I think I will spend all of my life as a mother trying to figure out how to get it right... I'm not talking getting it right as a parent (wow, that's a other other 100 blog posts), or about the mommy-wars, I mean getting it right for ME.
When I was pregnant for the first almost 12, years ago I was well entrenched in my planning career. One of the books I read during my pregnancy was “I Don’t Know How She Does It” by Allison Pearson – you have probably heard of it, or seen the movie adaptation with Sarah Jessica Parker as the harried working Mom. Well, (spoiler alert but hey, it is a 2011 movie) they have different endings…
In the book the Executive and Mom quits her job to be home with her children and in the movie she keeps on going, juggling it all. I hated the ending of the book and I remember actually throwing it across the room when I finished it. Now I love books and never do that but I was that upset by the ending. And of course I was pregnant and hormonal…but seriously, I was upset that there wasn’t some magical ending that solved all the challenges of working motherhood. And I hadn’t even lived any of it yet!
Fast forward 12 years later and I have now lived many different versions of a mother who works – working full-time in an office, working part-time in an office, working on contracts through my own consulting business, working full-time as the primary parent (aka stay-at-home mom), starting a network marketing business, and now a consultant, coach and entrepreneur. It took me a long time to get it right, and let be real here, it’s still changing although more subtly now.
There is so much pressure and judgment around motherhood, working full time, part time, stay-at-home, opt-in, opt-out (of career or parenting, take your pick) it can drive you crazy!!
I realize now that through all of this, I was figuring out who I AM. I love this quote by the late Bill Gove, recognized as the father of professional speaking. Bill Gove mentored Bob Proctor (maybe you saw Bob in the hit movie The Secret), who is now my mentor.
“If I want to be free, I’ve gotta be me. Not the me that I think you think I should be. Not the me that I think my wife/husband thinks I should be. Not the me that I think my kids think I should be. If I want to be free, I’ve got be me. So I better know who me is.”
We can go through years of education, professional and personal achievements and still not really know who we are!
In the spirit of February love and romance, I hope you can take some time to spend time with YOURSELF, to love YOURSELF, and get to know YOU a little better. Turn off the external stimuli and pressures (and your phone!), turn off the voices in the center of your head telling you what to do and what to think (and spend some time listening for YOUR voice), make a cup of tea, sit there, and just BE.
You’ll be amazed at what can learn about yourself when you make the time to listen.
President of Hardess Planning Inc.
(Bob) Proctor Certified Consultant
HHW Branch Director - Toronto Central
www.happyhealthywomen.ca/branches
www.lisahardess.com
647-215-9436
In just a few short months we’ll be basking in the summer sunshine and before we know it, we’ll be sipping champagne & wishing each other Happy New Year all over again. We’ll be wondering where the last 365 days went and what shiny new opportunities the upcoming year will bring.
If you’re anything like me, a new year puts me into planning mode. BIG TIME. I know that without a plan, I’m setting myself up for stress and missed opportunities. So, I always start a new year with goals for where I’d like to take my career next.
Here are the 5 career planning questions I ask myself so that I can create my own version of a fulfilling career with purpose, focus, and intention.
1) What do I love most about my work today?
I think back to my last few work days and make a list of the tasks, meetings, activities that I’d do over and over again if I could. These are the things that give me life & take me into the zone. How can I do more of these?
2) If I had a magic wand, which parts of my work would I make disappear?
It’s also important to know what drains my energy too. Again, I go back through my last week or two and list the tasks that leave me feeling worn out. Can I do less of these?
3) What do I want my career to look like on December 31, 2018?
If I look back at the end of the year, what must have happened in my work life for me to feel it was a heck of a good year?
4) How will I feel when I bring this vision of my career to life?
Will I feel successful? Excited? Accomplished? Blessed? I capture all the feelings.
5) What’s one thing I can do in the next 24 hours to move myself forward?
Take action! One step leads to the next, and then to the next. I create quick forward momentum toward your goal right way.
Can you do this too? Pull out your journal. Put pen to paper and shake out your answers to these 5 questions. That’ll help you nail down where you are, where you want to go, and what you can shift to help you get there.
I’ve learned that one of the keys to career fulfillment is doing a regular self-check. Review your answers at least once/quarter to see if you’re on track and make shifts where needed.
Having a fulfilling career is definitely with reach. It happens through deliberate action and intention. Create your plan and have fun getting busy bringing it to life. Your career & life will thank you.
