him speak in person, meet him and thank him for everything he has given to the world. I’ve always felt immense gratitude and inspiration when watching or reading Wayne’s teachings.
About 15 minutes after I finished watching the episode I saw that he had passed away. Thinking I must have misunderstood it, I re-read it several times, not believing what I was seeing. That can’t be possible, I thought. He has so much left to teach. Just 15 minutes ago I was thinking how youthful his energy was. This didn’t make any sense.
Then, in remembering some of the things he has said about death, I thought about how much faith he had in the transformation that occurs at the end of a life. He didn’t fear death. He didn’t even believe in death. I can only believe that Wayne is enjoying his transformation on the other side, and can now serve us in a far greater, more profound way.
In honor of him, I wanted to share with all of you some of the most meaningful messages from Dr. Wayne Dyer.
1. You are God.
This concept may seem beyond many people’s understanding or belief system. But when explained so simply it may just make perfect sense to you. If God is a word that doesn’t resonate with you then Universe, Source, or Divine Conciousness are all perfect substitutes. If God is the ocean and we are all a cup of that ocean, we may seem separate from it, but it’s still of that source and still contains God within it. We are a whole cup of God. Even when we don’t feel a connection to our divine source, we are always connected. All of us are individualized expressions of the oneness of God. You are God. Divinity can’t be found outside of you, because it’s who you are.
“So, you have to recognize that God isn’t something outside of you—a cosmic bellboy to whom you pray in order to get this or that if you do the right things.”
2. The illusion of death.
He described how we move through life, first as a baby, then a child, then a teenager, adult and so on. While we may never realize it’s happening, we are constantly transforming, yet we always remain ourselves through it all. There’s a constant thread that continues during all of those transformations. Who you are is that which keeps occupying these new bodies. The soul is the part that is infinite, unchanging and never ending. It doesn’t end when your body ends, just as you didn’t end when you went from a child to a teenager. He explained how death is a similar transformation, in that we retain our soul, that which makes us essentially who we are. Death really is just an illision, we move on to the next form but we stay the same, like walking from one room to another.
“Transformation literally means going beyond your form.”
3. Manifestation of wishes.
This is a topic that is hard to grasp for many, myself included. It’s not as easy as wishing for a brand new car, and expecting it to appear. Dr. Dyer said that “You do not attract what you want. You attract what you are. “ You have to call things that do not exist as if they did. Think of the stories you constantly tell yourself: “I’m sick. I’m poor. I’m unlovable. I don’t have enough of XYZ.” You don’t want to put into your imagination what you don’t want in your life. Instead, place into your imagination what you want to experience, as if it is what you already are. “I am health, I am happiness, I am love.” If your doctor tells you you’re sick you’ll likely connect with sickness and disease as somthing you “are.” When you’re aligned with fear based energies (including hate, doubt, judgement, lack, resentment, and worry) instead of love based energies (which include oneness, acceptance, joy, freedom, peace and happiness) you will keep attracting more fear based stuff into your life. More illness, lack, anger, hostility, and shortages. Go through your life as if your wishes are already fulfiled and on their way. You can choose your thoughts, and your thoughts become your reality.
“What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds.”
4. Forgiveness
If you’re interested in living a happy, and peaceful life, it’s imperative to let go of resentments. Resentments survive in your mind because you are unwilling to move beyond something someone else did in the past. You don’t need to forgive someone else to give them peace. But you must forgive someone else to give yourself peace. Holding anger for someone else is like taking the poison yourself. You don’t give someone a gift when you forgive them. You give that gift of forgiveness for yourself becuase you want to live a joyful life.
“You practice forgiveness for two reasons. To let others know that you no longer wish to be in a state of hostility with them, and to free yourself from the self-defeating energy of resentment.”
5. Outlook
What are you seeing in your world? How do you perceive your experiences? How you see your life matters more than what you see in your life. Once you begin to change that inner projector screen, your experience of your experiences change. The outside world doesn’t necessarily have to change, but your experience of the outside world changes. And sometimes the external situation does change too because it’s just a reflection of your inner condition. Are you willing to start to tell a new story, to see situations differently? You are the creator of your life and your perceptions of that life.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
These lessons only scratch the surface. I encourage you to pick up one of his books. It might just change your life.
xo,
by Caroline | Aug 21, 2015 | Lifestyle
We all like to mindlessly browse the internet once in a while, right?
Any by once in a while I might mean hourly.
