A month after my 10 Day Transformational Cleanse…

Lots of people have been asking me for a follow up of the 10 day cleanse that I completed a month ago, so here it is in no particular order.

1. My body went back to my late 20s body and has stayed there (lean mass, weight, fat percentage).  Whatever rut I was in (aging, hormonal, out of balance eating) had put some extra fluff on my body that wasn’t budging.  Now, before those that know me say I’m crazier than we already know I am, being as connected to my body as I am can be a blessing and a curse so I feel every shift in my body.  So when I had the extra 5 or 6 pounds that wasn’t going anywhere I felt very uncomfortable in my skin, very out of balance.  I was eating my typical healthy foods but like I tell everyone, if you eat the wrong foods for the phase of life you are in, or out of balance in general, it will eventually show up (in health, weight, hormones, etc).  I have only gained back 1 pound of the weight I lost on the cleanse.

2. I feel so much more balanced in my body!  I feel back in a groove with my eating, my hormones are balanced and it’s much easier to maintain this balance.  I am having amazing workouts, feel very strong and powerful and the aminos are giving me more bang for my buck!

3. It definitely changed my cravings and overall food desires/ratios.  I crave my superfood/ super green drinks every day and feel the difference when I don’t have that burst of alive foods in my body.  I love how sharp my mind is, how focused, energized and creative I continue to be and how I feel optimally supported overall by my food choices.

4. It made me fall deeper in love with the aminos!  WOW I love those pills!!  😉 I was feeling like it was getting much harder for me to maintain my muscle definition as I aged even though my workouts were very intense and varied.  Now my body looks like it did in my late 20s, just with better muscle maturity due to my lifestyle.  I’m bulky by NO means, just lean with definition.  The aminos do SO MUCH MORE than help to maintain weight, they also balance blood sugar, help with brain function, energize and build stamina.  I would highly recommend listening to this from the doctor that created the tablets.  I think almost all of my clients are on these (as a supplement) and loving their results as well:

Click to Listen: http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WTPQvYQ7

Click to Download: http://audio007.audioacrobat.com/download/audioacrobat-8675-u-1727214-s-4.audio.mp3

5. It has made me gravitate towards lighter foods and very focused on how my body feels during and after my meals and snacks. I eat less and stop when I’m full instead of mindlessly eating as I hurry throughout the day.

I continue to love how this experience changed my body and mind, how it continues to transform my lifestyle and make me healthier (yes, I can always be healthier!!).  I still drink the Power Shake and/or LOVE Supermeal every day, I take 5 to 10 aminos a day depending on what I’m doing and what I have time to eat.  Sometimes my breakfast and snacks consist of the shakes along with the aminos if my day is packed, I’m always focused and energized and able to maintain my busy schedule with these nutrients alone.  I have implemented my “day of fasting” back into my weekly routine, which I’ve done on an off for 2 decades.  I take a day off every week and just drink my shakes and take my pills and I usually look forward to that day because I LOVE how it makes me feel.

I’m getting amazing feedback from others reclaiming their health.  The stories are so inspiring, stop by and read some and let me know when you’re interested in trying this transformation yourself.  I’ll actually be doing an athletic cleanse next, probably in a month or so and I can’t wait!!

http://www.facebook.com/10daytransformationalcleanse

Live…Love…be ALIVE!

 

 

Almost there! Cleansing, Day 9

Wow, what a day!  Let me start with last night….my energy continued to tank as the day progressed.  I’ll say this again, the interesting thing about this cleanse, for me, is that even though my physical energy might be low my mental energy is high and clear!  So I’m able to focus on my clients and their needs, take care of my family, as well as write this blog with ease (but I would never claim to be a writer so take it as it is!).  🙂   As I was getting ready for bed I was trying to figure out why I was so exhausted, why my body was warm for the first time since being on the cleanse, why the sudden shift?  And then it dawned on me!  At my 4pm flex food I had cucumber slices with copious amounts of cayenne pepper  (I love cayenne!).  I know cayenne is detoxifying but wasn’t really focused on that at the time.  It was after that I became so tired I fell asleep on the couch!  I was exhausted! After I realized what I had done, I reconciled myself to bed and knew tomorrow (today) would be another day.  I write about this for education, understanding that everyone is different and will have their own unique experience.

