5 Essentials to Healthy & Sustainable Weight Loss

I have a confession to make…

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It was hard for me to talk about weight loss at first because I don’t believe you have to be a certain size or look a certain way to be happy or healthy, OR that your weight coincides with your worth, and I don’t want you to think that way either.
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We all come in different sizes, shapes, and colors, and that’s what makes us uniquely beautiful. How tragically boring would life be if we all looked the same, thought the same, sounded the same? Diversity is what sparks creativity, it strengthens us, makes us curious, and is essential for our evolution and survival on this planet.
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My work and my mission isn’t to “shrink” you, it is to help you feel good about yourself, learn to love and respect your body, value your life and what you have to offer the world, and to OWN YOUR WORTH just as you are.
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At the same time, it is ok and even admirable to want to improve your health, your fitness, and your life. As long as your intention is genuine and from the heart, whatever it is you desire, you are are capable of. Whether it is to lose weight, feel more comfortable and confident in your body, gain inner and/or outer strength, whatever it is, you are worthy and deserving of making that vision a reality.

If achieving your goal weight were as simple as diet and exercise, and calories in/ calories out, it wouldn’t be so difficult to see and maintain your desired results, am I right? However, it’s just not that simple and there is no one-size-fits-all weight loss plan.

You are a unique individual with a unique health history, genetic make-up, and pattern of thoughts, habits and beliefs. You are exactly where you need to be at this moment and you are worthy & deserving of feeling comfortable & confident in your body.

Healthy weight loss requires a holistic approach, which means looking at the person as a whole and addressing elements of the mind, body, and soul because it’s all connected. This is how I work with clients and here are some of the essentials of weight loss that we address in my transformational weight-loss program:

I. Mindset- Harness the power of the mind-body connection and use it to your advantage!

The mind-body connection is so much more powerful than many people realize. Your mindset can either keep you feeling stuck or you can learn to utilize your mind to stay focused and take action towards your goals. Shifting your mindset is key to achieving your vision and it takes dedicated practice(s) to make shifts in patterns of thoughts, beliefs, and habits.

II. Whole Food Eating- Transition from a S.A.D (Standard American Diet) to a Nutrient-Dense, Plant-Based way of Eating.

Convenience foods & fast foods that are highly processed and contain additives & preservatives have become the basis of the S.A.D., which contributes to inflammation, chronic health conditions, and weight gain. Whole food eating means eating as close to the source as possible, shifting away from the packaged and processed foods to food closest to it’s natural & whole state. This shift from calorie-dense, low nutrient foods to a more nutrient-dense, plant-based way of eating helps decrease inflammation, getting the body back to a healthy state where it is able to shed fat naturally.

III. Movement- Your body was made to move!

The human body was made to move but we have become more and more sedentary as a society, which has become a big contributing factor in the rise in weight gain and lifestyle diseases. Daily movement & regular exercise are essential for achieving a healthy weight, regulating stress, increasing energy, building strength & confidence. Like any new habit, it’s so important to start where you are and build from there, finding a consistent routine that works for you and your schedule.

IV. Self-Love- Don’t wait to lose weight to start loving yourself.

Self-love isn’t just the end goal, it’s part of the journey & essential to healthy, sustainable weight loss. This goes hand in hand with mindset, as it also takes practice & self-awareness to start shifting the conversation you are having with yourself. Actually enjoying the process will help reduce resistance to change and shifting your perception of the essential “tasks” to forms of self-care & ritual will allow for more joy and flow along the way!

V. Stress Management- If you’re in a regularly stressed state, your body won’t release the weight.

Constant stress has become the norm, especially these days, negatively effects physical & mental health, as well as contributing to chronic disease. Stress also effects hormones which play an essential role in your body’s ability to achieve & maintain a healthy weight. Regulating the nervous system is necessary in allowing your body to relax, repair, rest & digest, in order to shed fat in a healthy & sustainable way.

You are worthy of all that you desire, including a body that you feel comfortable and confident in!

