Oops...I did it again!

I tell my clients over and over to prepare - prepare for the week, prepare for a cleanse, prepare before you go to the grocery store.  Well yesterday I was given a personal reminder - MENTALLY PREPARE BEFORE YOU MAKE A CHANGE!  Yesterday I started my cleanse week.  I had crowded out coffee, sweets and chocolate.  I had made a meal plan.  I had gone to the grocery store.  I had even prepped the veggies and made a soup.  I even went to the gym the day before and did a hard workout so Tuesday would be my off day.  I thought I was prepared to start.  What I had not done was cleared my stress calendar! 

I am a routine person and I like things a certain way.  I had been gone for a few weeks and my husband and I keep the house differently.  So part of my preparation for the cleanse should have included lessening my stress by getting the house back in order before I start the cleanse.  Why?  Because when you are working on losing weight and/or detoxifying your body, you want to eliminate stressors.  Most of us are emotional eaters.  Stress wears on us and then clouds our judgement.  For me, stress makes me tired and then I don't want to eat or cook.  Then a migraine comes in full force with nausea and pain.  Then it is lying in bed and take out.

So this morning, I am cleaning up the kitchen and the house so I can function in my day to day and restart the cleanse.  By making this new plan, I feel good and excited about starting again!  I look forward to the results.

Remember, stress causes us to make poor eating choices and eating healthy helps us deal with stress better.  This is why working on your primary foods is just as important as eating more fruits and vegetables.  When something gets in your way of success, deal with it and make a plan to move on!

Diet or Live It

Today I am frustrated and saddened.  We are currently living in a world where quality food and education are a luxury expense instead of a necessity.  We spend BILLIONS of dollars on doctors and health care that does nothing to improve our health!  Every year we complain and grumble about the lack of improvement in our health and how expensive a doctor visit is, but we keep seeing the same doctor year after year feeling worse and worse.  At the same time, we refuse to spend a little extra money at the grocery store for foods that are filled with nutrients the body needs to live, foods that have been around for thousands of years and foods that we know are better for us.


Do you know that if you take the money AWAY from your doctor and put it in your own hands as money for food (organic, whole, and raw foods) and tools for health (i.e. a water filtering system, a juicer and a Health Coach) a few things will happen:
1.  Your health will improve.  This is a guarantee.  God created food specifically to feed our body just as it is.  Our body knows exactly what to do with that food and our body can heal itself. 
2.  Doctors will start paying attention to what we want and need.  Right now doctors are overwhelmed.  They are constrained by their education (or lack thereof), company rules, the insurance industry and the "big money" pharmaceutical industry.  They are listening to the loudest voices.
3.  The price of real whole foods will go down.  Our government (the exact same people who create the food pyramids) currently subsidizes corn, beef and dairy farmers.  If consumers refuse to spend their money where there is a lack of nutrients and start shopping with local organic farmers and at farmer's markets, we will see a shift in how much food costs and what becomes more readily available.

Please find out where there is an organic farm, co-op, health food store and farmer's market near you.  Begin to change your purchasing habits.  Take your family to see where their food comes from.  Learn how to read labels and what to look for.  Ask your grocery store manager if they have a nutrition expert or food ambassador on-site to help you make healthy choices.  Take charge of your life and demand the best!  When you budget for groceries, include expenses like education and supplements.  If your budget is too tight for healthy foods, look at other areas you can improve (start cleaning with vinegar and baking soda instead of all those other products) and put the saved money in your grocery budget.

We can make a difference!

Patti Porter
My Healthy Helper
myhealthyhelper@gmail.com

Authentic Friendships

"Let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24 and "Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." James 5:16.  In these two scriptures, God shows us the importance of community and encouragement.  I started thinking about how this is not only essential to a healthy spiritual life and growth, but also to improving your health and losing weight.  I call this Primary Foods. 

What words describe your relationship life?

Community - Do you have authentic friends you can confess your challenges to?  Do you have a network of love and support?

Encouragement - What encourages you?  Who are the supportive people in your life?  Do you encourage yourself by celebrating your victories?

What stops us from reaching out to others?

Now I encourage you to find someone you can be open and honest with and confess.  Write your confession on a piece of paper.  Pray together, lifting your confession up to the foot of the cross.  Let it go by ripping it up as you hear the words: "God has forgiven you, God loves you, and so do we."  Thank God in all things!

What's Love Got To Do With It

I am re-posting this from last year!

Who's idea was it to put Valentine's Day and Heart Health in the same month?