Ok, back to today….I woke up much better and rested, excited for my Qi Gong session at a local studio (Brookhaven Fitness) with Mauro,  a close friend and deeply spiritual being.  He runs the studio with his beautiful wife Rachel and I have known and loved them both for many years.  Anyway….my session was powerful and cleansing, I absolutely loved it and was so excited to incorporate this healing modality into my transformation cleanse.  Throughout the session I could feel the energy shift and move through my body, my intention was to “cleanse and release energies that no longer support my highest and best good”.  It was a deeply moving experience for me and one that I hope to incorporate into my regular routine.  I have been familiar with the benefits of Qi Gong for decades but had only done it a few times, none recent.   Qi Gong is deeply healing and a very powerful way to connect with the body.  I would HIGHLY recommend this, especially during cleansing, for it’s healing benefits.

After my session the best way I can describe myself was “cleansed”, I felt light, clear, grounded.  My energy today has been good, not as high as previous days but definitely not as low as yesterday!  Perhaps nine consecutive days with no food has caught up with me.  Today I found myself craving variety and tired of the redundancy of the cleanse protocol.  These were just thoughts I observed but nothing that I gave energy to, nothing I fed.  I don’t know that I necessarily miss food as much as I miss the rituals around it.  But again, for me it’s important to implement balance and taking a break from eating for 10 days out of the year is necessary for my own personal and spiritual growth.

So this concludes day 9,  one day to go.  I don’t feel I’m limping to the finish line, I’m sprinting with great ease, focus and commitment.  I was talking to a friend today that has been following my blog and said because I’m such a positive person I made this cleanse sound easy and joked that I needed more drama in my posts! Lol! The truth about me is that I approach things with a strong, positive mind and am very focused on my intention.  I write like I talk, I’m sure you’ve picked up I’m not the next Ernest Hemingway, but my heart and passion is to help people see a new perspective, show that there is amazing power in the mind and what you focus on you create.  My focus and intention all along was to have a spiritually cleansing experience, to finish as strong as I started, to allow my body to flow through these days with ease and grace, to release toxins that no longer supported health in my body, to rejuvenate and reset my DNA, and I have accomplished this all.  Its easy to be successful in an action that is in complete alignment with my soul’s passion and purpose.

Live…Love…Be ALIVE!

 

Interesting Day 8, Cleansing

After my highly energetic day yesterday I had high hopes for today.  I was so energetic last night I had to make myself go to sleep at 11:30pm because I knew I needed the rest.  As always, I slept great and woke refreshed and energized.  I expected a repeat of yesterday so petal to the metal and I’m out the door ready for another productive day!

I did my weight and measurements this morning, I’ve been logging this for myself along the way, and I’ve lost inches (total) in my thighs, waste and hips, exactly where I wanted to.  Weight was never my goal or purpose but I was definitely excited to see the results of my Summer vacations vanish!  🙂 Sometimes I feel being as connected to my body as I am can be a blessing and a curse, I feel all the slight shifts and am still working on accepting this and allowing my body to ebb and flow through these cycles.  But this is for another blog…. My weight is down 5 pounds which is too low for me so I’ll be intentional to balance this out by continuing to increase my muscle mass after the cleanse (why I love the aminos!!).

I started today with a bang then hit a wall about 2pm and became tired.  I’ve been slightly “hungry” this afternoon, the hunger I get when my body is looking for energy, so I ate a small cucumber at my 4pm window and felt a little better.  Obviously my body went a little deeper in my cleansing and asked for rest in order to do this which I obliged.  It’s not a sleepy, take a nap tired, for me it’s more of a slow down and rest your body tired.  Luckily my schedule this afternoon allowed me this rest and I was able to do work from my computer.  Tonight I’ll be retiring early, continuing to honor my body through this process and give the rest it needs.

This entire process continues to bring me to an awareness of my “food story”, of how I view and relate to food, what my thoughts are about it, how my willpower and discipline play into this.  I’ve always had a certain level of self-control so years of practice being a mindful eater, not choosing foods that didn’t feel good, and observing the chatter in my head has created a strength I’m thankful for.  But no matter how long I’ve been practicing health for myself I always have the opportunity to grow, to learn more about who I am, what shapes my thoughts which shapes my actions, and to let go of old patterns and idea that no longer serve me.  This is why I cleanse, I stay in a place of acceptance and allow the process to strengthen me, mind, body and soul.