If you are ready for transformational weight loss so you can feel you sexiest most energetic self, click below to apply for 1:1 coaching with me.

Intentional Re-Emergence

Today, I wanted to check in with you and invite you to check in with yourself. I think it’s safe to say no one could have predicted the chaos and uncertainty of this year has brought so far. 2020 has forced us to go within our homes and our hearts, re-evaluate and re-focus on what really matters to us as humans on this planet.

 So if you haven’t already, prior to or as you re-emerge from this quarantine life and go back out into the world, ask yourself these questions:

~What do I value the most in this lifetime?

~What brings me the most joy?

~What is my soul’s purpose in life? 

~Is that where I focus my time and energy?

~What/Who do I need to let go of to better align with my values, joy, and purpose?

~Where do I want to improve in my life? 

~What grand vision do I have for my future?

As I mentioned in my last post, this has been a heavy and emotional year of ups and downs for most of us, myself included. It’s also been a chance for me to slow down and re-think some things, just as I’ve invited you to do above, in an effort to live life more fully and intentionally. Here are a few reflections that have come up for me:

~What I value is this life and making the most out of it; Prioritizing my health, happiness, and wellbeing, and support my family, friends, and community to do the same; My home and all of our home- this planet Earth; education; connection to all beings, Earth, and Spirit. 

~What brings me joy is always available to me; it’s movement, sunshine, flowers, trees, smiles, hugs, music, good food, good wine, experiences, laughter, the simple things, Life. Happiness and joy are a choice. Love is a choice. I have the power to choose at any given moment. 

~My soul’s purpose is to be my truest self, to serve, to love, to teach, to learn, and to connect. To be conscious and present so that I’m intentionally creating my reality. 

~I’m making more of a conscious effort to tend to my own physical and mental health, to do what brings me joy so as to heighten my own frequency and fulfill my purpose of serving others, helping people improve their own health and wellbeing in a holistic way.

Am I always aligned? Heck no, I’m human. But I have a vision that is my “north star” and I’m trying to stay focused. 

Some of the most challenging work I’ve done is letting go of limiting beliefs, surrendering, and trusting the Universe. I was being held back by fear, expectations, and comparisons. 

“I didn’t expect this would be my life; I didn’t expect I would be here at this point in my life; I thought I’d be further along at my age…”  Seeing friends and peers getting married, having kids, tending to households, having successful careers… These are all things that I thought or expected to have at this point. I’m learning to let go of that illusion and have a greater awareness that where I am at is exactly where I’m supposed to be.

You are exactly where you are supposed to be too my friend. 

That doesn’t mean that it’s where you want to be or where you will end up. That vision, that desire that burns inside of you, that dream, or big goal, it’s in you for a reason. Don’t let the distractions of the outside world let you believe that you don’t deserve it or that you can’t have it. I don’t care how old you are, you are the creator of your reality and you can start to rewrite your story whenever you’re ready.

You Are The Creator Of Your Reality.

Now, what will you create?

For those of you interested in working with Universal energy to create your reality, here are some books I recommend:

“The Soul Purpose Method” by Licia Rester & Kirk Souder

“Superattractor” and “The Universe Has Your Back” By Gabrielle Berstein

“The Success Principals” By Jack Canfield

“A Return to Love” By Marianne Williamson

“The Law of Attraction” By Esther & Jerry Hicks

~Blessings

Transcending Loneliness in Quarantine

*Edited (original post 5/4/2020)

Have you been feeling lonely lately? If so, know that it’s totally 100% normal and okay to be feeling loneliness and other emotions right now. Trust that you are not “alone” my friend and that a path exists for you not just to feeling better in the moment but transcending it and finding inner peace, even bliss.

As hard as it is to be isolated during this pandemic, it has been my experience that in these times of loneliness we have an opportunity to cultivate inner growth and create true self-transformation. I attribute this outlook to the spiritual and self development work I have done over the years, and all of the teachers, coaches, mentors, parents, and friends that have taught me so much.