There was a time when I’d read through Perezhilton, HollywoodLife and People.com on a daily basis. I didn’t even particularly like it, but it was just ingrained into my routine. It’s a habit that wasn’t serving me, and I figured if I’m going to do something so habitual it might as well be enhancing my consciousness in some way.
Swapping out one bad habit with a good one is easy when you already have one habit in place because you don’t have to develop a whole new habit!
Now, one of my favorite ways to wisely spend time on the internet is by reading through some of my top inspiration and motivation websites. I want to share them with you in hopes that maybe you’ll find some inspiring and high quality content that will improve some aspect of your life.
*I get nothing for naming these sites here. These are all sites that I personally have bookmarked in my browser and read because I truly value them and want to share them with all of you.
Lewis Howes: I have been listening to Lewis Howes’ podcast “School of Greatness” for a while now, and can say that he is definitely one of my top favorite podcasters out there (I sense another blog post coming on soon). After becoming injured while playing professional football, he had to reimagine what the future held. Striving for greatness and constant hustle helped him create a multimillion dollar online media company in just a few short years. Now Lewis Howes is an online entrepreneur, author, speaker and champion of greatness. His blog and podcast discuss topics relating to finding success in life, being inspired, and reaching your greatest potential. Super inspiring and an all around relatable guy. His content is definitely worth reading or listening to on a regular basis.
Marie Forleo: All hail the queen! Well that’s how I feel anyway. Marie is the Queen of motivation, productivity and success in business and life. Her light hearted, yet high quality content takes you to the heights of your potential that you may not have known were there. I especially love Marie TV, where she creates videos of interviews with industry experts, or tips from the queen herself on how to take on every opportunity and make the most of your life and business. Just reading her bio you will know that this is the woman you want to learn from.
Zen Habits: The name really says it all. A simple, no-nonsense, clutter-free site with thought provoking articles on living with simplicity as well as motivation, inspiration, happiness, achieving goals, and being in the moment. A totally unique and refreshing website and a must read. Bookmark it now! You will be happy you did.
Pick The Brain: If you need a buzzfeed fix but want something with a little more substance, I highly recommend checking out the Pick The Brain blog. They provide quick, easy to digest articles with actionable steps to take right now to improve your health, productivity, motivation and personal development. It’s a great time waster if you feel like getting sucked into the internet for a while, especially if you don’t want to feel too guilty after spending an hour browsing through articles (because, let’s face it, we all do it).
I Want her Job: This website focuses on the two major aspects of every woman; her career and her life. Constantly striving for that delicate balance to have it all, I Want Her Job highlights pioneers, experts and visionaries in their fields, and provides inspiration and information for other women looking to succeed in their careers and personal lives. Yet another website in which you could easily lose track of time, in a good way!
She Takes On The World: Living on purpose with a clear mindset to help you build your empire and kick ass in your business. That’s basically the mission of She Takes On The World, founded by entrepreneur extraordinaire Natalie MacNeil. Full of terrific videos and content on how to succeed in whatever you are driven to do. Finding your purpose and putting heart and soul into making it happen. This is for all the women entrepreneurs out there who are sick of businessey sites and need some inspiration to kick it up a notch.
Danielle LaPorte: Danielle LaPorte, author of the best selling book The Desire Map, is a soulful entrepreneur passionate about helping other women find their divine purpose and create a life and career out of it. But unlike most entrepreneurs, Danielle is more focused on the holistic appropach to business, that is cultivating more conciousness and purpose in your work, finding what drives your heart and soul, and putting it into action. Many have said her book is a life-changer. I’ll let you know when I finish it!
Soul Pancake: An online community for people interested in digging into life’s big questions, exploring creativity and sharing deep thoughts and new ideas. It’s for all the people who say “There’s gotta be more to life than this.” It’s so easy to get lost in the content of this site, and it’s really like nothing else out there right now. I found out about Soul Pancake many years ago, before I was a blogger, before I was passionate about exploring the deeper meaning in life, and I am so happy to share it with all of you. Plus it’s created by Rainn Wilson, aka Dwight from The Office, so that’s kinda cool too.
xo,
by Caroline | Aug 9, 2015 | Yoga
I’m really excited to share this wonderful opportunity to deepen your yoga practice, improve your nutrition and focus on bringing out your happiest self!
Here’s the exciting part. Are you ready?
I want to personally invite you to travel to the island of Antigua for a 7 night exclusive escape full of yoga bliss, sweet sunshine and island exploration.