 

 

Reflection, Cleanse Day 7

I find it so interesting what this cleanse has done for me, how my mind has expanded through this process.   I have always felt that cleansing, fasting, wasn’t really about “not eating”, it’s much more about the quieting of the mind and observation of the constant chatter in the head, it’s about allowing the body to process and release toxins wether physical or emotional, or both, and really allowing the process to renew both mind and body. Sometimes, quite often, I look for the monumental shifts, the big breakthroughs in my personal growth, instead of paying attention to all the small ones.  This week has been a series of small ones and for this I am deeply grateful.  I have realized that there are many thoughts that I no longer need to hold on to, so I let them go.  This cleanse has really been a soulful healing in “releasing”, a deep cleanse of my heart and soul that longs for a depth of living and loving that can only be truly accessed with my whole being.  I desire to live passionately with great purpose and the constant renewal of myself- mind, body and soul- is required for this.  So many shifts are happening in my life, in my business, in how I view the world and how the world views me.  I’m excited about the amazing possibilities before me and the limitless opportunities to become what I was created to become. Life is to short to not live every moment passionately!

All this from a cleanse?  Yes.  This was my intention all along, this is why I cleanse.  I know when my body is cleansed, my mind is cleansed and I’m able to access life from the depths.  If I don’t take care of my temple then how can it be used as a vessel to leave a legacy, to make a difference? Constant evolving and transforming is my becoming, this is what I was created for.

So….It was another great day, my energy was high, I was able to workout, be very productive and creative in my business and maximize my day.  My workout was energizing and renewing, I didn’t push myself or try to break any personal strength records. I’m still not hungry but I ate half an avocado twice today because I like how incorporating the foods keep things “moving” in my intestines.  🙂 I’m sleeping great and waking refreshed, I could get addicted to this whole process, the cleansing, personal growth, challenging the mind, the forcing to be present….I love it all!

Only 3 more days to go….I’m not anticipating the end and dying for this to be over.  What I miss the most is my husbands cooking but taking this break has been amazing.  This might just become my seasonal cleansing ritual….

Live…Love…Be ALIVE!

 

Cleansing Time! Day 2….

“Make the most of yourself….for that is all there is of you.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

It’s Day 2 of my cleanse and so far so good!  I slept great last night and woke up renewed and refreshed.  I spent some time this morning journaling about this experience and how I can allow this to create a deeper awareness of myself, my body, how I can maximize this time of cleansing.  For me, this is never just about cleansing the body, it’s about cleansing the mind as well and allowing this to truly be a transformational experience. I’m observing my thoughts and find it so fascinating to see what comes up at certain times of the day out of habit and routine, and what my subconscious relationship towards these thoughts are.  I’m bringing awareness into each moment, each thought, each action and being intentional about what I create with my choices.  Cleanses always remind me why great spiritual masters always incorporated fasting and cleanses into their lifestyles and how powerful a tool it can be in our spiritual journey.

I did much better at following the protocol today although I still didn’t do great.  I decided to put alarms in my phone to keep me on track, this should remedy the situation.  😉  I have had a certain metallic taste in my mouth which is what my body does when cleansing, this just lets me know it’s working!  I’m still not hungry but felt very “light” and ungrounded early afternoon so decided to incorporate one of the flex foods into the routine.  I chose half an avocado and it definitely helped my body feel less “detached”, I love that this cleanse has this option (flex foods) without throwing the entire program off.  I’ve done many cleanses that made me feel like my head was in the clouds the entire time and it was very difficult to take care of my family and work! My activity level was low today, tomorrow will be a much more active day so we will see how I do with more activity. I’m really listening to my body and letting it take the lead.

It’s been another great day, a day of thankfulness to be on this journey, to be thankful for this home I have to live in called my body and all the amazing ways it takes care of me, despite me.  I am passionately grateful for this blessing of health.