Why does it matter?

Valentine's Day is associated with chocolate and candy (aka SUGAR).  I have talked about sugar before, but do you know how it relates to Heart Disease? 

Excess sugar is converted to fat - most of our body fat comes from ingested sugar, not ingested fat.  This conversion is facilitated by insulin.  Here's the process:

Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose (sugar) in our body, and this raises our blood sugar.  Insulin is then secreted by the pancreas to lower our blood sugar, but in the process, insulin promotes storage of fat and the elevation of cholesterol levels.  Insulin also inhibits the breakdown of (loss of) previously stored fat.  Insulin tends to block lipolysis, the conversion of fat back to glucose.  So, individuals with elevated insulin levels have a more difficult time burning fat for energy.  Insulin is now recognized as causing the development of arteriosclerotic plaques in or on the walls of blood vessels.  In addition, insulin is now known to cause cardiac enlargement, or left ventricular hypertrophy (the chamber involved in 99% of heart attacks). 

Heard enough?  Here are some alternatives to sweeten up your Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Ice Cream (4 servings)
4 bananas, peeled
4oz unsweetened chocolate
3 Tbsp water
In a bowl, mash the bananas.  Melt chocolate with water in the top of a double boiler.  Add melted chocolate and water to bananas, stir and freeze before serving.

Banana Tortilla
1 (6-inch) wheat tortilla
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
1 banana
2 Tbsp raisins
Lay tortilla flat.  Spread peanut butter and honey on tortilla.  Place banana in the middle and sprinkle in the raisins.  Wrap and serve.

Banana Cheesecake in a Cup (serves 4)
1 cup large curd cottage cheese
2 ripe bananas, frozen
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp honey
4 tsp chopped toasted pecans
cinnamon
Puree cottage cheese in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Add frozen bananas, vanilla and honey, processing just until bananas are incorporated.  Divide into small bowls.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans and cinnamon; serve immediately.

Seasonal Fruits
Bananas - year round
Grapefruit and Oranges - December to March
Pears and Tangerines - November to February

My Healthy Helper

DO YOU HAVE YOUR COPY OF THE COOKBOOK?
NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT? Join the 14 Day Cleanse Program starting in March!!

http://www.myhealthyhelperonline.com/
myhealthyhelper@gmail.com

My Healthy Helper Programs, 14 Day Cleanse

This is the third of the programs available through My Healthy Helper.

The 14 Day Cleanse Program is a great jump start to your weight loss. If you are currently taking medication, it is safe to continue taking your medications during this cleanse.  This cleanse is great for detoxing and should be done before you start a weight loss program.  I also recommend doing this program 2-4 times a year! 

The first week is about crowding out.  You will replace all your beverages with water (if you are a coffee drinker, you can have green tea this week).  You will also replace all your white flour, breads, pastas and white rice with whole grains.  You will replace fast food and processed foods with homemade meals (recipes included).  Your green leafy vegetable intake will be increase.  During this week, you will prepare for the second week by cleaning out all the junk from your kitchen, making a fruit & veggie wash (recipe included), and preparing foods on a prep day.

The next seven days is a plant-based food meal plan (included with recipes) that eliminates all animal products, caffeine, sugar, alcohol and gluten.  The meal plan is created to cleanse the colon, liver and kidneys.  This will help eliminate toxins from the body, aid digestion, improve the immune system and jump start your body's weight loss.


At the end of the cleanse program, you will have begun losing weight and have more energy. You will slowly begin re-introducing grains and dairy (if you want!!) back into your diet.  For some, this can be a perfect time to go gluten or dairy-free.  The week after the cleanse will include time to reflect on how your body feels and what you want to do next for your health.  Many will choose to step up their efforts and start buying organic foods and eliminating other unhealthy toxins from their life, like cleaning products, after completing this cleansing program. 

The cost of this program is $45.  That includes:

Recipes

Meal plans

A pre-cleanse consultation

Unlimited personal email support

Group support through a weekly Q&A conference call

The 14 Day Cleanse Program PDF guide

Daily motivational emails

A private follow up consultation

This is a group program that runs monthly.  The space is limited in each group and you must register at least a week before the start date.  The next available program begins Saturday, March 16th (Registration closes at the end of the day March 9th) and the first Q&A conference call will be that day at 10am CST.

To learn more or to register for any of My Healthy Helper's programs, please contact:
Patricia Porter at 630-697-6932 or myhealthyhelper@gmail.com

Support and Encouragement

Living a balanced life should not be lived alone!