Sounds amazing, right? Lead by three talented yoga and nutrition leaders here in the Hamptons, this retreat will bring you back to your highest, happiest and healthiest self, to start off the new year right.
The retreat includes:
- A deluxe villa at Loblolly Hill in the historic National Park of English Harborwith. The villa is an oasis and enjoys privacy while still in walking distance to Pigeon Beach and Falmouth Marina, where there are restaurants, bars, shops, banking, and a small supermarket.
- 2 pools set in a mature tropical garden.
- 2 Yoga Classes Daily approximately 1 hour 15 minutes each
- Yoga Workshops: Customized to meet student needs
- Private Yoga Classes with Hands on Assists and Massage
- Morning Breakfast Prepared by Private Chef Adina & Nutritionist Kiley
- Lunch & Dinner Guided Outings at Local Hot Spots
- Wolffer Estate Vineyard Wine Tasting Class
- Professional Digital Photography Service
- Village Rooftop and Sunset Yoga Classes
- Journal Gifts for Intention Journaling
- Antiguan Women will teach a traditional beading class (earrings and necklaces)
- Antiguan Women will teach a traditional plant weaving workshop (bowls)
- Nutrition Workshops and Private Consultations
- Guided Scenic Hikes to Breathtaking Views
- Mermaid Pools Exploration
- Relaxation time at Pigeon Beach
- Swimming & Snorkeling Time
- Pigeon Beach Runs & Walks
- Optional Zip Lining Tour
- Optional Paddle Boarding
- Wifi Connection
- Maid Service
Your AMAZING leaders are wellness and yoga influencers in the Hamptons, who share a passion for happy and healthy living. 
Erica Velasquez (right) is a native to the East End being born in Southampton and raised in Amagansett. She is the founder of ‘Yoga in the Vines’ at Wolffer Estate Vineyard where she has worked for the past 5 years in events. When not at the winery, she spends her time teaching, practicing, and studying yoga or managing ‘Evolve East’ of Amagansett. Based on her experiences in Antigua and relationship with Boat Hampton of Antigua & Long Island – she guarantees the most luxurious escape full of tranquility and adventure. She is determined to offer the most personalized service, provide exclusive yoga teachings, immerse guests into new culture and create joyful memories that will last a lifetime.
Kiley DeMarco (left) MSW, NLC, is on a mission to spread health and happiness throughout the Hamptons and beyond. She is the founder of One Healthy Hamptons– all things health in the Hamptons, co-founder of Hamptons Wellness Week, and Fitfluential ambassador. Kiley is Certified in Nutrition through The Nutrition School and has a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. She resides in Sag Harbor with her husband and puppy, Sammy.
Jenna Raynell (center) is a yoga teacher, coach, and musician. Jenna has a colorful background including many, many years of dance, theatre, music, and teaching. All of these bring a unique creativity & soul to her classes. Music is non-traditional, spontaneous laughter is inevitable and students flow from pose to pose as if in a dance. Jenna’s goal as a teacher and coach is to help you forth all that is within in you— your own blend of talents and passions— because she believes that is your purpose. She is the founder of East End Mermaid ™ Yoga, a company that provides yoga & live music oceanside in the Hamptons. For more information and for free yoga videos online, visit www.jennaraynell.com.
There’s a very limited number of spots available, as this is an exclusive and very peronalized retreat. You get the best of individualized attention when it is a smaller group like this, so if this sounds like it’s for you I recommend booking as soon as possible so you don’t miss out.
You can do this right now by emailing antiguaadventure@gmail.com or by calling 631 767 7304.
Visit the official website for more information at www.evolveeast.com.
by Caroline | Jul 27, 2015 | Self Care
I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of self-care, and treating ourselves more like how we treat our friends and loved ones.
It all started with a video going around the internet, where women wrote scripts of the negative things they say to themselves, then watched as others acted it out in a real life setting. It was very powerful, watching a woman tell her friend that she looked way too fat in those pants and she has to go to the gym more or else nobody would love her.
The things we say to ourselves would never fly if they were said out loud to others, let alone someone we love.
I like to think of it this way: a mother is entrusted with the life of her child, and because she loves that child so much she’ll do anything and everything in her power to make sure that child is given the best of everything. Healthy food, a loving home, encouraging words, self confidence, time to be creative and play. She takes care of that child’s body when they are sick and always reasure them that everything will be all right.