Cindy Harvey is a Career Strategy Coach and Founder of Amelia Dee, a career strategy company for women. Cindy’s helps corporate career women learn how to make the next phase of their careers the most fulfilling version they’ve ever had.
Cindy is happy to be a Happy Healthy Women Toronto West, ON Trailblazer.
Learn more & click here to join Cindy’s free Career Community on Facebook.
I was the kid who excelled at school, bringing home straight As, acting in school plays, excelling at sports. Until High School where I didn't get roles, didn't make school teams, did ok in maths and sciences and didn't really fit in. Then University and going to work in the corporate world. I bounced around looking for "my place", achieving a list of credentials, but never found that place.
From a young age, I've always known in my heart, gut and deepest soul that I was meant for something big in this world.
After 6 years home with my kids, I started my own business, still being able to be at every school performance, home for sicknesses and always being there for my kids. I was taught, like most people my age, to go to school, get a good education followed by a good job, excel through the ranks and retire. I never felt comfortable in this role.
When I started my business, I excelled, worked the numbers with a corporate mentality, worked hard and rose through the ranks, thanks to what I was taught. 7 months after promoting to the level of success considered, "making it", I was sick and unable to respond to a 2 line email. My business suffered. I failed. I was unwell for the next 12 months and continued to recover for another 6 months. More illness followed and general exhaustion for the next 4 years. Midway through all of this, I was in a state of depression. I woke up one day and realized, like I'd been hit by a lightning bolt, that I didn't want to and couldn't continue to live like that, depressed.
I wasn't living my true spirit, I was trying to "fit in" so my body shut down forcing me to slow down. That was the start of my personal growth journey. Coming to the realization I couldn't live in the fast paced world I was taught. My intensive personal growth journey started in 2014. I absorbed it everywhere, books, presentations, workshops, videos and in person meetings. The shifts were profound and life altering in 2015 and continue today.
Decades into my life, I realized I have been tied to the expectations of others. My success was dependent on societal definitions of success.
Through all of this, I discovered why I never fit in the square hole as a round peg, I AM meant for more. I am part of and have been affected, to my core, by the universal spiritual evolution that has been happening intensely for the last few years. The shift to spiritual, being led by incredible women.
I read this the other day in Mind Body Green's on-line newsletter about the lunar New Year, another "revelation" for me, explaining a lot:
"Unprecedented storms and devastating blazes also caused major destruction during the past two years (2016-17), which were ruled by the fire element. It's been intense, heart-wrenching, exciting, and basically...a lot. Starting Thursday, we may all begin to feel a bit more grounded as the Dog marches in and initiates two years that will be ruled by the earth element."
(You can read the article HERE)
I would extend "rule by the fire element" to 2015. I have been turned upside down and completely unsettled and ungrounded for the past 3 years. As soon as the date changed to January 1, 2018, I felt a settling, a calming, a feeling that all of the work and upset of the past 5 years is coming to a resolution. I have been working the past couple of months to calm, settle and release all of the things that have been holding me back for the past 6 years, all of the bits of that have led to this realization.
During this time, I have become much more spiritual, in a divine Universe sense. I regularly connect with my "higher power"; I call it Universe and often connect with my angels. I have also realized I am an intuit and empath which explains most of my life. I've always had intuition but resisted it for the most part, letting my logical brain dominate. My entire life, I have always been uncomfortable and stressed out by crowds, large or small. Being in that environment puts me completely on edge and stresses me out, as it does for most empaths. I have never been able to articulate it until recently, I am absorbing energy of the crowd which in itself is overwhelming, not knowing what that feeling is magnifies the effect profoundly.
I have never fit in. I was always the intuitive one, especially with people and resisted the different groups at school, university and in the workplace, always being the chameleon. Even today, I have a small core of good friends but a larger community of friends and acquaintances in different aspects of my life.
My life is finally making sense to me, why I behave certain ways in situations, resist other situations and why my professional life has played out the way it has. I am becoming comfortable in my energy filled, intuitive, new spiritual existence.
As I have been clearing my past, coming to realizations and settling into this new way of being, I have been floating. Especially the past few weeks, I have felt as if I am literally floating, unable to concentrate on anything, "squirrel" (from the movie Up) at almost everything and have conversations, I'm sure don't make sense to people, speaking at lightning speed then slow to a snails pace in the same thought. It is all part of the journey, my journey to the new me. The ME that will live her truth and through more spiritual growth, be the person I know in my heart I am meant to be.
