Seasonal Depression and Mental Wellness

I was quite pleased when I heard a higher up in our local hospital administration tell me that they are shifting the focus of attention from mental illness to mental wellness - isn't it incredible what a difference one word can make. A positive connotation versus a negative one. So with that in mind I want to briefly share some information about something that I too struggle with, seasonal depression. And having mentioned it in a recent post and in passing a few times in the past week or so, I have had a lot of feedback and questions.

I have always been one to really enjoy the winter months. I love to play in the snow, sledding, skidooing, cross country ski and even just walking, but the past few years I have started to notice a cycle of lows that I attribute to a mild seasonal depression. It started to become more of an issue for me a few years back after competing in a figure competition. The winter seemed long and the weight piled back on very quickly. I blamed my fatigue, lack of motivation and craving of high and often refined carbohydrates on the "post competition rebound". Although I am sure it was a contributing factor, I became very aware of my "blues" and being the person that I am, started to pay attention to my body and what it was telling me. It happened again the following year and then again last year.

I have done a lot of reading on and off about a variety of mental health issues and it has always been a topic of interest to me as many of my family members have struggled with a variety of these issues. I remember being VERY concerned during both of my pregnancies about post-partum depression and with the familial history was almost certain that I would be afflicted! Luckily, I was not. Mood swings, hormonal craziness, definately, but I was blessed to not have any more serious issues than that (I can only imagine how it would have been on top of the 2 colicky kids!?!?).

There is a boat-load of great information posted on the Canadian Mental Health Association Website and I would encourage anyone to check it out here... - as well as all the other great information that they provide. But here is my little summary from the site.

The weather, there is no doubt, can have a profound effect on our moods - well we are all aware of that. We feel so much better when we see the sun shine that's for sure! But for many people, the shorter fall and winter days bring about a change in the body resulting in a seasonal winter depression. This depression can vary in severity from a very mild "winter blues" to quite severe where it can interfer with normally daily functioning and worse.

They note on the site there is also a form of summer blues although less common; but I can tell you from experience, living in a place with as much fog as we get here, it might be more common than previosuly thought.


What Causes SAD?
Although there is no defined cause per se, there is strong eveidence of a link between the amount of daylight and the variations that we see throughout the seasons. We evolved to be more active in the daylight hours yet our society today has other plans. We do not get to hibernate through the winters although I am sure many of us would love to! We live in an industrialized society where we work, shop and play at all hours of the days and night - our bodies and it's rhythms are messed up! I can honestly buy into this theory, it makes perfect sense to me. There is also evidence that certain brain chemicals are affected in situations where SAD is present.

What are the symptoms?
Like many other forms of mental health issues, SAD can be difficult to distinguish from other illnesses. When you look at a list of symptoms it is easy to see how there is a lot of crossover between various forms of depression and other medical conditions. The most commonly recognized symtoms include:

- change in appetite, in particular a craving for sweet or starchy foods
- weight gain
- decreased energy
- fatigue
- tendency to oversleep
- difficulty concentrating
- irritability
- avoidance of social situations
- feelings of anxiety and despair

Who has SAD?
Well anyone is at risk but there is a higher rate in women then men and it is also noted that people in northern atmospheres are more susceptible due to the shorter days. Although it can happen in childhood and teenage years it is more common above the age of 20.

Treatment Options
If you have SEVERE depression of suicidal thoughts then you must seek professional help immediately!

But for those with milder cases then there are a variety of options available for treatment...although it is still recommended that you consult with your physician.

- It is suggested that you spend as much time outside, in the daylight, as possible. Sit near windows and add extra lighting when you can.
- Exercise has been proven over and over agian to be a mood lifter and stress reliever, stimulates the release of endorphins (those feel good chemicals in the brain). There is NO debate on this one! And if you can exercise outside...even better!
- A winter vacation to a warm sunny place is always a great choice if that is feasible.
- Photo (light) therapy is probably one of the most common treatments; using a special UV light which you expose yourself to for 20-30 mins a day (we have a happy light and we love it!)
- although very briefly mentioned on the Canadian Mental Health SAD page, I feel that nutrition plays a MAJOR role in this as well. Eating a carefully balanced nutritious diet is essential. Ensuring that the body is receiving all of its vitamins and minerals so it can function at its optimum level is very important. With cases of depression it is often found that the B vitamins are of paricular importance. A diet high in refined and/or starchy carbohydrates and low in fruits and vegetables will often add to the fatigue that accompanies the blues.
- after consulting with your physician, medication might be an option for you as well.