Similarly, at the beginning of our lives we’re entrusted with our own body, heart, and mind to look after. Yet we don’t always take care of ourselves. We may not always think twice about consuming alcohol, sugar and processed foods and we’ll occasionally have negative self talk in our heads. If you were taking care of your child or friend or parent you wouldn’t neglect these aspects of their lives, so why do we do it to ourselves?
The energy we perpetuate by neglecting our own self care routines is inhibiting our ability to blossom into the amazing individuals that we’re all intended to be.
Experiment with this: Try to notice when you are saying negative things to yourself, and when you do ask yourself if you would say this to your best friend. If not, try to change your words around to be more loving and encouraging.
When you want that fifth girl scout cookie (because come on, who can have less than that?) instead of saying “you shouldn’t eat that because you will feel fat and guilt ridden” maybe try to say “love, you are so precious and perfect, you don’t need such poison to make you feel happy or satisfied. I love you too much to see you sabotage your health in this mindless way. Maybe enjoy one if it feels right for you, and know it’s ok to stop after that.”
A great way to bring more self-care into your life is through daily routines.
They don’t have to take any time out of your day, but they can be woven into other activities, or made a priority over watching the latest episode of The Real Housewives. As long as you make it a priority to address the needs of your mind, body and spirit you will be loving how good you are to yourself.
Mind
- Pratctice one minute a day of gratitute. Think of all the things that you’re grateful for right now. Even include the small things. Write them down if you have the time. Even better, start a gratitude journal.
- Practice one minute a day of self love. Think of 5 things you love about yourself. If you can’t think of any, try to think of what your mom or best friend would say about you. Write them down. Or ask your best friend or significant other to send you a list of things they love about you and go from there.
- Journaling. When you sit down and write whatever is on your mind and just keep the pen moving and you get some real insight into the inner workings of your brain and emotions. Not only does getting your thoughts onto paper help clear out all the noise in your head, you may start to see certain situations from a new perspective, and you can learn about what thoughts are occupying too much room in your head.
Body
- Get outside and move. If you live in a place that allows for it go for a walk or bike ride every day, or at least get outside when you can. The healing benefits of being in nature are real!
- Essential Oils. It is important to know that if you’re going to use essential oils on your body it’s always best to use theraputic grade (not the kind you find in the health food store which should be used aromatically only). I use theraputic grade essential oils not only for my physical health but for my mental wellbeing too, and they work!
- Exercise. Not only does it release endorphines and increase your energy and physical health, it provides mental clarity and an increase in personal confidence and self worth. Yoga is my absolute favorite, go-to feel better immediately routine. It cures everything from sadness, anger, frustration, low energy, pain, and just a general feeling of blaaah.
Spirit
- Guided meditations for relaxation, clarity, enhanced confidence/motivation and increased spiritual connection are great and you can find many free meditations on Youtube.
- Find or create a mantra. Look around the internet to find one that resonates with you, or sit quietly in meditation and see what comes up. Some to get you started are: This too shall pass. Breathe in love, breathe out fear. I feel calm and serene. I love myself. I am having a great day.
- Read. I feed my spirit everyday by reading uplifting, thought provoking books on spirituality. Find a book or an author that speaks to your soul and read that before going to bed or first thing in the morning. My favorite authors are Gabby Bernstein, Depak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, and Caroline Myss.
xo,
by Caroline | Jul 8, 2015 | Recipes
I am SOOOO excited to have as a guest blogger, Kiley from onehealthyhamptons.com. She and I are both wellness warriors in the Hamptons, and it’s been such an honor to team up with her. We have a very similar take on the Whole 30 movement/diet and I wanted to share her list of things she learned while on Whole 30, because I feel the exact same way.
Kiley DeMarco, MSW, NLC, is the founder of One Healthy Hamptons website, community, and e-magazine for all things healthy in the Hamptons, and co-founder of Hamptons Wellness Week. Kiley is Nutritious Life Certified in Nutrition and has a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. She lives in Sag Harbor with her husband and their Swiss Mountain Dog, Sammy.
I recently completed my first (and probably my last!) Whole30. 30 days of whole foods and not a speck of grains, dairy, soy, legumes, corn, baked goods, or added sugar of any kind. I know, I know, “what the heck did you eat?!” Lots and lots of plants, lean protein, nuts and seeds, that’s what! Oh, and not a drop of alcohol. Sounds fun, right?! If you’re wondering why I would do such a thing, (I don’t blame you!) The book It Starts With Food, by the founders of the Whole30 program, inspired me to dig deeper into my own diet and lifestyle, eliminating the foods/food groups above in order to re-evaluate how my body reacts to them after the 30 days. For more specifics about the Whole30 program, click here!