The most amusing thing about all of this is, if I read the exact words I have just written, even 5 years ago, I would have said to myself "Alison Stuckey is a bit "koo koo"". Letting go of that is the best feeling ever, almost as good as realizing you're not crazy and that your life and everything you feel actually make sense.
Alison xo
Alison Stuckey founded Live Love and Joy 2 years ago when she realized the world needed more happy, positive mindset and energy. She conducts mindset and energy workshops including a lot of science, tying mindset to energy and how it works in conjunction with emotions. She also offers mindset and energy coaching.
Alison is the Branch Director in Happy Healthy Women's Uptown Toronto Branch.
I’ll admit – I’m often skeptical of those on the internet who claim to make six- or seven-figures overnight so you would sign up for their course. However, I do believe that they worked hard for many years and made many mistakes before achieving their six-figure goals.
If there’s anything I know it’s that consistency is your best bet for success.
Being consistent means dedicating yourself to something – whether it’s a short-term task or long-term goal.
We’ve all heard that it takes years to be an overnight success. I have discovered this to be true for the majority of scenarios.
“Little strokes fell great oaks” – Benjamin Franklin
You can achieve great things by doing a little bit and being consistant.
As marketers, we know that consistency is the key to achieving our marketing goals. The first thing they teach us in marketing class is that you can’t send an email or do a direct mailing just once and expect immediate results.
Consistency gives you time to learn
You’ve got to give yourself time to get better.
Time gives you a chance to look back and see how you can improve. In online advertising, we wait until we have at least 15 days – ideally 30 days – of data before we know which ads are working best. Yes – if it’s done right by professionals, it should take a while.
Consistency allows you to grow
It takes time to learn from your mistakes. It takes time to realize how to optimize your business or career. It takes time to hone your message or personal brand. It takes time to learn about yourself.
These are all aspects of growth and improvement. You can get better with time.
As business owners, you know that your team will grow in time.
As marketers, we know that a consistent social media strategy will be rewarded with likes, followers, and a recognizable brand – it’s that simple.
Consistency allows you to gain trust
It takes time to earn the trust of your colleagues or customers. People know you’re there and they can trust you’ll be there.
It allows you to build a relationship with your target audience the same way you build a relationship with a friend.
In marketing, we know that we need to be consistent to stay on top of mind with our potential customers. Email regularly, communicate regularly – just like we would if we were keeping up with a friendship. Remind people that you are still there.
Keep at it!
In your business, as in life, consistency yields rewards. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or grow your business, you need keep your eye on the prize. Stay focused. Keep working hard at it. I’ve seen time and time again how others have succeeded because they kept the course until they reach the very end.
But also remember: we’re each on our own path. Don’t compare yourself to others – they might be farther down the line than you are. They might have had some lucky breaks. Stay true to yourself and you will create a life and business that you love.
If you enjoyed this article, feel free to share your thoughts with me at cindy@tribalistco.com - I’d love to hear from you!
Cindy, our North York, ON Branch Director, is a multipreneur and marketing professional who helps small businesses with acquisition and retention through inbound marketing. She has spent the last five years living and working abroad because she wanted to understand the other side of the world. In her spare time, she enjoys learning new skills and reading. She also does a bit of yoga from time to time :)
As a personal trainer and nutrition coach for women, clients come to me seeking to make big changes in their lives. Some of the popular big changes include losing weight, gaining strength, having more energy or learning how to eat better.
I applaud each and every one of these women. It’s no small feat to DECIDE that you want to put in the work and make big positive changes.
To set the stage properly, on day 1, the first exercise I ask her to do is NOT a physical one. It’s an exercise for the mind. It’s a simple, yet powerful system to get to the core of why she wants to accomplish a goal (e.g. lose weight, eat better, live a healthier lifestyle…).
I’ll ask her to take some time and thoughtfully write down her 5 Why’s. Here’s an example:
Client: “My goal is to lose weight.”
Why do I want to lose weight?
So I can fit better in my clothes.
But why do I want to fit better in my clothes?
Because I’ll look better in smaller size clothes.
But why do I want to look better?
Because when I look better, I’ll feel better about myself.
But why do I want to feel better about myself?
Because when I feel better about myself, I’m more confident.
But why do I want to be more confident?