There is my summary of points from the CMHA site as well as a few of my own thoughts thrown in for good measure. There is a lot of information out there about this and it is actually more common than you might realize.

My advice? Find your triggers and create a plan to counteract them! My plan goes something like this:

Nutrition: Eating 5-6 balanced meals, containing 2 servings of complex starchy carbs on training days and one on non-training days. Good fats, lean protein and lots of fruits and veggies. Drink your water!

Workout: training every other day with active rests on the off days - just basically moving everyday of the week combining strength training and cardio.

Sleep: following a consistent sleep pattern throughout the entire week - no sleeping in on weekends - I function much better when I get up early and go to bed early. Set the body up with a consistent routine.

Mindset: don't forget the gratitude list! Writing 5 things a day that I am grateful for keeps things in perspective for me and keeps me thinking in a positive direction. It is so easy to let the negative energy of others and some situations zap us of our own energy and motivation. And also, for me, focusing on helping others reach their goals keeps me focused on my own. Being a good role model is important to me and a value that I hold very dear.

We have no control over the weather or the seasons or our familial predispositions to certain health conditions, but we have control over if we exercise or not or what we put in our mouths to eat. We can control our thoughts and many aspects of our environments. So I will spend this winter focusing on what I CAN control and not wasting time and negative energy on what I can not.

We are lifting the veil on mental health and illness and making it more understood and hopefully less taboo. I suffer from seasonal depression and I do everything in my power to take care of myself until spring comes again.....do you?

Health and Happiness,
Lesley

My common sense real food philosophy

Because I LOVE to eat!!!!

Yes I eat and I eat a lot! I love food, all kinds of food but lucky for me, at a very early age, I had a taste for a variety of good and healthy foods. I vaguely remember getting dried apricots as a "treat" on trips to the grocery store and I was blessed with many a beautiful salad in my lunch can during primary and elementary school, thanks to my mother. I still remember the pill bottle full of french dressing.

Now don't get me wrong....I also have a deep love for ice cream and gummy candy and there was a time in my life that it consumed me far more than my love for fruits and vegetables. But I got back on track and have read just about everything I can get my hands on when it comes to food. I have sized up (not tried, but evaluated) just about every big diet that has come out in the past few years and in the end, for me, it all comes back to a few simple points....eat real food, in small portions, every few hours, and drink your water!

Eat real food. Yes, real food. Like I have said before, if it flew, swam, or ran you are good to go. But don't batter and fry it in mounds of butter and/or oil. Stick with baking, broiling and grilling. Use oils like olive oil and experiment with seasonings, spice it up with spices, not with chemicals. Really taste what you are eating! And....if it grew in the ground or on a tree, eat it up!

Read labels. If you are eating something out of a box or a bag, just take a look at what actually goes in what you are eating. Can you pronounce it? Is sugar of high fructose corn syrup one of the first 3-5 ingredients... are there more than 3-5 ingredients? Look, if something can last for weeks or even months on your counter or in your fridge, how good can that be for your body?

Eat real food, as close to natural as possible! If humans were involved in processing it, adding anything to it or turning it into something else, move on and try something else. That's pretty simple I think.

My next point is about portions and it is closely related to the following one so I will combine them. Eat small portions and eat every few hours. If you are eating every few hours do you think you will truly be hungry for that HUGE 10-inch plate full of food? Seriously, use some basic common sense with this one...yes, most people in the fitness industry advocate eating every 2-3 hours, BUT you also have to learn to pay attention to your body. You don't have ot stuff in meal #6 for the day if you genuinely are not hungry! Just because it is on your meal plan, (which I know you are planning your meals by now) doesn't mean that you have to force it down. And with that said, if you have to force it down because you are too full, then you probably ate too much at your last meal/snack.

If you are drinking 8-10 cups of water a day, loading your plate up with fruits and veggies and choosing good quality lean proteins then there won't be much room for anything else except a few other compex, starchy carbs (think brown rice, quinoa, oats, etc...) and even those will naturally become smaller portions because you just won't be able to stuff it all in (and feel good afterwards).

Remember: it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it is full. ....Aim to eat your veggies first, then your protein, then your starches and drink that water! Take your time, eat slow, pay attention to what you are doing (hard to do if you are caught up in the news or in Grey's Anatomy - that's another post) and let your brain register what your body is telling it.

Basically eat REAL food, focus on plants and keep the portions small enough that you will want "another little something" in a couple of hours - and then be prepared for that a couple of hours later by having healthy, real food nearby.