Although it was tough to adjust and even tougher to refrain from just one little teeny tiny drink, (hello, it is rosé season!) I learned a ton over the past 30 days. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly:
1. Sugar is errrrywhere and we’re all pretty seriously addicted to it. You’ve probably heard this in some capacity, but what does that mean?
2. Consuming sugar, artificial sweeteners, and natural alternatives like honey, maple syrup, and even stevia, on a regular basis not only “feed the sugar dragon,” but also throw off our taste buds, cravings, and ability to reach satiety normally.
3. Personally, I do not enjoy black coffee; however, I discovered over these thirty days that I do enjoy unsweetened coffee. Over the past ten years or so, I’ve transitioned from a serious overload of artificial sweetener to cutting back, replacing it with more natural stevia, cutting back on stevia, and now I finally was able to rid my coffee of any sweetener. Whole30 forced me to learn to enjoy my coffee simply with Homemade CocoNut Milk and this is definitely a habit I’m happy to keep. Now I truly savor my coffee, no longer crave it sweet, and rarely do I need a second cup. Remember that baby steps are the way to change a habit for the better. Try cutting the sweetener in your coffee in half to start, if you’re soda drinker, replace one soda a day with seltzer, or satisfy your sweet tooth by having a piece of fruit for dessert. It really does get easier and easier, trust me on this!
4. That’s not to say that occasionally indulging in sweets you truly love is not absolutely necessary to living a balanced life. My love affair with dark chocolate has rekindled and our flame is going strong…although I do not neeeeeeeed it daily like I used to!
5. While many people argue that they don’t have time to eat healthy, healthy meals made from real, whole foods can be very convenient. The Whole30 program made me simplify my meals, at first, simply because of less options to choose from, but now, out of habit. Going forward, I’ll continue with this practice as I’ve noticed that less-complicated meals are easier to digest.
6. I re-discovered some great staples I had been overlooking, like good old scrambled eggs. Nothing fancy necessary. Why? Because…
7. REAL FOOD TASTES GOOD! Seasoning your meals with herbs and spices, tasting the sweetness of a piece of fruit, and savoring the true flavors of food is what it’s all about. Again, baby steps. Your palette will adjust and your body will learn to not only like real foods, but crave them. Trust me, trust me, trust me.
8. Fat does not make you fat. How do I know? Well, I did not gain (or lose) any weight on Whole30, even though I was eating a lot more (healthy) fat on a daily basis – more nuts, oil, avocado, etc.
9. More fat is not better. Some is best.
10. Whole30 or not, portions size is crucial to healthy eating, even when eating all healthy foods.
11. Avocado has my <3 on a daily basis.
12. This may turn your world upside down: peanuts are not actually nuts. A peanut is a legume, like beans, which means that your body may react differently to peanuts or peanut butter than it does nuts and other nut butters. Just some food for thought. And, yes, I did cut out peanut butter for 30 days (if you know me at all, you know that peanut butter is my favorite food in the whole wide world.) Instead, I ate homemade almond and cashew butters as well as sunflower seed butter, that just may top peanut butter on my list of favorite foods. I’m happy to say that peanut butter does now make a regular appearance in my diet; however, it is not the only thing I think about morning, noon, and night, which is probably a good thing because there are other things in life, right?
13. Rules takes the guess work out. I’m not a big fan of long-term labels, strict diets, or restriction, but committing to a short-term plan can be motivating enough that there’s no need for willpower.
14. It’s really, REALLY scary what is in 95% of our “food” these days. For example, even something like store-bought “all natural” almond milk, which a lot of people think of as a healthy upgrade, has far more ingredients than just almonds. What the heck are locust bean gum or carrageenan and why are they in my almond milk?! I decided to break up with store-bought milk for the time being and stick to my new love, Homemade CocoNut Milk. Same with the aforementioned nut butters. Just make your own or buy the ones made with just nuts. There really is no need for ‘palm fruit oil’ in your jar of nut butter. Just like there’s no need for added sugar in your tomato sauce, soy isolate in your snacks, or high fructose corn syrup in…ANYTHING. That’s a no-no no matter what.
15. Which brings me to my next point that I just can’t say enough: READ YOUR LABELS.
16. And do what’s right for you. As I said…
17. Eating healthy doesn’t mean eating only the latest superfoods or trying the latest diet trend. It means knowing what foods make you feel healthy and good.