Because when I’m more confident, I can do whatever I want in life.
Woah! This client doesn’t simply want to “fit better in her clothes”. She wants to live her life to the max and “do whatever she wants in life”. This is a much bigger goal than fitting into a smaller size. It also completely changes the focus, behaviours and outcome for her.
Now, the plan to put forward is to ensure her nutrition, fitness, sleep quality, stress management and relationships supports her goal to “do whatever she wants in life” and not just to drop a few pounds. Complete shift in strategy right?
I’ve been lucky to work with smart, thoughtful women - all of whom have been surprised with the insights after doing their 5 Why's. These special ladies all underestimated how strong they were even BEFORE they engaged with me. And after understanding their 5 Why’s, made them even stronger and more determined to succeed.
You can use the 5 Why’s to gain deeper insights into anything you want to do or accomplish. It can be big or small. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to go out to that social tonight?”, “Why do I always say yes to everything?”, “Why do I want that cookie?”, “Why do I want that pair of shoes?”. Have fun with it!
Mimie Louie is a Certified Fitness and Nutrition Coach, founder of keepingitrealfit.com. She specializes in helping women who want to feel more empowered and free in their body. She helps women get lean and strong, and feel more confident. Her programs are designed to work with a busy woman’s schedule and lifestyle. She is a Trailblazer in our Etobicoke Branch. Feel free to reach out at mimie@keepingitrealfit.com
We do our best on a daily basis to eat healthy. We tell ourselves:
“I am going to eat more healthy!”
Sound familiar?
We try but life gets in the way – it becomes harder to make good food choices because our to-do list grows at a rate faster than the 24 hours in a day! We succumb to convenience food options that have been over-refined, over-processed & adulterated, stripping food of its nutrients & adding too many calories. How many times have you ever been too tired to cook dinner & then gone through the fast food drive thru? We’ve all been there!
Thankfully, to give your body the nourishment it needs, nature offers us a multi-vitamin that hasn’t been synthetically manufactured in a lab:
Moringa Oleifera.
Moringa has been referred to as the miracle tree & is accepted by the scientific community as the most nutrient dense botanical on earth with many healing & health properties!
Before I started taking moringa everyday, I always felt low on energy & not quite satisfied, especially when I was stressed! Now I take it daily and I am on FIYAH - I feel nourished & full of energy, ready to tackle the day.
Why is moringa so awesome?
It’s a popular new super food
It’s consumed by 40+ distinct & isolated cultures
It’s packed with 90+ vitamins, minerals, proteins antioxidants, omega oils & other benefits
It is one of the richest plant sources of vitamins A, B, C, D, E & K
It contains vital minerals like calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese & zinc
In fact, dried Moringa leaves contain:
10x vitamin A of carrots
17x calcium of milk
15x potassium of bananas
25x iron of spinach
9x protein of yogurt
And the benefits continue!
Taking Moringa as part of your daily regiment has 8 health benefits:
Increased energy
Greater mental clarity
Promotes natural anti-aging benefits
Anti-inflammatory support
Healthy circulation
Helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels
Nourishes the body’s immune system
Promotes healthy digestion
Are you convinced yet?!
But, not all moringa is the same – I consume Zija International’s moringa products daily!
Why is Zija’s moringa the best? Here’s why:
They have the moringa species that is the most nutritious (aka Moringa Oleifera)
It is properly sourced & manufactured optimally
It is shade dried which increases the nutrient value 40x
All parts of the plant are used
It’s provided in the most nutritious & bioavailable for
Consuming this plant on a daily basis makes me feel nourished & gives me the energy & focus I need get through my busy days!
To figure out which product is right for you, feel free to reach out to me at goyalnish@icloud.com.
Nisha is living life unlimited as an avid oiler (essential oils that is) & natural health educator with Zija International! She is an MBA & CMA with 18 years of corporate experience. After experiencing long periods of stress, adrenal fatigue & insomnia Nisha ultimately found herself in burnout. It was only when she was introduced to the healing benefits of Ameo essential oils & Moringa Oleifera, that she became a passionate advocate of the natural health revolution. Nisha is a long distance runner, yogi, hiker & enjoys living an active lifestyle. Her mission is to empower women to live their life unlimited & proactively manage their own health.