Vegetables, fruit, nuts, light cheese, yogurt, eggs (hard boiled are portable and easy to eat), heck even carry around a few ounces of left over chicken around if you have to - don't get caught unprepared, the food industry is just waiting to catch you and boy are they ready!

Massage Therapy and Stress: Part I

Massage Therapy and Stress: Part I

“I am so stressed out!” How often have you heard or uttered these words? My guess is far too often to count! So often I am asked why I chose massage as my career and to be honest “stress” is the answer. So what is this mysterious “stress” that we talk about so often and why would this obscure word affect my choice of profession?

Stress is a word that we throw around almost daily but do we really understand what stress is? How it affects us? How we can recognize it in our lives and how we can manage it effectively? In part one of this three part article I will discuss some of these very things.

Most times when we use the word stress it carries a negative connotation but to start off I must explain that not all stress is bad! What we perceive as stress can also push us forward, to meet a deadline for example. But for the purposes of this article I will be talking about the negative stress; that which causes us unwanted pressure in our lives and then as a result of that pressure, has many physical, mental and emotional effects as well.

What is stress and where does it come from? For my purpose I found this definition fits best…..
“Stress is what you experience when you believe that you can not cope effectively with a situation.”

I love this definition because it has one basic element that most of us need to understand, and once we do understand it, it will have a profound impact on how we deal with everything in life. It is our “belief that we can not cope” …..If it is our belief, then that means that we have control, yet in most cases we feel just the opposite.

Our beliefs create our thoughts, and our thoughts create our feelings, and our feelings create our actions. If these thoughts, feelings and actions come from a belief that we can not cope it will cause us a create deal of stress! Our thoughts and feelings also cause a physical reaction that result in the release of chemicals in the body that affects all of our body’s systems. For example, the sympathetic nervous system reacts with the fight or flight response resulting in the circulation of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

Why is stress such a buzz word? Are there more stressful things in our life than there used to be? Well in fact, yes there are. And the ironic part is that much of it is supposed to make our lives easier. Here is a short list of common stressors:
• Major Life Events: death, divorce/separation, job loss, marriage, bankruptcy, serious illness, moving, birth of children…this is a familiar list to many of us
• Workplace: cutbacks, increased workloads, pay freezes or cuts, unemployment, office politics, job insecurity.
• Finances: no surprise here, costs increase steadily yet our income often does not reflect the rising cost of living.
• Home/Family life: Most families now have both spouses/parents working this does not change the fact that the house still needs attending to as do any children, extended family members and pets in the home
• Community Involvement: Most people have some other commitments outside of work and the home, church groups, PTA, other community groups, sport teams, etc, all competing for our limited time
• Technology: Once upon a time, work stayed at work. There are times that we all long for the good ole days with no laptops, cell phones and blackberries.

The above list is far from being exhaustive; there are many more things that can cause us to feel out of control or anxious. But how these seemingly smaller, everyday things add up to create this feeling of stress is what is of great concern. Our reaction to each of these events of situations causes a physical reaction in the body, and over time these can add up. As a result we can often end up with some of these common complaints:


• Fatigue, lethargy
• Racing pulse, shallow breathing, heart palpitations
• Muscle tension and aches
• Tremors, shakiness
• Heartburn, indigestion, nervousness, constipation, diarrhea
• Dry mouth
• Excessive sweating, cold hands or feet
• Rashes, hives
• Nail biting
• Lowered libido
• Overeating or loss of appetite
• Sleep disturbances
• Anger, irritability, sadness, moodiness
• Worry, anxiety or panic
• Loss of sense of humor


This list is long as well and there is much more I could include, but I am sure you get the idea. Many of the above signs and symptoms could also be signs of more serious medical conditions and should always be evaluated by your healthcare professional. But you can also see that if you do happen to be diagnosed with a medical condition, that stress can also aggravate it. It becomes a vicious circle and can often make management of these health conditions more difficult if ones level of stress is not controlled.


In the second part of this blog I will look at Massage Therapy in particular and its affects on stress and anxiety as well as a variety of other conditions which can be affected by stress.

Massage Therapy and Stress: Part II

Massage Therapy and Stress: Part II

In today’s society the focus seems to be more on healing disease and illness rather than prevention, however there is a movement of change. More people than ever are starting to take responsibility for their own health and are turning to once considered “alternative” therapies for healing and preventative care. Massage Therapy is one of those key treatment options.

Massage therapy once had its place strictly in the spa environment, then as a profession we spent years educating people on the physical effects and benefits of massage on a number of very common health issues. People have been seeking massage for treatments of injuries sustained in motor vehicle and workplace accidents as well as arthritis, headaches, fibromyalgia, heel spurs, pregnancy, digestive problems, frozen shoulder, muscle spasms, strains and sprains and postural concerns among countless others.