I’m Cleansing! Day One…

Yes, it’s that time again, I’ve decided to cleanse and today is my first day. I’ve cleansed many, many times before over the past 20 years so this definitely isn’t my first rodeo. 🙂 I find cleanses to be amazingly healing to my body, mind and soul. I truly find the entire process fascinating as I always use this time to dig deep, to listen to my body, to see my habits and access if they are beneficial, to observe my thoughts and as my senses sharpen, learn where I am and how I need to adjust to maximize my potential in life, to maximize my purpose. You might be thinking “this lady is crazy, how does she get all this from a cleanse, from not eating for 10 days!”, and to that I would say follow my blog, learn a little about me and that alone will confirm your thoughts, I am a little off my rocker (but I really like it that way!). 🙂

I am doing the 10 Day Transformational Cleanse by Purium. This cleanse is composed of a 100% organic green drink, Master amino proteins to maintain lean muscle mass, and Apothe-cherry to inoculate your body with antioxidants and help you relax and sleep. I’ve done this before but this time I’m blogging about it in attempts to encourage others, and possibly entice them to do it, too. So many people are intimidated by any type of cleanse or fast, I’m always explaining that it’s such a powerful and healing act that everyone can benefit in some capacity. The benefits are endless but if we are talking strictly physical then you can log these as the top 10:

1. Rest your digestion
2. Control cravings
3. Reset metabolism to break the processed food culture
4. Increase energy
5. Stop brain fog (mental clarity)
6. Address & ease health issues
7. Motivation to start eating healthier
8. Prepare the body to accept better quality foods
9. Improve gut function
10. Weight loss – the brilliant side effect!

My personal goal and intention for this cleanse is to rest my digestion and internal organs and allow them to reset, cleanse and rejuvenate. I will be using this time to observe myself and see if there are any habits that I’ve incorporated that don’t serve my optimal health in this phase of my life. And I will use this time to deepen my spiritual health and well being as well. I live a healthy lifestyle, I practice what I preach, but this doesn’t exempt me from the need for resting and cleansing, it’s something we all need.

So my first day I’m busy and not always focused on my cleansing schedule. I was late drinking the shakes and taking my aminos, I will do better tomorrow. I have to get use to the taste of the Greens as they are very sweet for my taste. The shake has various fruits and veggies that are sweeter than what I’m use to, but for me, the taste is very tolerable and I have no problem with it. I’ve had more than enough energy and love that I feel light but nourished (this is actually one of my favorite feelings when I cleanse). For me, the first day is easy. I weighed myself and took my measurements early this morning even though weight loss is not a particular goal for me. But I would love a little more lean muscle mass, the older I get the harder it is to maintain my muscle mass for sure! So if I can gain some lean mass I’m all for it. 😉

So this is the conclusion of day one. I feel great and am excited about the next 9 days. It will be an amazing journey no matter what!

Spring Cleaning Anyone?

One thing I see often with clients is they don’t understand that their health evolves and changes just like their body, soul and mind does. The foods, thoughts, ideas, beliefs that nourished them in their 20s is quite different than what nourishes in the 30s, 40s, 50s, etc. Understanding that what was beneficial, what “worked” at one time won’t necessarily “work” forever as each person’s health is cumulative of their lifestyle choices over time. I hear countless stories of weight gain, exhaustion, insomnia, inability to lose weight, among the many many others, not understanding that these symptoms are the result of improper eating for their body and lifestyle, hormonal imbalances, mineral deficiencies. The true key is learning to listen to our bodies, to flow with the natural rhythms of life, to understand that you can’t “fix” something with the same mindset that created the issue.

Spring in Ayurveda is known as KAPHA season and CLEANSING is highly recommended to REJUVENATE the body as well as the mind. Traditionally, in many cultures around the world there has been some type of cleansing, specifically in the spring, to help lift the heaviness of winter (physically, emotionally and spiritually). I love to bring in this season of new birth, new life, with a cleanse. All cleanses have physical, emotional and spiritual components to them, a time of shedding the heaviness of extra weight, thoughts, emotions from winter. We all go through seasons in our own life just as the environmental seasons example for us. For everyone in life there is a time of death (Winter) a shedding of the old to create space for the new (Spring). Will you use this time of renewal, of rejuvenation? Will you create space for new growth?

If you’re ready to commit to yourself for a little “Spring cleaning” then I’d love to support and encourage you in your creation of new growth! I have seen beautiful results from a 10 day transformation cleanse with myself and my clients, most expressing to me their excitement over weight loss, elimination of brain fog, mental and emotional clarity, a feeling of a “fresh start“, a “lighter feeling“, energy, stamina, better workouts, heightened senses, hormonal balance.  This is just some of the feedback I’ve received….and experienced myself!  I’ve always been one to promote healthy, organic, balanced cleanses to reduce toxic load in the body.  No matter what you choose as your Spring Cleaning tool you will benefit greatly from making this decision for yourself.  As always, I support each person to find what they connect with, what aligns with who they are, their values and beliefs, and go with that.  We are all unique and what speaks to one might not speak to another, and that’s ok!  If this cleanse sounds like something you’d like to commit to, that aligns with your personal goals, then contact me, I’d love to support you!