As with everything else in life, it is important to have supportive people around you when you are on the weight loss journey.  Family and friends that are encouraging and will also listen to your struggles are more than a tool needed to succeed.  They are a necessity.  Do you have someone you can share the ups and downs with? 

There are many groups of people going through the same or similar challenges and achievements that you can join.  Besides, my 8-week group coaching, there are groups on Facebook, local bible studies (look for a group doing First Place 4 Health) and support groups on Meetup.com.

As your coach, I am here to encourage, motivate and support.  I am willing and able to answer questions and lend an ear.  It is important for me to hear the challenges you are having.  This is your journey and I am here to help, teach and guide you!  Share with me how you like to be encouraged in the comments below!!

One key suggestion I can give you early on in your journey:

Celebrate your victories.  During Week 1 of my one-on-one coaching, I give clients the assignment of replacing their regular beverages with water all week.  This can be an easy step or it can be a major challenge, depending on the person.  Either way, when you make the effort and replace that first beverage with a glass of water, you have accomplished the very first step to achieve your ultimate weight loss goals.  CELEBRATE!!  When a baby starts pulling itself up to stand and then starts to take steps, even when assisted, parents pull out the video camera, call their family and friends, post videos on Facebook, jump up and down clapping and shouting...this may seem silly, but CELEBRATE EVERY LITTLE ACHIEVEMENT!!

I look forward to hearing about your successes and challenges.  Don't forget to post a comment about how you like to be encouraged!!

Smoothies

I have a few people ask me about smoothies lately, so here are a few of the recipes I use in my diet and in my programs.  If you don't have a blender or a Magic Bullet or Nutri-Bullet, I suggest getting a personal-sized blender, like the Hamilton Beach one they sell at Wal-Mart for $15. 

Smoothies make great on-the-go breakfasts or snacks.  If you are having a smoothie for breakfast, be aware that some smoothies have a lot of fruit in them and that means a lot of sugar (even though it is natural sugars in the fruit).  I recommend either saving these smoothies for an afternoon pick-me-up or pairing it with plenty of whole grains and vegetables to lower the impact on your blood sugars.

Spinach Smoothie: (Makes 1-2) Blend 1 cup spinach, ½ cup pineapple chunks, ½ cup plain Kefir, 1 medium banana, 1 cup water.  For more nutrients, I recommend replacing 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup Bolthouse 100% Carrot Juice.

Cilantro Surprise Smoothie:  Blend 1 cup almond milk, 1 cup coconut water, 1 cup papaya or frozen mango, 1 cup cilantro, 8 large fresh or frozen strawberries, 4 dates until smooth. *This is a great detoxing smoothie for removing metals from the body. 

Big Breakfast Smoothie:  (Makes 2) Blend 3/4 cup water, 1 banana, 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 3 cups spinach,  1 apple (peeled and cored), 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/4 avocado, 2 Roma or vine tomatoes, and 1 whole carrot.

Spicy Blood Mary Lover's Smoothie:  (Makes 1-2) Blend 8 vine or roma tomatoes on high.  Add 2 large red bell peppers, 1-2 white onion slices, 4 large celery stalks, 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tsp celery salt, 1 Tbsp chili powder, dash cayenne pepper, and 1/4 avocado.

Fruit Smoothie:  Blend 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk, 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, 1/4 banana, and 1/2 cup ice.

Main Squeeze Summer Smoothie:  (Makes 2) Blend 1 1/2 cups ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced, 1 cup raspberries, 1 banana, peeled and sliced, 1 cup orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed).

Apple Pie Smoothie:  (ice optional)  Peel and cut one apple.  Combine apple with 2 Tbsp wheat germ, 3/4 cup plain yogurt, tsp pure vanilla extract, sprinkle cinnamon or apple pie spice.

The above smoothie recipes and more can be found in the My Healthy Helper cookbook! 

If you have a juicer, Dr Oz has a great Kale, Pineapple and Ginger Detox recipe:  Juice 1/2 cup pineapple, 2 large cucumbers, 1 bunch kale without the skins (4 cups chopped), 1/2 lemon squeezed, 1/4 inch of ginger and 1 bunch of mint (1/2 cup).

 

A daily journal

The key and one of the most important steps in the Eat Smart System is keeping a daily journal.  Research shows that people that keep a basic journal (just writing down what you eat) lose more weight than those that don't!  