In our attempts to emphasize the positive physical and therapeutic affects of massage we now often tend to over look the additional mental and emotional benefits, many of which also have a physical effect. You see, we can not separate our emotional and our physical and even our spiritual bodies. Our bodies are a complex creation in which one system and its many components, including its chemical changes, affect all other areas of our body and its components. We can not isolate our back from our feet or our head from our neck and shoulders or our ulcers from our level of perceived emotional stress. We are so deeply connected and all of our systems intertwined. This sense of connection is something that I so often see missing in our attempts to “heal” our infirmities.

In our hurried society, stress and anxiety has been linked with many various health conditions. Regardless of how well one believes that they can handle stress you can assured of one thing…..Stress will ALWAYS manifest itself physically, sooner or later, in one way or another.

Headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, fertility difficulties and constipation are all common conditions that are often associated with increased stress levels, as either a major cause or an aggravating factor.

Massage is not only effective in reducing stress levels but also increasing circulation and decreasing inflammation which is very important on conditions such as arthritis, muscle spasm, tendonitis, strains and sprains and during pregnancy.

Reduction of fibrous adhesions and stretching of connective tissue is also important for frozen shoulder and plantar fasciitis.

Massage calms the nervous system, lowers blood pressure, slows respiration, strengthens the immune system, strengthens the muscular system, promotes sleep and stimulates the release of endorphins, which are chemicals that modify pain perception and help create a general feeling of wellness. Massage helps to relieve tight, tired and aching muscles, improve muscle tone and increase flexibility and range of motion which is key for management of Arthritis and maintaining and improving posture.

Massage can play a large role in the management of stress and anxiety and therefore can both directly and indirectly affect one’s physical health.

SAHM's, Sweats and Ponytail Syndrome

I have been truly blessed to have the opportunity to be a stay at home mom (SAHM) and be with my children for the first few years of their lives. It is an honour to get to spend my days with them and teach and shape and mould them into the little people that they are becoming, but....there is a darker side to staying at home that many moms don't like to talk about.

Come on, you all know what I am talking about....the sweats, the ponytails and ball caps, the spit up on your shoulder that never seems to come out in the laundry....no wait, it did come out, that's a new stain!

It all boils down to putting all others above ourselves - but isn't that what we are supposed to do?!?! NO!!!

My favorite saying to tell my massage clients, especially those who are caregivers has always been "You can't give from a dry well!" Explaining to them that they were no good to anyone else if they didn't take time for themselves. A statement which I firmly believe with all of my heart! So slap the biggest hypocrit sign on my forehead that you can find!!!

I LET IT HAPPEN! I LET MYSELF GO!

It wasn't a conscious decision, it just happens. Baby is napping so you catch up on housework and laundry or you nap yourself. Baby is just gonna spit up on you anyway so why bother to put on good clothes? Why do your hair? It's only gonna get pulled on and tangled with baby food! Who's looking at you? You don't go anywhere anyway right?

A trip to get groceries is a HUGE event! I get to put on my jeans?!?!? No wait, they don't fit! ARGH! Back to the ever stretching waistband of my trusty friend the sweatpants!

The problem is.....baby grows up to be a toddler. Yes they are still as messy but it isn't directed at you nearly as much as it used to be. Then comes preschool and kindergarten and they are pretty independent little folks! Unfortunately no one copied your pontail and sweats on that email. You fell into a rut right? I sure did. I just didn't bother anymore. It wasn't worth the effort.

But as many SAHM's will tell you, this feeling grows and grows until you reach the point that it starts to affect your self esteem. You start to feel sloppy and lazy (even though you don't stop all day long). You don't care of you eat that bowl of ice cream, you won't feel it, the pants grow with you. And workout? Who has the energy got that? I know. It happened to me. I got down, I got depressed. (I now recognize that I even suffer from seasonal "blues". Being aware of such a thing makes me even more conscious to make the effort, to not lose myself in those baggy clothes anymore.)

How did I move past this? It wasn't rocket science just simply a promise. I promised to make some effort everyday, no matter how small to take care of myself; because only then can I take care of my family. For me, this means getting a workout in most days of the week; planning my meals (making them healthy and balanced); doing my hair and getting dressed in REAL clothes (even if it is just a pair of jeans and t-shirt) *Find a pair of jeans that fit you well, regardless of the size and ROCK THEM!!!.