Hormone fluctuations may start in the early 40s and cause physical, psychological, and emotional changes. This time leading up to menopause is called perimenopause and it may last several years.The time after menopause is postmenopause. For some women menopause isn’t a natural event it is induced menopause caused by medical treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, or procedures that damage or remove the ovaries. Women who experience induced menopause often have more severe symptoms than women who have natural menopause.
Each woman experiences menopause differently and not all women are bothered by it, but the majority are affected to some extent.
Estrogen has many receptors, meaning it plays a role, in several tissues and organs in the human body, like the uterus, ovaries, bone, brain, breasts, vagina, and vulva, musculature of the pelvic floor, urethra, bladder, heart, and liver and when it fluctuates and declines during the menopause transition, it is responsible for many experiences.
Most people know that hot flashes and night sweats are common with menopause, but women may have experiences that they may not recognize as related to the hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause, like:
Irregular menstrual periods, heavier or lighter, shorter or longer, absent, spotting:
Urinary incontinence, such as peeing when coughing or laughing, urgency, having to go right way, frequent bladder infections (UTIs):
Vaginal dryness, itching, pain with sex, bleeding during intercourse;
Low sex drive;
Fatigue, lack of energy,
Headaches , joint pain;
Irritability, heart palpitations;
Sleep disturbance
Difficulty concentrating and memory problems;
Dry and itchy skin;
Weight gain, especially around the middle;
Mood swings, anxiety, and even depression
Many women are unprepared for menopause and suffer in silence believing they are the only one and there’s no relief. It doesn’t have to be that way. Women should have adequate information and understanding about menopause to empower them to make decisions regarding their care.
Menopause is not a disease but it affects women experiencing it—and their partners, children, family, friends, and colleagues.
The potential impact of this important life event should be taken more seriously and should be talked about openly.
Menopause shouldn’t be taboo.
Let’s talk about menopause!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Teresa is a Trailblazer in the Toronto West branch of Happy Healthy Women. She provides one-on-one consultations, in person and online, offering support and care, evidence-based, and accurate information, to enable women to make informed choices about the management of their menopause.
To learn more about Teresa Isabel and her work visit: https://menopaused.org/en/
Contact by email Teresa@menopaused.org
You’re the glue that holds everyone together.
You’re the Oprah of your circle of friends.
Everyone comes to you for advice, information, motivation, and celebration.
Your team, sister, friends, and even your boss look to you for the answers, to give advice that makes sense, and to always know what you’re doing.
You're doing it all for everyone. All the time.
The truth is you love doing it. And honestly, you’re really good at it too.
It feels good to help people with what you know and see their light bulb turn on with just a few simple words from you. What they should do next is so obvious. You see it clearly, so might as well tell them what you think. Right?
Why, then, is it so hard to see what YOU should be doing next?
Why are you so good at helping & motivating others but can’t seem to do it for yourself?
Your career feels stalled.
You watch everyone that you’ve helped soar while your own life is frozen in time.
You crave someone to be as invested in your success as you are in theirs.
You wish friends would check in on you ‘just because’, instead of you always being the checker.
You wish your boss would be the mentor you need right now.
Here’s what’s going on…
It’s always easier to help others chase their dreams because there’s no risk for you. They own the ups and the downs too. When it comes to your life, now that’s a different story. It’s dripping in risk of failure, judgment, going broke, and losing it all.
With those kinds of odds, why would you take a step forward?
So, how do you get out of this pattern?
You follow their lead.
People come to you because they realize they need help and they’re going to the person who always gives it to them, sees things clearly, and helps crush the blocks.
It’s time for you to decide that you need guidance too.
Facing your own dreams & desires is scary. It means being drop-dead honest with yourself about what you want, why you want it, what it will take to make it happen, and why you think you may never get it.
It also means staring your fears, doubts, insecurities, and past failures right in the eye. We see chasing our dreams as risky because we tried before and didn’t get there. Or, we don’t have examples of anyone who did it before so we don’t know where to step or how it’ll work out.
And on top of that, we have major blind spots when it comes to seeing ourselves objectively. We’re in the middle of our own lives and can’t see the forest for the trees.
So get a mentor or coach who can help you clear your path, see the objective truth about yourself, and show you the step-by-step way to make your vision real.
Put yourself and your dreams first for a change. Get help. And decide that you deserve to soar too.
Cindy Harvey is a Career Strategy Coach and Founder of Amelia Dee, a career strategy company for women. Cindy’s helps corporate career women learn how to make the next phase of their careers the most fulfilling version they’ve ever had.