Don’t get it twisted, I’ve been struggling and on my own emotional roller coaster throughout this unprecedented time but I’m also learning, growing, and connecting in many ways. I can only imagine the unhealthy spiral I would be going down right now if not for this foundation. Before establishing practices such as yoga, meditation, and self-care, my instinct would have been to numb the pain and distract myself from the sadness. In fact, this self-destructive behavior was what lead me down a spiritual and wellness path in the first place.

About 9 years ago, I went from dabbling in yoga to developing a more regular practice. I began to meditate and read books like The Secret and The Power of Now. I started to enhance my awareness of my thoughts, realize the power of my mind, and the mind-body connection. I started to realize that my thoughts were keeping me stuck and suffering and I had the power to change that. Since then, it has been a journey of ups and downs, with connecting to consciousness, calming the monkey mind, and finding joy in the present moment. 

Today in 2020, this quarantine has allowed me to deepen my practice once again. Living alone in a time when we are forced to socially distance, there have been times of sadness and loneliness, of uncertainty and insecurity. I acknowledge my privilege and also know that I wouldn’t be able to find the gifts in this time if it were not for my spiritual foundation.

I would probably suffer the loneliness more if it weren’t for my desire to explore and transcend it. I don’t want to avoid the pain anymore. I want to feel it, understand it, find out what it’s trying to tell me, and how it can serve me. The feelings of alone, lack, scarcity, and not living up to expectations are based on social conditioning, not reality. This quarantine is my inner retreat, a vision quest, not to a far away land but to the depths of my heart and soul. 

The tools are available to help us return to bliss, they are not outside of our selves, we just have to tune in and turn them on. I will not come out of this thing the same. I will not wait for things to go back to normal. I will not hold myself to societal expectations but rather trust the wisdom of the Universe, that which resides in me. 

I am truly grateful for the many tools, practices, and people getting me through this, including:
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~Yoga and meditation practice
~Movement/ exercise- teaching online fitness
~Coaches and mentors (Yes, I have my own coaches!)
~Family/friends
~Dance & Music
~Nature
~Serving others
~Sleep & relaxation
~Aromatherapy
~Journaling
~God/Universe⠀

I truly hope you’re hanging in and would love to know- what you have been doing to stay sane and perhaps even grow during this time in quarantine? Have you developed any practices that you will carry-over with you as you emerge from quarantine?

Elevating Health with Nature

Summer Solstice Reflections

Surrounded by nature, fresh mountain air, sounds of rivers and streams, with majestic snow covered mountain peaks in the distance... This is the beauty of nature, the gift we all have at our finger tips, our home, where we come from, this beautiful earth.

Growing up in the country, no one had to tell me to get outside, we stayed outside as long as we could. We would wonder around the woods, tumble and run barefoot in the grass, dig in the dirt, and climb trees. Nature was our playground.

Now, living in an urban area where everyone is hustling to get to and from, I find myself feeling the pull back to nature, towards the green spaces, the water, the trees, and the fresh air.

I make a point of walking to the lake near my home or taking a short drive to the Redwood Regional Park or other parks and beaches in the beautiful Bay Area. Once out in nature, I feel instantly more at peace, relaxed, joyful, and even find myself breathing more deeply. Rarely will I walk by someone who isn’t smiling and looking peaceful and joyful when walking around or relaxing out in the park.

Connecting with nature helps you connect with yourself and God/ the Universe. When you’re finding it difficult to get out of your head, feeling worried, sad, anxious, or lonely, stepping into nature and onto the earth is one of the best ways to ground down into your body and gain perspective.

There is more and more scientific evidence proving the healing powers of nature.
According to a blog article in Sonoma County Regional Park, “Being active in nature can help fight chronic diseases, relieve stress and depression, promote faster healing, stronger immune systems, and more.”

Research is showing that “contact with nature affects us, mentally and physically, right down to our cells.” While many of us nature lovers know this intuitively, it helps to have the science backing it up and hopefully more people will be inspired to get outdoors and enjoy this beautiful earth.