You know, in reality, it doesn't take that much more energy and the payoff of feeling like a normal person again is so worth the effort! I might not leave my house to go to work a 9-5 job but I still take the time to put some energy into myself so I can take that energy and use it to give back to my family and friends.

The old saying "if momma ain't happy, no one's happy" is oh so true! So why not make yourself a promise to make momma happy! I promise you it'll be worth your time!

Health and Happiness,

Lesley

Is There Enough to go around?

My question is...is it human nature or learned behaviour....Why do people hate to see others happy? Successful? Confident?

Well after a lifetime of feeling "bullied" and "never good enough" I have come to realize that people believe that if you are happy, you are stealing from their happiness. If you are successful, that means less success for them. All good things in life sit in a big pot and there is only so much to go around. So you had better get what you can before someone else gets it! I don't know about you but even saying it that way gives me a bad feeling.

Then again, maybe I don't think like everyone else... In fact, I have often questioned my ability to be in business, partly because I do not believe in the "competition" aspect in many ways. Some people are very "hard core and ruthless" business men and women. After all there is only so much disposable income out there. But early on in my massage therapy career I came to believe that the more therapists there are, the better that is for the public. They might not all be coming to me but in the end, it's for the betterment of the community because it means more people are getting massage - which in the grand scheme of things boasts well for all therapists. I know this goes against conventional business wisdom but it is what I have come to believe. Since that time I have found this theory to prove true in other areas of my lfie as well.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not immune to it! There are still areas of my life where I feel insecure and funny enough these are the things that make me feel threatened the most. But I can now recognize that when I am not happy for someone else or their success, let's face it, it's jealousy on some level. Being able to identify the source of our feelings can give us a HUGE clue in working through them.

Let's look at an example....if we feel envious of someone else's sucess in their weight loss journey (just say yours is slow or maybe you haven't even started yet) we might criticize their efforts, talk about them behind their back, gossip about how they starve themselves or try to sabotage them by offering them unhealthy foods. How is that affecting the other person? Well it might upset them, make them sad and in some cases, depending on their level of security, they might quit. Or they might ignore it and continue to be successful, making you feel even worse about yourself and your journey.

But how does it affect you? The negative energy that you emmit in attempts to derail that person, just come back to you. The more you talk about them, the worse you feel about yourself, mayben ot imeediately or even consciously but it is true. Does it help you in your struggles with your weight? Does it make you feel better about eating foods that you know aren't healthy for you?

So why is it that we believe talking badly about others will help us feel better about ourselves? I believe it is learned behaviour. We are taught to compete at an early age. Our parents compare us with siblings and then classmates. We compete for seats in universities and colleges, we compete for jobs, we even compete for our significant others in many cases.

Well, you might think I am crazy all together but like I said, that isn't how I think at all. I think the more that you have and share, of your things and yourself, the more will come back to you. And if everyone gave more freely of themselves that all of that positive energy would be overwhelming and create HUGE changes in our world.

Let's get back to our weightloss example. So this time you are happy and supportive of your friend's success.

What have you lost by being happy for him/her?

What could you possibly gain? Hmm....a confidante, a partner in your own journey, tips and tricks for success, motivation - what worked for them might help you! If they are willing to share with you, then they benefit and so do you right? They gain even more self confidence by sharing what they have learned and you gain the benefit of their experience as well as their support, and support from someone who has already been successful counts for more than you might realize. To me that seems like a win-win situation?

Bottom line I think, is the next time that you have negative feelings towards someone or their situation or success, stop and question whether it might have something to do with what you feel they might be taking from you...is their happiness taking away from yours? Does their success meaning that you will fail? Or is your jealousy just confirmation that there is something in you that you want to change?

It's never about the other person!
So maybe instead of beating each other down and competing with each other we should try supporting and encouraging each other. I think we'd be in for a pleasant surprise.....

Health and happiness,
Lesley-Anne

What is healthy anyway?

Isn't freedom of choice incredible? When I was a little kid the cereal aisle in the grocery store was littered with colorful characters and even a dark dracula fellow then buried on the bottom shelf were some boring boxes of brown flakes and that oat stuff Mom used for making cookies. That vast array of choices from my hayday has NOTHING on what is available today. The cereal aisle now is probably triple the size that it used to be (along with the grocery store itself) providing us with a never ending supply of items to choose from. And it isn't just cereals. Coffee, cereal and granola bars, perfectly portioned controlled 100 calorie packs of "goodies", flavoured popcorn, flavoured water and powders to put in that water, more kinds of crackers than you ever thought possible...the variety is seemingly endless. Therein lies the problem. There is so much to choose from that we have NO idea what real food is anymore!