Cindy is happy to be a Happy Healthy Women Toronto West, ON Trailblazer.
Learn more & click here to connect with Cindy on LinkedIn
Stress can be crippling when it gets too much. I've been there. I've been burnt out. I know what it feels like to be crippled by your own stress.
Just under a year and a half ago, I experienced burn out due to stress. I was overworking and underpaying myself. But more than that, I believed that I had to overwork to get paid. I bought into the mindset that you need to overwork yourself to achieve anything. What happened to me was that I cared so much about my business and spent so much time on it that when I didn't do it perfectly or when things didn't go the way I had planned, I blamed myself.
That sense of failure crippled me.
And I couldn't have been more wrong.
I'm not perfect and I'm not a guru or psychologist of any kind - I'm just a person who's been through this and had to learn - so here are my top three tips for getting over stress as a business owner.
Aim for 80%
I learned this from a friend of mine who is a doctor. I asked him, "isn't med school hard?" And he said, "No. Everybody thinks it's hard because they want to be at number one. But you just have to be good enough to get into med school."
That was the most liberating thing I had ever heard from a casual conversation. We all aim for 100% but we really don't need to. The pressure of 100% can be overwhelming.
We will never be perfect. You just need to be good most of the time. Sometimes you will fail yourself, your clients, your suppliers, your boss, your colleagues. It happens. But remind yourself that you've been good to them 99.999% of the time. Disappointment isn't the end. Forgive yourself for not being perfect 100% of the time. Also, forgive others for not being perfect.
I used to believe that "you are your brand" - but I've learned that you're not. Even if your name is on it. Your brand is what you tell your clients to get them to buy from you - but it's not the real you. Can you honestly say that you live up to your own brand standards 100% of the time? No. It's healthier to separate yourself from your business.
Take your mind off it
I like to walk when I'm stressed. It takes my mind off the issue and I get a new perspective, which gives me a chance to re-frame the issue in my head. I hate waking outside when it's cold, so I do circles around the mall. Other times when I'm too lazy to leave the house, I just change tasks so I'm concentrating on something else.
Talk it out with someone or write it down
You'd be surprised how cathartic it is. Many of us are afraid to share our struggles because we think others don't care - and it might be true. So if people don't care about what you're going through, then take control and care about yourself. Write down your feelings to yourself so you can work it out. The goal is to get out of the mental loop that we often put ourselves in. When you see the words you put down on paper, ask yourself, "what would I say to my friend to help them out?" Be your own best friend.
I believe in being honest with ourselves, forgiving ourselves, and not expect perfection from ourselves.
If you enjoyed this article, feel free to share your thoughts with me at cindy@tribalistco.com - I’d love to hear from you!
Cindy, our North York, ON Branch Director, is a multipreneur and marketing professional who helps small businesses with acquisition and retention through inbound marketing. She has spent the last five years living and working abroad because she wanted to understand the other side of the world. In her spare time, she enjoys learning new skills and reading. She also does a bit of yoga from time to time :)
Ladies, you may have heard that resistance training (aka strength training) helps you lose weight and won’t bulk you up like the hulk. It may sound counterintuitive - like why would I want to lift weights if I want to get smaller? Shouldn’t I just do cardio?
Yes, doing cardio alone can help you lose weight, however if you want to build lean muscle and turn your body into a calorie burning machine (even when you’re NOT exercising), you’ll need to lift some weights. Not to mention, if you want definition, strength training is the way to go! Think, marathoner vs sprinter.
Importantly, as women age, we tend to lose muscle mass more easily and our bones get weaker. So it’s even more necessary for us ladies to gain or maintain our lean muscle by strength training.
Lifting weights or other forms of resistance training will not only increase your muscle and bone strength, but will also increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the minimum level of energy required to maintain vital functions such as breathing, keeping your heart beating, digesting,etc. Over 70% of the oxygen and energy we expend each day goes toward your BMR! It takes a lot of work to keep us alive and functioning optimally.
The more muscle you have, the higher your resting energy expenditure, and it also means you’re burning more calories even at rest. BONUS! This is because muscle requires more energy to function than fat.
Aesthetically speaking, you want to build muscle and lose fat because muscle is more dense than fat. Five pounds of muscle takes up less space than five pounds of fat. This is another reason why the scale can be misleading if you’ve been strength training. The number on your scale can be higher if you built more muscle and lost fat. The best gauge is how you feel inside and in your clothes.