No matter your path, I pray you experience a magnificently BEAUTIFUL Spring cleaning!

LIVE…LOVE…BE ALIVE!

How do you love thee, let us count the ways….

I’ve been a student of health and wellness for longer than I’ve been alive. My personal journey began about 20 years ago with my own health challenges as it does with so many people.  My story is uniquely mine, just as your story is uniquely yours.  I have learned that knowing what best nourishes my body, soul and mind is crucial to creating health.  I’ve learned that when I detox my body I detox my mind, there is no separation in these two.  I have learned that my body changes through the seasons and embracing these changes, flowing and dancing with the magnificence of it all is a gift.  I love how each day presents new experiences and new ways for me to know my body more intimately.  Most people I know don’t understand and love their body intimately, I hear it from my clients all day and it’s so sad to hear.  As I believe we are masterfully and Divinely created, there is such amazing joy in being intimately acquainted with such an intricate, complex, superior creation.  So I wonder, do you know yourself intimately?  Have you ever thought of this, of knowing your body, it’s nuances, it’s praises, it’s loathing? Have you ever made connections to the foods you eat and the life you live, the power of your thoughts, the energy of the body, the fires within, and how they are all connected?  How do you express this deep connection within YOU?

Ladies, can you feel me…?

If I based my self confidence, my self worth, on the digits of the scale, I’m pretty sure I would need a steady dose of anti-depressants and standing appointments with my therapist.  Depending on the time of day, time of month, time of year, I would need anywhere from a mild dose to a heavy dose depending on how loud the voices were inside my head.  “You’re a little chunky these days!”  Or, “What are you eating???!! Looks like you need to make some adjustments.   Maybe you should detox…”  And on and on the internal  stories go.  I am no different from the beautiful clients I work with whose negative self talk is so evident, they are amazing mirrors for me to see the truth within myself.  This is a part of my current growth, how society has so warped what is beautiful and what is healthy in the female body.  It’s sad that we are so far removed from celebrating the curves, the amazing ability to carry another life, the femininity that we were created with.  Women are more critical of other women, in my experience, and judge based on the numbers on the scale, on how skinny you are perceived to be.  When I have conversations with my clients, I am having conversations with myself.  We are all uniquely and beautifully made and we each have a choice how we will express this in our bodies.  I have certainly come far from feeling the only thing I had control over was my body so starving it and denying it pleasure were my choices.  I’ve worked hard at creating my balance and continue to work on this within myself.  I’m thankful for these times of reflection that I can choose to create another internal dialogue, one that goes more like, “Thank you, body, for all you do for me!  Thank you for nurturing two lives and producing beautiful healthy children.  Thank you for your strength, for your softness, for your ability to energize me daily.  Thank you for responding to my healthy choices.  You are beautiful, created by God, wonderfully made!”.  I honor my body back with the choices I make that I feel creates health for me and encourage the same for my clients.  I envision a day, soon, that we as women embrace and love the bodies given us, honor ourselves by our speak, choices, and thoughts, and truly live into the unique and beautiful shapes that create the home we live in.

What is your balance?

This is what I personally practice and what I teach my clients~ the key to creating health is learning to find our own personal balance. As I have learned what foods and nutrients best benefit my body over the years, I have created a substantial “tool box” for myself that I am able to access given what I intuitively feel my body needs at the time.  As with everything in nature, nothing is in a constant state of growth (weight gain, muscle building, intellect…), and nothing is in a constant state of loss (weight loss anyone??), there is no permanent Summer, Spring….Winter…. Everything cycles, within everything there are seasons, and it’s understanding what your body needs given your mental, emotional, physical, spiritual states at the time that create the environment to truly maximize your potential and live life to the fullest. This is what I do, connect with myself, learn, grow, evolve, so that I can guide and educate my clients to do the same. To connect to our intuition, listen to our own inner voice, practicing silence in order to hear, and choosing powerfully in each moment to create a beautiful life, this is what Transformational Health is all about.

Make it a great day!