In Japan, people are prescribed “forest bathing” to help with stress that is common in the everyday lives of pretty much everyone these days and is especially helpful for those living in cities. This practice of mindfulness involving the five senses (sight, smell, touch, sound, taste), helps to produce a sense of ease and joy. We can all benefit from taking 15-20 minutes a day to go to a park, sit in the grass, under a tree, and to just be present within nature.

Nature intertwines with all of the 8 Essentials to Optimal Wellness and (in my opinion) is the foundation to human health and wellbeing. Eat from the Earth; Exercise outdoors or take walks in nature for physical and mental health benefits; Decrease stress and anxiety by spending time outdoors in nature; Have fun playing outside with your friends/kids/animals; Sit on the earth and pray or meditate and feel instantly connected to source energy; escape from the smog and hustle and bustle of the city and get into the forest to breathe in some fresh air.

Nature is free and accessible source of healing to just about everyone, take advantage, respect, and cherish this gift. Get outside and feel yourself expand and your health elevate to an optimal state of being!

Snowmass Village, CO

Eight Essentials for Optimal Health

A Functional & Holistic Guide to Feeling Your Best!

If you are reading this, you are either thinking about or actively working towards elevating your health and your life. So congratulations on caring enough about yourself to be willing to learn the essentials of optimal health!

As you will come to understand, all of these essentials are interconnected, or at least than can and should be. Depending on where you currently are in your personal health journey, you may be doing really well in some areas while needing more help in others.

Start where you are.

Sustainable change towards a healthier lifestyle is more achievable if  you take it one step at a time and celebrate your mini successes. Which of these 8 essentials seems the most attainable to you at this time? Start there! Get some momentum and keep moving forward.

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1. Whole Food

“Eat food,not too much, mostly plants.”  -Michael Pollan

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables (organic when possible), humanely raised meats, gluten-free grains and seeds. Reduce sugar intake and processed carbohydrates as much as possible.

There is a lot of confusion out there about what we should be eating and there is no shortage of diets out there to choose from. I’ve looked into many of them and guess what? They tend to all advocate eating more vegetables, eating whole, real foods, and cutting back on processed food and sugar. Of course one way of eating does not necessarily work for everyone and some individuals may require more guidance and specific modifications to their  eating habits.

2. Stress Perception & Reaction

“Someone else’s action should not determine your reaction.”

-Dali Lama

While the thought of reducing or managing stress may sound stressful in itself, looking at stressful situations in a different way, putting things into perspective, and learning tools to help you react better in stressful situations will usually be more realistic and attainable.

Have you ever freaked out about something only to realize later that it wasn’t that big of a deal after all? The crazy thing is, our brain doesn’t know the difference between a seriously stressful situation and something that we are over-reacting to. Our bodies then respond by releasing hormones, raising our blood pressure, and tensing up our muscles so we are ready for “fight or flight.” This is very helpful in actual threatening situations but when occurring often can lead to more serious health issues.

3. Safe Movement

“Exercise is the key not only to physical health but to peace of mind.”

-Nelson Mandela

In our mostly sedentary lifestyle these days, regular and safe movement is necessary for optimal health. It is important to start where you are, moving your body in a way that you are physically and mentally able to at the current time. A PubMed literature review found that regular physical activity actually increases your life expectancy. While there is no “magic pill” that will help us live longer, there is exercise!

I find that many people become intimidated by the thought of exercise, they don’t know what to do or where to start. Working with a professional, like a physical therapist or a personal trainer can be extremely helpful to people new to exercise or wanting to make a change in their routine. The important thing is to start! You can start by just going for a walk.

4. Fun!

“Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun.”

-Randy Pausch

Adults need fun and play too! Make time for fun, with others or on your own, not involving electronics or other mind-numbing activities. Bonus: Get outside, enjoy nature, and all of the beauty Mother Earth has to offer. People are so serious these days with all that’s going on in our lives and this world, we have to lighten up and let loose every once in a while.