Strength training is not only good for the body, it’s also empowering for the mind and the soul. Getting stronger = getting better.
So ladies, don’t be afraid to pick up some dumbbells, exercise bands or just use your own body weight and get lifting!
Mimie Louie is a Certified Fitness and Nutrition Coach, Personal Trainer and founder of keepingitrealfit.com. She specializes in helping women who want to feel more empowered and free in their body. She helps women get lean and strong, and feel more confident. Her programs are designed to work with a busy woman’s schedule and lifestyle. She is a Trailblazer in our Etobicoke Branch. Feel free to reach out at mimie@keepingitrealfit.com
We are all busy. It can be very challenging to balance work, life, healthy and active living, families, a social life, the list goes on and on!
Some mornings I leave my house before 6 a.m. not to return until 8 or 9 p.m. It can definitely be exhausting! Often, I feel as though at the end of the day I am just getting myself ready to do it all over again the next day.
The key to staying on track on my health and wellness journey is to take some time once a week and so some serious meal prep! Taking an hour or two out of my day during the weekend is a life saver. I ensure that I have healthy recipes prepared ahead of time, so when my week get's crazy, I can simply grab something already prepared and go.
I like to have a soup, stew or chili prepared, along with cooked meat or a store-bought rotisserie chicken, cooked veggies, and some sweet treats like protein muffins or protein/energy balls. I find that always gives me a nice variety.
Here are my top 5 easy and delicious meal prep recipes. These recipes cover anything from breakfast, to snacks, lunch and dinner.
1. Egg white ‘muffins’
Non- stick muffin tin (non-stick makes these a lot easier to remove once baked)
Spinach
Cherry tomatoes (or other veggies – options are endless!)
Fresh dill
Egg whites (I tend to use Kirkland brand from Costco or PC Blue Menu brand in cartons)
Salt & Pepper
Lightly oil muffin tin. Add a small handful of spinach to the bottom of the tins. Remember that the spinach will ‘shrink’ when cooked. Add some diced cherry tomatoes to each tin and some fresh dill. Fill each pocket with your egg whites. Add a bit of salt & pepper to each. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes or until egg is cooked through.
2. Turkey meat balls
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup dried parsley
½ white onion, in food processor
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
½ cup panko crumbs, or GF rolled oats, in food processor for GF version
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Roll into 1 – 1 ½ balls. Place on parchment paper lined cooking sheet. Bake at 400F for 25 mins, turning meatballs after first 15 minutes.
3. Crock pot turkey chili
1 pound of lean ground turkey
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans of kidney beans, rinsed
1 medium red bell pepper
1 can corn
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion
1 ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
4 tbsp. chili powder
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
Sliced Avocado and cilantro for garnish
Heat oil in crock pot, add onions, peppers and garlic & sauté for about 5 mins. Meanwhile, cook the ground turkey in a separate pan. Add cooked turkey to crock pot. Add in chili powder, oregano and cumin and stir for about 20 seconds. Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 2-3 hours. Serve and top with avocado and cilantro.
4. Gluten-free protein muffins
3 ripe bananas
6 scoops vegan vanilla protein (I use Arbonne’s)
2 cups GF rolled oats
1 cup nut milk (I use either unsweetened coconut or almond milk)
1 tsp. of cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup chopped nuts (I like to use walnuts, pecans or pumpkin seeds) – optional
1 cup berries or cocoa nibs – optional
Coconut oil
Mash bananas in bowl, add milk and continue to mash. Mix in dry ingredients and then fold in nuts or berries if you are adding them. Add to muffin tin, slightly oiled (I used coconut oil – lightly). Add to muffin tin and bake at 350F for 20 mins.
5. Protein balls
2/3 cup natural, organic peanut butter
1 cup GF rolled oats
1 ½ cup medjool dates, pitted
½ cup cocoa nibs
½ cup ground flax seeds
2 tbsp honey or maple syrup – optional for added sweetness
Add dates, peanut butter and sweetener (optional) to food processor. Once combined, mix in bowl with remaining ingredients. Roll into small bite-sized balls (about an inch in diameter). Store in fridge and enjoy!
Be sure to follow www.facebook.com/KayleighHealthWellness for more recipes and healthy living tips!
Kayleigh Kennedy
Independent Consultant, Arbonne international