If you're using pen and paper, buy a regular spiral notebook, or go for a pre-organized book like the My Healthy Helper 30-day journal.  A good smartphone app and websites are myfitnesspal.com and sparkpeople.com.  Write down the time you ate, what you ate, and how much you ate. Make a habit of jotting notes right after you eat.  Include every single bite, lick, and taste (anything larger than a crumb counts). And don't forget to keep track of your sips. Even the most diligent diarists often forget to include the glass of white wine they had at dinner and their 3 p.m. handful of M&Ms.  Your journal can also consist of much more than a simple food diary. It can contain detailed information about your exercise efforts, your feelings and behaviors -- whatever will raise self-awareness and keep your enthusiasm, determination and optimism at a consistently high level.

Researchers from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research followed more than 2,000 dieters who were encouraged to record meals and snacks.  They found that the single best predictor of whether a participant would drop weight was whether the person kept a food diary. It trumped exercise habits, age, and body mass index. The number of pounds people lost was directly related to the number of days they wrote in their log.

It's easy to overlook bites, licks, and tastes. But that's a huge mistake — there are 25 calories, on average, in each mouthful. Translation: Six little bites a day add up to around 15 extra pounds a year.


Adopting the practice of journaling will not only help you to succeed in your efforts to lose weight, but you also can use journaling to assist you in reaching other desired goals and aspirations, in order to have a more successful and fulfilling life experience.

My Healthy Helper Programs, 8 Week Group

The second program you can choose from is the 8 Week Group.  Starting Monday, March 4, 2013 at 9pm CST and for every Monday for a total of 8 weeks, we'll have a group conference call at 9pm CST.  On the calls, we will cover that week's topic, review your action steps and have a Q& A Session.  This is a great opportunity to start eating healthier or jump start your weight loss!  By the end of the 8 weeks you will have the knowledge to plan, shop, cook and eat healthy and already will have experienced a joyful energy!!

You Get:
*Initial Health History Consultation
*8 weekly coaching sessions
*8 weekly action plans
*Recipes and meal plans
*Access to a private Eat Smart Facebook group
*Access to recorded coaching sessions
*Daily Inspirational emails
*One-on-one coaching session (phone or Skype)

BONUS:  The entire Meal Planning Program (videos & materials)
BONUS:  The Grocery Store Tour video

Join by February 14th, and your investment is only $99.  (After 2/14 at 11:59pm CST, the cost goes up to $150 - that's a savings of over $50!)  I am limiting this group to 10 so sign up now!!

An overview of each week:

Week 1:  Be Prepared

Week 2: Cleansing

Week 3: Physical Activity

Week 4:  Primary Foods

Week 5:  Deconstructing Cravings

Week 6:  Breakfast Experiment

Week 7:   Food Pyramids and MyPlate

Week 8:  Take care of yourself

Frequently Asked Questions:
I might need to miss a class or two?  NO Worries.  All classes are recorded, and you'll get your weekly action plan via email after each class.

I'm already so stressed and time starved - how will I have time for this?  1.  We start with a couple changes at a time, and keep building over the entire 8 weeks, so it's not a huge landslide of information.  2.  With the bonus Meal Planning Program, you will learn how to shop, plan and cook smart so you have more time to do what you love to do.  You will also experience a new found joy and energy from eating smarter.

Will I be able to ask questions?  Yes.  Each call will have a Q&A session for individual questions, plus you'll have access to the online community which I will manage between classes.  If you have a question, someone else is probably also wondering the same thing.

My Healthy Helper Programs, One-on-One Coaching

The first program you can choose from is the one-on-one coaching.  This is a 6-month program.  Here we take the Eat Smart System and break it into weekly lessons and action plans.

You receive:

• An initial Health History Consultation.
• A weekly action plan.
• Daily inspirational emails.
• A 30-day journal each month.
• Personalized meal plans and recipes from the Meal Planning Program.
• 2-50 minute one-on-one coaching calls (over the phone or on Skype) each month, for a total of 12.
• Free admission to any special events I host (a great opportunity if there is one in your local area).
• Access to the Eat Smart System video library.
• A grocery store tour, either locally or on video.
• A copy of the My Healthy Helper's Eat Smart System Cookbook.
• Continual motivation and email support during your journey.

The cost is $570 paid in full for the 6 months (a savings of $180) or monthly payments of $125.  I accept all major credit cards and paypal. 

I recommend this program:
1. If your goal is to lose weight, 15 lbs or more.
2. If your goal is to reduce or eliminate medications from high cholesterol, high blood pressure and acid reflux/heartburn.
3. If your goal is to incorporate healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle into your home for you or your whole family.