It isn't your fault that you are confused about nutrition, how could you not be?

They do an incredible job of convincing us that all of this junk they are feeding us is even good for us! So here I am to try and help you decifer some of the mess that the world has made of our food. And in all reality it is quite simple but with that said the industry has made it so complicated! It is there job to sell you their products. They don't care about your health. They don't care about your cholesterol or your type two diabetes. They care about their bottom line and how much you have to spend. And the one thing here that upsets me the most is that they target us as parents and in turn they get our children.

Our kids are being taught that 100 calorie packs of cookies are healthy! Yes, our school even claim to be healthy and these snacks meet the criteria of what they define as "healthy". But the first ingredient of almost every item on school canteen shelves is sugar. Yes these items are portion controlled (complete with their colorful lables saying only 100 cals) but when a child comes and buys 2 or 3 to go with their chocolate milk, I am sorry, it is NOT healthy!!! So to say that you are a healthy organization, be it school or otherwise, is irresponsible and a disservice to the children. You are teaching them that these items are "healthy" when in reality they are still just junk in disguise. And as parents we are so rushed and harried in our lives between work, houses, spouses, other committments (read over-commitments) that we accept what we are being told as the truth!

In the meantime don't think that my kids don't ever get to eat any junk, I am not the nutrition police but I am passionate about educating our children properly about nutrition and this is just misinformation and confusing - heck, it confuses us, it has to confuse them!

So what am I supposed to be eating anyway

This is my mother's favourite question and she isn't alone.....

Fin, foot, feather - if it once walked, crawled or swam you are good to go. Lean cuts of beef and pork, fish and poultry are all great staples to base a meal around. Not to mention the eggs from that poultry or dairy products from the cows. Just don't deep fry it or smother it in sauce (sugar) or gravies.

If it grew in the ground or on a tree or bush, go to town! Fruits, vegetables, and grains even - YES dare I say it, the dreaded carbohydrates!!!

That pretty well leaves you to the perimeter of that ginormous store that we call a supermarket with the exception of maybe a few staple grains like rice, oats or quinoa (keen-wah) found in the dry goods aisle.

If man had a hand in making it or it has more than a few ingredients, any of which you can't pronouce,put it back and walk away!

Step away from the shelf and high-tail it back to the produce section where you can be relatively safe.

In the "fitness" world, they call this clean eating. it is quickly becoming a phenomenon although it has been around for years. But in all honesty the food itself or knowing what to eat exactly isn't the real issue. The real issue is convenience. We like tasty, quick, easy to grab and go snacks and meals (otherwise the drive thru never would have been invented). We don't sit to share a meal with our family any more, let alone prepare our meals together.

But a piece of fruit (nature's candy) sure seems convenient to me....nature made portion control. Grab a banana and a handful of nuts or an apple and a piece of cheese and you have a perfectly balanced snack! What's more convenient than that!

Oh and speaking of convenient, what about oven timers and slow cookers? How about taking half of your television time (or even commercial breaks from Big Brother or Bachelor Pad) and prepping your meals for the next day. Pop it in the oven or set your crockpot up on the way to work in the morning and come home to a hot, fresh meal with real food!

The bottom line is getting back to basics. Eating real, nature made foods, cooking them ourselves and planning ahead (see previous post about meal planning and prep).

Their bottom line is the bank, yours is your health and wellness that maybe even more importantly that of our children! Let us be an example to them, they learn more from what we do than what we say!

Why bother...No one will listen anyway

Back in the not so distant future, I was told by a very dear "friend" that it would be useless for me to persue my personal trainer certification while here in this small town where I currently reside. She did not believe that I would be able to put it to good use. In her opinion my opinion and ideas wouldn't hold any weight (pardon the pun) around here. When I questioned her on exactly why she thought so, she told me it was because I was "never fat".

So for starters I depise the "F" word. I do not use it in my home or around my children especially. The only thing my children know about fat (from my teaching anyway) is Fat as a macronutrient (along with carbohydrates and protein). And yes there is good fat...that's a whole other subject all together....


So back to my "friend"...she was partly right, I have never been overweight by medical standards but certainly by society's. I have never had to shop in a plus size store or section of a store. And although I spent most of my youth being teased and bullied, it was never about my weight.