What are some things that you enjoy doing, that are fun for you? This could be hanging out with friends, reading a book, creating some art work, or taking a bike ride with your kids. Whatever is fun for you, do more of it!

5. Sleep

“Inadequate sleep—even moderate reductions for just one week—disrupts blood sugar levels so profoundly that you would be classified as pre-diabetic.”  

- Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

So many people are confused about what adequate sleep really is. Sleep affects your metabolism, mental clarity, mood, heart health, and immunity. Getting enough good quality sleep is vital to one’s health and wellbeing.

Individuals are struggling with sleep for a variety of different reasons. Perhaps they can’t get their mind to shut off due to working or watching TV before bed, they are having too much sugar or caffeine during the day, or eating too late at night. A simple change in routine or habits can make a world of difference in one’s sleep quality. There is truly something to be said about simply adhering to a bedtime and creating a bedtime routine so that you can wake up feeling refreshed and start your day off right!

6. Mental Health

“The mind is a powerful instrument. Every thought, every emotion that you create changes the very chemistry of your body.”  -Sadhguru

We all have some unresolved emotional baggage and unpleasant feelings of the mind that are often stored in the body’s cells and felt through the physical body. Creating a practice of meditation and mindfulness will assist you to expand the confinement of your thoughts. Addressing past trauma may also be an important step in improving mental health for many individuals.

Sadly, many of us get stuck in our heads a story about ourselves. We play this story over and over again in our heads and we believe it to be our truth. What if that identity that we are attached to, that story we are telling ourselves is nothing but perception? If we are willing to work at it, we are capable of changing our story to one that makes us feel good and therefore elevate our lives!

Of course, some mental health conditions can be seriously debilitating to many who will require medical care.

7. Spirituality

“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.” -Buddha

No matter what a person’s belief is, knowing there is God or something greater than ourselves can greatly benefit our health. Feeding our soul is as important as feeding our physical body. Knowing and feeling the connectedness to others through our oneness with the Universe can provide an overall sense of well-being.

Rising consciousness through a regular spiritual practice in conjunction with taking action that aligns with your spiritual being, morals, and values will lead you to a life of health and happiness. Regardless of religion, most spiritual leaders promote and exhibit love. The more love you have in your heart and put out into the world, the closer you feel to spirit and the more joy you will feel.

8. Community & Environment

“The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital.”

-Dr. Mark Hyman

These are factors that can be beyond our ability or means to change, however, we cannot leave out the importance that community and environment have on our health and wellbeing. It’s important to be aware of how your community and the people around you can either support your health or make it more difficult to live a healthy lifestyle. Many people struggle to attain a healthy lifestyle due to difficulty accessing resources, such as health care and healthy whole food.

According to FeedingAmerica.ORG, “In 2017, an estimated 1 in 8 Americans were food insecure, equating to 40 million Americans including more than 12 million children.” This is why we need programs and services that help people access healthy food.

Additionally, our physical environments, including our households, workplaces, cosmetics, the air we breath and water we drink are often contaminated with many different toxins. This means our organs that work to natural detoxifying our systems working overtime. Choose more natural household and cosmetic products or make your own when possible to reduce your exposure to environmental toxins.

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Thank you for taking the time to review this guide to optimal health. I truly believe that all of these items mentioned above are essential to focus on in order to elevate our health and our lives and to become the best versions of ourselves. You have one life and one body (unless you believe in reincarnation), so make the most of it! You deserve to live a life full of happiness, wellness, love, and joy.

If you are interested in learning how we can work together to reach your optimal health, please reach out to schedule a free consultation.

Much Love & Light,

Carrie

Carrie Noel, Health Coach     www.ElevatedEarthWellness.com

Email: Carrie@elevatedearthwellness.com    Follow: @ElevatedEarthChild

Call: +1 510-239-7776

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Disclaimer: This Blog and Website contain material for educational purposes only. I recommend that you discuss with or notify your physician when starting a new eating plan or exercise program.