In this program, not only do you receive the tools and the knowledge to change your habits, but you also get all the information and education about the foods you are eating.  The Eat Smart System, discussed in a previous blog, is ten steps to a healthier life!  They include keep a daily journal, drink plenty of filtered water, follow the Live Off The Land Diet, plan ahead, include physical activity that is not just exercise, make simple changes over time, learn about your cravings so you can demolish them, take care of your Primary Foods, learn about the foods you are eating and take care of yourself!

Emphasis is on individuality and tailoring this program for YOU!  Each person is different and so your diet should be.  That is why this program is the best way for me to work with you as you learn to work with your body.  For example, I am most productive in the morning so it is too easy for me to skip breakfast so my diet incorporates a yummy spinach smoothie first thing and then I usually eat homemade pre-prepared foods like egg muffins or steel-cut oats in the crock pot. 

This system was created based on what I learned and the tools I used to lose over 30 lbs and lower my body fat percentage from 40% to 26% and maintain that weight loss, in addition to my certification education received at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  I am passionate about empowering you so you can achieve your goals and feel good about yourself and your life!

If you are unsure about making this commitment, book a free Health History Consultation today to get more information and discuss your concerns today!  You may catch the fire!!

My Healthy Helper Programs, Eat Smart System

The next couple posts I will be talking about the different programs My Healthy Helper has available for anyone that is looking to lose weight and eat healthy.  When you have the right tools and knowledge, eating healthy is just eating smart.  So, I created the Eat Smart System to make it easy to coach individuals and groups on how to eat and live healthy. The Eat Smart System is based on following 10 steps:

1.  Keep a daily journal.

2. Drink plenty of filtered water.

3.  Follow the Live Off The Land Diet.

4.  Plan ahead.

5.  Physical activity is not just exercise.

6.  Make simple changes over time.

7.  Demolish cravings.

8.  Take care of your Primary Foods.

9.  Learn about the foods you are eating.

10.  Take care of yourself!

All of my programs are based on the Eat Smart System.


The Eat Smart System is unique because it addresses not only what foods to eat, but also your habits and lifestyle.  It integrates all the tools you need including education on food, lifestyle, cravings, journal, meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking.  When you learn the Eat Smart System and apply the principles, you will see healthy weight loss, an increase in energy, a confidence in the kitchen, at the grocery store and whenever you eat, and a joyful feeling every morning.  This isn't a diet and isn't something you follow for 90 days and then stop.  This is knowledge to feed your body, mind and soul for a lifetime.

A Grocery Store Tour

What is a My Healthy Helper Grocery Store Tour?

I do two types of grocery store tours:
1. An individual tour of your local grocery store
2. A group tour of a grocery store

An individual tour of your own local grocery store is a great way to spend 2 hours of one-on-one time with your Health Coach.  Prior to the tour, you will need to complete an hour-long Health History Consultation and submit a weeks worth of your daily food log.  Both of these tell me a lot about you, what you are currently eating and what your goals are.  This is to ensure that you get the most out of your tour, like what specific foods to discuss and recommend, advice on budgeting, saving and planning.

 During the tours we will walk through several sections of the grocery store to learn about making smart shopping choices for health and wellness.  We will spend some time in the produce section, the bread aisle and the breakfast/cereal aisle.  I have found that these are three main areas that can be confusing when it comes to eating healthy.  This is because there is a lot of confusing information out there on whole grains, organic and ingredients.  So, we will discuss reading labels - what to look for, what to avoid and what are some of these things!  You will leave understanding the difference between carbohydrates and what are whole grains.  I have handouts on buying organic, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and sugars.  As we walk through the store and talk about snacks, you will have recipes in your handouts for many of the ones I mention.  I encourage questions!!

Everyone who takes a tour individually or in a group will leave with several handouts and recipes.  If you are not currently enrolled in either the 3-month or 6-month program, you will be offered a discounted meal planning program and be invited to attend any of my other special events, workshops or classes. 

My next Grocery Store Tour in the Lake Geneva, WI area is Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 2pm at the Lake Geneva Stinebrink's Piggly Wiggly.  The cost is $15 per person or $20 per couple, clients already enrolled in a program are free (included in your monthly program fee), AND the first 5 people to register, get their tour for FREE!!  Space is limited, so email me at myhealthyhelper@gmail.com or call 630-697-6932. 

Otherwise, contact me to schedule your individual grocery store tour!!

Would you like to see a group tour at a grocery store near you?  Contact me!

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