BUT...with that said, despite the fact that I was never "the f-word" I was unhealthy and terribly out of shape. In fact it is a road that I too still travel today. You see, knowing and not doing is the same as not knowing....and I knew for a long time but there was a lot of that time that I did not practice that I preached and even what I deep down believe in the deepest depths of my heart. I was eating lots of unhealthy food (in addition to the good stuff), I was not exercising and challenging my body on a consistent basis and my thinking was sabotaging my efforts with contaminated negative thought processes.

I believe in the power of healthy eating (lots of good, natural healthy food).

I believe in the power of being active and moving my body that I have been blessed with as fully functioning.

I believe in the power of healthy, positive thinking! (this is a HUGE one). It is our thoughts that create our feelings and those thoughts and feelings have immense control over our successes and failures as well as the way we show up in the world!


So my business which is in the developing/expanding phase right now is about Healthy Balance and just what that balance is for you might be different for what it is for me. I may need to focus more on my emotional or spiritual development while you might need to work on your physical health or vice versa.


Bottom line is that while we are all travelling this road, we are all at different points along the way. In the end, we are all the same. We are all spirits in a physical body and those bodies look and act differently. But we can help each other, we can uplift and encourage each other - we can support each other and that is what I am all about. It isn't about being skinny, it's about being healthy, and I mean ALL AROUND health, all aspects.


I am on my way to developing my emotional, spiritual and physical body and it is my intention to share all that I can with you along the way. If there is any way that I can support and encourage you please do not hesitate to ask....I might just ask the same of you!



So be kind to not only those around you but be kind and gentle with yourself! Do not focus on the things that you are not or have not been but focus on what you are and have and how far you have come! Do not look at the 3 things that you didn't cross off of that to do list today but the 7 things that you did do! Each day is a process, be kind with yourself and gentle; that spirit of yours is fragile (even if we don't liek to admit it) and you are your own worst critic!

I bet you don't look at others and judge them the way that you judge yourself?!?! If I was a gambling woman, I'd put money on it!
Health and Happiness

Lesley

Who am I anyway?

Ok, time to get honest here. I want to share this with you all so you know just where I am coming from and why I am so passionate about health in general. I will try to give the reader's digest, condensed version.


Born and raised in Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland, with one older sister.
Never active, never played any sports - it was all music all the time.

Never was really big per se but couldn't run the length of myself. I was not in any way, shape or form an athlete, lol.

Always had an interest in natural health care after my other got sick when I was small. Her "sickness" was due to her very unhealthy lifestyle habits and as a result it had a HUGE impact on our family. I was particularly interested in nutrition (what can I say, I LOVE FOOD!)

When I didnt get accepted to university music school I went that fall anyway hoping to audition again the following year while getting some courses out of the way. One big problem about 2 weeks in...I HATED university!! I mean I despised it! I knew immediately that I was not going back in the winter. So what to do?

I found out that a private college in my town offers massage therapy! Great a course in natural health. I always held a firm belief that "stress will always manifest physically somehow" - a belief that I still hold today. So I completed my 2 year intense program and a short time after passing my board exams began practicing.

Problem arises....I have never LOVED practicing massage. I mean, I enjoy it sometimes, it is ok, but not my passion. Mainly becasue my work became about lawyers and insurance - not about the whole person, the holistic approach that I believed in. ...that balancing all aspects of the being so to speak.


In the meantime, I met now Hubby, started working out consistently weight training (which I had never done on a regular basis), got married, had 2 beautiful kids, moved like 6 times and here I am!

Back 2 years ago now, I competed in a figure competition. I loved the process and someday will probably do it again. In fact I had started this year thinking that I would do it again this fall but I fooled myself into thinking that I could so it and still remian balanced in my nutrtion and my mindset. I get way too obsessed too easily. So I am holding off now and working on regaining the balance that I had found.

You see, after I competed the first time I had some pretty crazy food issues. The day that I wouldnt eat an apple because it had too many carbs I knew I had a problem! And so began my struggle to regain my sense of self and self esteem. I royally screwed up my metabolism too in the process by the way.

So now I am coming clean.....
- I feel like a fraud! I am educated but am not the perfect living example of how it's done, but I am an example of a work in progress, finding what works for you and not giving up!

- I eat well most of the time but I am a sugar addict...that I fight with everyday! Fruit is nature's candy.

- I don't love working out but I love how it makes me feel AFTER! And I do it for my health.

- I am NOT an athlete in any way shape or form (that has not changed) and I am not in great shape - YET!

- I am terrible at pushups but I try so hard - I will do 50 someday before I die!

- It is my ultimate goal to someday do a pullup/chinup all by myself

- After years of wanting to complete my personal trainer certification I DID IT!!! With plans for more courses to come....and with that certification I want to bring my idea of how to balance exercise, health and fitness with real life, to you.