18. If a food/food group makes you feel energized and healthy, you should probably eat it.
19. If a food/food group makes you feel crappy, tired, or sick, you probably shouldn’t eat it.
20. Whole foods are super versatile, see below:
21. Another little fun fact I learned over the past 30 days is that any woman in her 20′s or 30′s that declares that she’s not drinking will, without a doubt, be labeled as pregnant, whether it’s by your waiter or your best friends.
22. Drinking seltzer water or kombucha out of a wine glass is not the same as drinking wine, but that’s alright.
23. Waking up on a Sunday morning without any hint of a hangover or headache is worth all of the above – sacrificing the wine and being labeled pregnant.
24. Smoothies are delicious and nutritious. Smoothies aren’t on Whole30 due to a lack of chewing, the act that kick-starts digestion and satiation. So, what’s a smoothie lover to do? Chew your smoothie! Seriously, do it. I missed my smoothies, green smoothies, and smoothie bowls and am happy to introduce them back into my routine, especially heading into the summer season!
25. It is possible to have too much meat, even lean, organic, grass-fed meat. I got sick of chicken after the first week on Whole30. Happy to say that I’ve since reintroduced tempeh and veggie burgers for some delicious meatless protein. Although I know that for me, everything in moderation works when it comes to protein, I totally respect the vegetarians, vegans, and paleos of the world too. Did I mention to do what’s right for you?! I think I did.
26. The benefit of minty fresh breath after a garlicky meal just may outweigh the drawbacks of chewing gum. Again, something I cut wayyyy back but am not willing to give up completely. Yet.
27. The dreams are real folks. The Whole30 book warns that people on Whole30 may experience weird dreams about eating off-plan foods (which means that you start over at day one.) I’m pretty sure that I had some sort of cheating-on-Whole30-food dream every single night for a month straight. Some worse than others: on the eve of day 30, I dreamed that I weighed myself and the scale read 498 pounds. Thankfully, I woke up.
28. There is something so refreshing about breaking up with the scale. You’re not allowed to weigh yourself during the Whole30 program at all. I’m not a big fan of weighing myself daily, or even weekly, because the number doesn’t often correspond with actual progress. “Non-scale victories” are often much better than a number – looser pants, higher energy, clearer skin, toned muscles, etc. Regarding the scale, if the number makes you feel stuck, negative, guilty, or ashamed, stop weighing yourself and rely on how you feel, inside and out, and how you fit into your clothes. If the scale makes you feel confident and accountable, go for it.
29. Being a proud member of the clean plate club is just plain overrated. Having a healthy diet means eating until your body is satisfied, whether it be fish and veggies or a rich, decadent brownie. It’s not about finishing every last bite, it’s about enjoying one bite at a time, regardless of what you’re eating, and putting the fork down when you’ve had enough (enough means you’re satiated, not loosening your belt in a food coma.) This is easier said than done, I know, so it’s worth the mental effort to work on improving this habit, one meal at a time.
30. Healthy eating is not a mindless activity. It takes awareness, consciousness, presence, and purpose. Some examples include being mindful of how certain foods/food groups make your body feel, inquiring about food preparation when eating out, not digging into the bread basket or snacking simply because the food is right in front of you, and savoring occasional indulgences sans guilt.
So what’s the conclusion here?
Honestly, I think that Whole30 has a TON of positive aspects (primarily eating whole foods) and a few negatives (too extreme, too much meat, and not enough smoothies.) Though I’m not the biggest proponent of this exact plan, I’m really happy that I experienced it because I did learn a lot and got rid of some poor habits. What made me stick with it after finding these faults? The sheer fact that I had made a commitment to myself.
Whole30 has lots of great aspects to it and I know that it has changed lots of lives for the better. If this seems like a plan that may be right for you, I encourage you to commit fully as well. Although 30 days may not be realistic, I would suggest an elimination diet for anyone looking to getting to know your body better, especially if you believe you may have an unidentified food sensitivity. Give your body a break from a certain food or food group for about two weeks and then reintroduce it to evaluate your body’s response. That way, as long as other food choices remain consistent, you should be able to tell 24-48 hours after consuming that food/food group if your body is sensitive to it. How will you know? You’ll know. Either it will make you feel fine, good, the same, or it will make you feel not so good in some way. As mentioned above, if it makes you feel yucky, try to cut it out of your diet as much as possible. Lastly, I repeat: read your labels and just eat real food!
One Healthy Breakdown: lessons learned, tools in toolkit, carry on.