I believe in getting it done, so we can get on with our lives. But I also am passionate about the value of fitness and good nutrition and the impact that it can have in the long term on our health. Ultimately you HAVE to find something that you enjoy or you won't do it! It should still be fun, even if it has a serious purpose.
So now on to the Bootcamp classes that I am now offering! ..... I have compiled these workouts to get a great workout in under an hour, 3 times a week. A workout that anyone can do, anywhere, with no equipment but your own bodyweight. They will challenge you to push you out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to do better each time. Only you will know. Only you can push you. But the group can help support you in your journey...just as you will support me in mine.
Mine is a journey to find my inner athlete, to push myself and to find balance.
Where is your journey taking you? What are your goals? What is your story?

So I was grocery shopping the other day.....

Tuesday is my normal grocery day. It's when produce is the freshest it seems and the shelves are fully stocked. As I wandered through the store today I took note of a few of the other shoppers, women mostly and the same look I had on my face that they had on theirs. What to eat? Breakfast, lunch, supper, snacks, school lunches, recess....is eating all that we do?!?!?


We all struggle with knowing what to get to eat, and then shopping for preparing the meals! No one with a life (home, family, spouse, job...) is immune from this seemingly mundane and never ending task. But there is a way to make it all just a little bit easier. It takes a little effort once a week but in the end saves time, money and a lot of frustration.


Planning! That's it. It is simple. Make a chart or graph of some kind. And plan all of your meals and snacks for the week. Yes I am serious! Plan leftovers for lunches the following day. Now you don't always to get so specific but the more detailed the easier it is all the same. You could say monday afternoons snack will be fruit without saying 1/2 cup of peaches if you know what I mean.

But if you take the time to plan all of your meals and spend a little time after shopping to prep your fruits and veggies if need be then it will save you a lot of time during the week as well as make your grocery shopping easier too. You will have a pre-made list!

If you are not all that hung up on planning the week or two or three then the other option is to create a list of breakfasts, lunches and suppers, and snacks too that you can glance at and choose from.

We all tend to cook the same things the same way all the time and we forget about things that we used to make a few months back or even a few years ago. Also commit to trying one new recipe a week. There are hundreds of thousands of healthy cooking websites with great and simple recipe ideas. In fact Kraft is one of my faves! Simple ingredients that we can even get HERE!


This is a sample day on my meal plan:

Breakfast: oats, blueberries, flax seed; one egg plus 2 whites

Snack: fruit

Lunch: Leftovers from last nights supper or maybe a sandwich or wrap

Snack: yogurt and almonds

Supper: Salmon, brown rice, veggies

Snack: fruit (nature's candy! Especially good in the evening to curb sugar cravings)



Always cook extra! Extra meat, chicken or fish can be used in wraps, in salads or on sandwiches or just have the same meal over again if you don't mind.


Remember, you are what you eat. When it comes to eating "healthy"...quality is more important than quantity. Is most cases you can eat MORE and still consume less calories. As one camper pointed out, learning to love good clean healthy food can take some time but in the end, HOW YOU FEEL will prove to you that it is worthwhile (aside from the scale).


In the meantime, I will be posting some of my favourite recipes in upcoming posts. You are more than welcome to include yours too in fact I'm begging you to!! I run out of ideas sometimes myself.....
 
Oh and one more thing...when you plan your week be sure to include a few meals/snacks to break the rules a little. If you deprive yourself of your favourite foods (even the not so healthy ones) you are setting yourself up to fail! And isn't the whole point of this to set up for success?

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! Thanks for stopping by! Here I will share my thoughts, tips, questions, advice, inspiration and motivation as well as probably a few questions along the way. Join me as I work to help discover my own definition of balance and hopefully help you find yours!

In today's society we struggle each and every day with family, kids, spouses, home, work, social commitments, volunteering, self esteem and self image, financial issues, health, fitness, nutrition, stress, stress and often more stress.....the list is endless! How do you find a way to balance it all to ensure your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health? Well that's where I come in, it is my passion to help you do just that, as I live it and work on it myself. You see, as much I have read and studied this stuff, I find my balance shifting each and every day - and so it life. We all need to learn strategies to keep ourselves on an even keel.

Each and every one of us is out of balance in one area or another that's for sure! My imbalance might be physical while yours might be more spiritual or even vocational, and it changes often. No matter where the trouble lies, there is a way to restore optimal health and wellness in our lives. It is my goal to share with you some of my tips to do just that. Will you join me and also walk your own path as we discover our definition of balance?